How's life in Hua Hin?

[Manassas]

Interesting thread for me. We have a place on the family farm way up north, but are now considering getting a place somewhere on the beach. Sometimes need to escape village life and farm chores. I'm married and retired and not interested in the bar scene so looking for a quiet affordable area with good restaurants and recreation opportunities. Very tired of Phuket and am put off by the reputation of Pattaya. Really looking for family oriented retirement area. Haven't been to Huan Hin yet but have heard good things

For those of you residing long-term in Hua Hin/Cha Am/Pranburi, how do you like it? How did you choose it relative to other beach communities?

[hhfarang]

I like Hua Hin compared to other places in Thailand, in other words, if I have to live in Thailand Hua Hin is better than most other places I've looked at. The only problem is the recent (past ten year's) growth makes it a hassle sometimes to drive and park and makes living here at least 50% more expensive than it was when we came in 2013.

On the up side, the air is clean, there are plenty of grocery choices including a Villa Market that specializes in imported foods, and more variety of restaurants than probably any other town of this size anywhere I've ever seen.

In short, I'm tired of living in Thailand and if I could afford it I would move back to my home country, but if I have to live in Thailand, I can't think of a better place than the Hua Hin/Cha-Am/Pranburi area.

Edited September 28, 2014 by hhfarang

[beautifulthailand99]

I have spent my last few extended vacations checking out potential retrirement optins for Thailand - the shortlist in the end came down to HH,Chiang Mai and Ko Chang - Chang got vetoed as there is precious little to do once you've got the holiday stuff out of your system . CM was my perference but the air quality during the burn is appalling I had a permanent cough for two weeks whilst I was there. So that left HH ,clean air, nice people, farangs probably outnumber Thais and most of them are well behaved and responsible scandanavians. Still relatively inexpensive and low crime rate ...but on the down side if you don't like golf or cribbage not much to do in the long run ...oh and the jellyfish which put me right off swimming. So in the end after years of dreaming of retiring to Thailand my wife and I decided to stay and retire in the UK - keeping Thailand for holidays and family visits. Thailand's like a good mistress - don't marry her if you want a more exciting relationship.

That said much respect for those that make it their home and like it - just not for us.

[hhfarang]

^ Great decision imo. I made the mistake of retiring early from a high paying engineering job because my wife wanted to move to Thailand. Now we both wish we had stayed in the U.S. but are probably stuck here for life because of bad decisions 11 years ago. By moving here we not only wrecked our finances (because I retired early and the missus can't get a decent job here), but we turned our favorite annual holiday destination into a place we don't care for now.

[Stargeezr]

I have not made the plunge to spend more than a month or two in Thailand yet.

I am still thinking that Hua Hin is the place for me, once I do, but like hhfarang,

I want to spend some time like a winter or 2 to make sure that HH is the place I want

to spend from late October until the end of March living at. At least from HH my wife and I can get into BKK for the family gatherings, and go south to Phuket for a week or 2 break to see the cousins

there as well.

Stargeezer

[regfrancis]

Good beach horse riding on lovely Polo Horses

[hhfarang]

^ If you like horseback riding there is also a stable of better horses on the hill behind the school of arts just past the flyover. They will take you on long fast beach rides or trail rides. Sorry, no contact info as I heard this from a close friend who lives near the stables.

[Jungle Jim]

Too many sex tourists and or alcoholics. NO Thanks !

[Noi657]

^^^^^ Hardly Pattaya is it!

[hhfarang]

Too many sex tourists and or alcoholics. NO Thanks !

Hey! Being a former sex tourist (a long, long, time ago ) and a current wino, I resent that remark!

[sirocco]

Too many sex tourists and or alcoholics. NO Thanks !

Hey! Being a former sex tourist (a long, long, time ago ) and a current wino, I resent that remark!

There always has repented.

[Jungle Jim]

Sorry Mr. Wino : As long as you don,t wander off the beaten down sex tourist/alcoholic- banana pancake/padthai path i have no problems with you. As most Thais have mentioned to me the majority of foreigners seem to have a bottle in hand 24/7. Hua Hin lost its charm years ago as soon as thousands like yourself ruined the town and much of the tourists hangouts. Besides the beach there is total crap, the Thai food expensive total crap, the rooms over priced dumps. You can have it. Add Pattaya, Phuket, Chaing Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui island chain, Koh Chang and just about anywhere listed in the Lonely Planet. Could not pay me enough to spend the night there.

[mrtoad]

So where do recommend Jungle Jim?

I am in Hua Hn for a few days at the moment, I find it pretty decent, although not in the centre of town

[Jungle Jim]

Like i said anywhere off the beaten track of mass tourism. I speak Thai so have no problem getting away from foreigners. Sorry to tell you i tend to keep my locations a secret. Years ago Hua Hin was great but like anywhere once word gets out kiss paradise goodbye. The Thais get nasty and greedy and i can,t say i blame them as far as their often rude behavior. Seen far to many rude, drunk and questionable foreigners both male and female. The other factor is the foreigners either tossing their money around or just not knowing any better about prices which tends to drive prices to crazy levels. Learn to speak Thai and avoid the masses and it becomes a very different world. Not a big fan of Cha-Am either but i would say if i had to choose between the two i would take Cha-Am . I give Thailand another ten years before it all looks no different than some cheap strip mall in America.

[Michaelaway]

Sorry Mr. Wino : As long as you don,t wander off the beaten down sex tourist/alcoholic- banana pancake/padthai path i have no problems with you. As most Thais have mentioned to me the majority of foreigners seem to have a bottle in hand 24/7. Hua Hin lost its charm years ago as soon as thousands like yourself ruined the town and much of the tourists hangouts. Besides the beach there is total crap, the Thai food expensive total crap, the rooms over priced dumps. You can have it. Add Pattaya, Phuket, Chaing Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui island chain, Koh Chang and just about anywhere listed in the Lonely Planet. Could not pay me enough to spend the night there.

So, it's back to the Jungle... Jim?

[Jungle Jim]

No need for life in the jungle quite yet. There are alcoholism , foreign criminal, sex tourist free zones that still exist. i am just not telling you where. If you can,t speak Thai i don,t think many would last long on potato chips, hot dogs and coke. Just not sure what the big trill is about Hua Hin outside of bars, bars, bars, bar girls and way over priced crappy foreign food.

[mrtoad]

No need for life in the jungle quite yet. There are alcoholism , foreign criminal, sex tourist free zones that still exist. i am just not telling you where. If you can,t speak Thai i don,t think many would last long on potato chips, hot dogs and coke. Just not sure what the big trill is about Hua Hin outside of bars, bars, bars, bar girls and way over priced crappy foreign food.

I've been down here for work, and to be honest not really seen much of what you describe. Had several pleasant meals, a walk around Cha Am and been relaxing at The Dusit. It's been fairly pleasant to be fair. Agree though that there are in many tourist areas places to avoid.

[rgs2001uk]

Sorry Mr. Wino : As long as you don,t wander off the beaten down sex tourist/alcoholic- banana pancake/padthai path i have no problems with you. As most Thais have mentioned to me the majority of foreigners seem to have a bottle in hand 24/7. Hua Hin lost its charm years ago as soon as thousands like yourself ruined the town and much of the tourists hangouts. Besides the beach there is total crap, the Thai food expensive total crap, the rooms over priced dumps. You can have it. Add Pattaya, Phuket, Chaing Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui island chain, Koh Chang and just about anywhere listed in the Lonely Planet. Could not pay me enough to spend the night there.

Hua Hin lost its charm about 10 years ago, once a certain location was developed and sold off to dumb farangs.

Too be perfectly honest, there is nothing in this town that would make want to ever go back, the traffic on a weekend is terrible.

Too be honest it wasnt the tourists that ruined the place, IMHO it was the property developers, thankfully they havent made their way out to where I spend a lot of my time.

Pat Thai, Bia Chang, brilliant stuff and oh so true. You forgot to mention, cargo pants, sak yant and dreadlox.

[ToneG]

^{Been to HH a few times for holidays. The people IMHO to avoid are the 'I speak Thai ' brigade and the 'this place was great 10 years ago ruined now'.}

^{They're the people that got there 1st and ruined it. It's a seaside resort popular with tourists, you're going to get tourists that drink a bit too much and falang looking for women they would never get near at home they're on holiday. It's easy to find and also easy to avoid. I've found plenty of places to go in the few times I've been there to never bother with Soi Bintabaht.}

[MDS]

I have visited Thailand approx 40 times, mainly for business, but have taken trips down to Hua Hi 5 or 6 times and we (myself and my wife are both from the UK) like it enough that on 1st December we are moving there to stay.

Maybe I don't expect too much but after visits to other resorts in Thailand but I find the people in Hua Hin friendly, the beach is good, the food is good (especially the street food) and if anyone is offended by middle aged men looking for a girlfriend for a couple of weeks then there is no need to go near the bar area.

Maybe Hua Hin is not the place it was 10 or 15 years ago but few places are. Overall I think it will be a great place to live.

[ToneG]

I have visited Thailand approx 40 times, mainly for business, but have taken trips down to Hua Hi 5 or 6 times and we (myself and my wife are both from the UK) like it enough that on 1st December we are moving there to stay.

Maybe I don't expect too much but after visits to other resorts in Thailand but I find the people in Hua Hin friendly, the beach is good, the food is good (especially the street food) and if anyone is offended by middle aged men looking for a girlfriend for a couple of weeks then there is no need to go near the bar area.

Maybe Hua Hin is not the place it was 10 or 15 years ago but few places are. Overall I think it will be a great place to live.

Agree with you MDS. Have also visited and I like the place as well as I said in previous post. Different story living in a place that you visit for hols though.

Hope you go well.

Best wishes ToneG.

[hhfarang]

Different story living in a place that you visit for hols though.

Well said. I am one of the "Hua Hin was better 10 Years ago" brigade mentioned above, and I still think Hua Hin is one of the two best places to live in Thailand, but as posted above, by moving here I have turned a place I loved to come to on holiday since 1981 (Thailand, not always Hua Hin) into a place I don't care for any longer and look forward to leaving, permanently if I can work it out.

Maybe if I manage to get out, in a few years it will once again become a favored holiday location.

[Jungle Jim]

Hua Hin like so many places before and many more in the future will be ruined by mass tourism. As long as foreigners and the Thai government talk about how wonderful and great a place is thousands and millions will follow later. Say a great thank to Lonely Planet, Travelfish.org and many other sites. Prices raise, more problems arrive, crime up, . If you really care about a place my advice as i do where i live. KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT !

[Michaelaway]

Hua Hin is... what it is. So, no need looking into the past and lamenting how it used to be or might have been. The trick is trying to make the most of the place now, while we can! And, based on a lot of people's opinions, Hua Hin has a lot of potential! Let's all look on the bright side and do our part to make HH an area we all can live comfortably in, and be proud of! What's wrong with that??

Edited October 25, 2014 by Michaelaway

[hhfarang]

Let's all look on the bright side and do our part to make HH an area we all can live comfortably in, and be proud of!

Great idea, but just how do you do that with zero control of anything outside your own property? Are you going to pick up the garbage all along the roads and beaches thrown there by Thais who don't care? Are you going to go around gathering up all the soi dogs and getting them off the streets? Are you going to report all the many scammers and criminals to the Police? Are you going to personally fill the potholes in the road?... Make vendors and motorcycle taxis stop taking up all the parking and using the sidewalks? Are you going to build parking areas downtown and put in more traffic controls or through roads to ease the congestion? Are you going to stop all the motorbikes you see breaking the law like riding the wrong direction on the wrong side of the street and chastise them? Are you going to stop Thais from double parking totally blocking traffic on busy streets or narrow sois?

Not being facetious or critical of your post here. I'm asking seriously. Exactly how do we as powerless foreigners "do our part to make HH an area we all can live comfortably in, and be proud of!"

[ToneG]

Let's all look on the bright side and do our part to make HH an area we all can live comfortably in, and be proud of!

Great idea, but just how do you do that with zero control of anything outside your own property? Are you going to pick up the garbage all along the roads and beaches thrown there by Thais who don't care? Are you going to go around gathering up all the soi dogs and getting them off the streets? Are you going to report all the many scammers and criminals to the Police? Are you going to personally fill the potholes in the road?... Make vendors and motorcycle taxis stop taking up all the parking and using the sidewalks? Are you going to build parking areas downtown and put in more traffic controls or through roads to ease the congestion? Are you going to stop all the motorbikes you see breaking the law like riding the wrong direction on the wrong side of the street and chastise them? Are you going to stop Thais from double parking totally blocking traffic on busy streets or narrow sois?

Not being facetious or critical of your post here. I'm asking seriously. Exactly how do we as powerless foreigners "do our part to make HH an area we all can live comfortably in, and be proud of!"

Good points here. But most of these problems seem to be aimed at Thai's and Thailand. I only visit for holidays as like you say you live in Thailand and have virtually no rights. For me Thailand will only ever be a nice place to visit for that reason. I couldn't live in a place where you had to report to the police all the time like a criminal, cannot own your own land, cannot work if you need to. When Thai's come to live in the UK they can live freely why can't they offer us the same rights. No double pricing in the shops here!

It's the way of the world with Tourism someone finds a nice place the word gets around and the masses arrive. That person moves on to somewhere less spoilt and the same happens.

Edited October 27, 2014 by ToneG

[Jungle Jim]

KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ! Likely less foreigners will arrive. Hua Hin is a crap hole.

[ToneG]

KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ! Likely less foreigners will arrive. Hua Hin is a crap hole.

You're entitled to your opinion and there are probably others that live in Thailand that think the same. I like it for a holiday and I've met plenty of others that share my opinion.

[Jungle Jim]

i am happy for you. And i hope many others feel the same about Hua Hin. From my point of view it keeps them from traveling to the much more quieter, cheaper, scam free locations. Hua hin not that long ago was nothing more than a sleepy fishing village. As the Euros discovered it, it very rapidly went down hill. I won,t even spend one night there. Sadly just another paradise lost due to Lonely Planet, Travelfish.org and other sites that can care less about places as long as they are making a quick buck. Having said that, the Thais and many foreigners sold their souls and totally screwed the place up. You can have it.

KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ! Likely less foreigners will arrive. Hua Hin is a crap hole.

You're entitled to your opinion and there are probably others that live in Thailand that think the same. I like it for a holiday and I've met plenty of others that share my opinion.

[ToneG]

i am happy for you. And i hope many others feel the same about Hua Hin. From my point of view it keeps them from traveling to the much more quieter, cheaper, scam free locations. Hua hin not that long ago was nothing more than a sleepy fishing village. As the Euros discovered it, it very rapidly went down hill. I won,t even spend one night there. Sadly just another paradise lost due to Lonely Planet, Travelfish.org and other sites that can care less about places as long as they are making a quick buck. Having said that, the Thais and many foreigners sold their souls and totally screwed the place up. You can have it.

KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ! Likely less foreigners will arrive. Hua Hin is a crap hole.

You're entitled to your opinion and there are probably others that live in Thailand that think the same. I like it for a holiday and I've met plenty of others that share my opinion.

Yes well a seaside destination a couple of hours drive from BKK was going to be a target just like Pattaya the other side of the bay. I only get a few weeks a year for holidays so it's good for me. I guess if I lived in Thailand permanently it wouldn't be ideal either. Hope you can continue life in your paradise for as long as possible.