Pattaya v Hua Hin

[Alex2015]

I have lived in Pattaya for 2 years, I am thinking of moving over to Hua Hin, change of scenery basically. I have been there a couple of times. I find it a 'cleaner' place but possibly not enough going on, I like to walk about have a stroll during the day.

I am not a sex tourist so not interested in that side of things. Hua Hin does seem a bit more expensive, not a big drinker, 64 years old, opinions please.

[smutcakes]

if you are not into the sex trade pretty much anything you can do in Pattaya you can do in Hua Hin. (HH has its own little darkside if the urge takes anyway)

I dont mind Pattaya for a day or so here or there, but unless you have any specific desire or need to be in Pattaya i would choose HH everytime.

Its just a personal preference and I am sure many think different. I dont find the price differential to be an issue but currently i am earning an income and not tied to pension.

[lou62]

If it doesn't involve a huge effort by leaving here, then give it a go. You could easily come back if it doesn't work out.

I also like my trips to HH, best of luck.

[MickA]

I lived over there for 3 years but came back to Jomtien as there were not too many people to talk to apart from the Thai's I came into contact with i.e landlord,house maid and my driver

I speak passable Thai but it got boring after a while.

Love the place though just been back for a week

[KC 71]

Geat seafood in HH and great sea breeze too

[Seizetheday]

One of the reasons I choose Pattaya over Hua Hin was the ease of getting to the airport.

[catman20]

I've lived in pattaya 16 years I don't go out much live in a nice village very happy but if I do want anything its 5 minutes away. hua hin is ok for holiday for a few days /week.

[wpcoe]

While it's getting better in Hua Hin, shopping options seem better in Pattaya. e.g. For western groceries Pattaya has Foodland, Villa, Friendship, basement of Central (Tops?), new place in Harbor Mall on Pattaya Klang, and FoodMart. HH has two Villas. Pattaya has Central Department store, wherea HH has no place for branded western goods like cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, kitchenware, etc.

And, as mentioned above, Bangkok and its airports are more convenient to Pattaya. HH does have air con train service to Hualampong and Bell Travel deluxe buses to Suvarnabhumi.

That said, I chose Hua Hin over Pattaya/Jomtien after ten years in Jomtien. I moved back to Jomtien a couple years ago since I couldn't sell my condo. However, last December I locked up my empty condo and abandoned it to return to Hua Hin. I just like it better overall here. No baht bus or taxi mafia, easier to get around without a car/bike (I live in central HH where everything is walkable), nicer beaches, and overall cleaner and quieter.

Oh, and Songkran water play in Hua Hin only lasts one afternoon/evening not all bloody week long like in Pattaya.

[KittenKong]

Along with the selection of grocery shops mentioned I find it hard to leave the wide choice of reasonably-priced farang restaurants in Pattaya. There is nothing like it anywhere else that I know of here, outside of Bangkok. Thai food is not really a problem anywhere.

[sledpull]

We stayed in Pattaya for a month at Fairtex Sports Complex and loved it. The cinemas in Pattaya show more first run movies in English at varying times. We saw crowds of expats at differing showtimes. The HuaHin Cineplex appears to take the opposite approach with limited showings at limited times.

Hua Hin and its surrounding areas are really excellent with several little beach towns nearby. If you decide to relocate, welcome!

[gyrosman]

the hotel rooms are closer to ground for jumping.

[Kabula]

I personally find Hua Hin boring and too far from Bangkok.

If you have not already spent a week there do so before moving.

I wonder if the taxi's drivers still sleep most of the time then rip a few off with the minimum and call it a day.

Shameful.

The last time I was there two years ago I asked a taxi driver if it was far to the train station and he said, "far." He drove all of a minute and then tried to charge me the minimum of 500 THB. We argued and for the first time in 8 years I refused to pay him anything for not being honest with me. At the time I was living with a Thai woman and she paid him as I walked off. She took it out of her allowance I paid her and I never reimbursed her. I have not been back since.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Kabula

[12DrinkMore]

the hotel rooms are closer to ground for jumping.

Is that positive or negative?

HH gets utterly crowded at the weekend and holidays.

HH is subject to flooding, they somehow can't work out how to run tubes under the ground to the sea.

HH is full of ageing Scandie couples.

HH is where Patter's girls go to retire.

HH does not show English soundtrack films.

HH does not have a beach front promenade, in fact you could spend all day trying to find a way to get on the beach, hotels and resorts have blocked access.

HH has a reputation for seafood, but you can find the same and cheaper in Patters.

HH is much further from the Bangkok airports.

[kwak250]

You get a lot more "Bang for your buck"

In Pattaya.

[Duncan Donut]

Pattaya, Pattaya……so good they named it once.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

While it's getting better in Hua Hin, shopping options seem better in Pattaya. e.g. For western groceries Pattaya has Foodland, Villa, Friendship, basement of Central (Tops?), new place in Harbor Mall on Pattaya Klang, and FoodMart. HH has two Villas. Pattaya has Central Department store, wherea HH has no place for branded western goods like cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, kitchenware, etc.

And, as mentioned above, Bangkok and its airports are more convenient to Pattaya. HH does have air con train service to Hualampong and Bell Travel deluxe buses to Suvarnabhumi.

That said, I chose Hua Hin over Pattaya/Jomtien after ten years in Jomtien. I moved back to Jomtien a couple years ago since I couldn't sell my condo. However, last December I locked up my empty condo and abandoned it to return to Hua Hin. I just like it better overall here. No baht bus or taxi mafia, easier to get around without a car/bike (I live in central HH where everything is walkable), nicer beaches, and overall cleaner and quieter.

Oh, and Songkran water play in Hua Hin only lasts one afternoon/evening not all bloody week long like in Pattaya.

The shopping scene is however changing with Blu port opening soon and a Central coming within a year or two. You also have Makro and small Big C with foreign food.

[geisha]

I think 12drinkmore summed it up. I had a lovely rented condo there, stuck it out 2 full winters but left to Jomtien as I got too bored in HH. The cinema choice in Pattaya is great, HH not. No interesting shopping malls . Not enough restaurant choice. I also found the roads a bit dirty, and too many rats evenings. Thai People were generally nice, though some very unfriendly Scandinavians, and HH is full of them. The sea food is better than Pattaya and much cheaper, very fresh off the boat!

[misterphil]

When you sit on the beach in Pattaya and watch the sun set, its sets in to the ocean. When you sit on the beach in Hua Hin it sets behind you.

Hua Hin is boring compared to Pattaya.

[Simon1287]

Is there any difference in air pollution levels? Pattaya has been pretty bad all year. I bought an air purifier on December 15th which helped a lot but there had hardly been a day since if I look to the distance from where I stay that the air is not hazy. Sometimes really quite badly so. Today is the first day for quite a while, when if I look about a mile to Pratumnak or to the sea, all I detect is a very slight haze.

You don't notice it down at ground level, unless really bad. At one point earlier in the year it got so bad it was showing up in vehicle headlights for a few evenings.

This is the worst year I can remember. 4 months of it so far. Hopefully, it will stop soon but I doubt I shall be here next December to start going through it all again.

Yes, I know it's far worse in some other parts. I won't be going there either.

No doubt, I will be accused of exaggerating so I have attached a couple of images.

Neither would be considered anything much out of the ordinary since December last year. Some days better and a few even worse.

Simon

Edited April 20, 2016 by Simon1287

[Simon1287]

Other than the rubbish air quality so far this year Pattaya beats HH by a mile in my opinion. I have been to Hua Hin many times so I am able to compare. (though I have not been there this year so I cannot compare air quality)

Today in Pattaya is the first day of really fairly clear air so fingers crossed the worst is past. I think April is usually the time when it changes for the better?

Simon.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Simon1287

[tropo]

One of the reasons I choose Pattaya over Hua Hin was the ease of getting to the airport.

How long is the airport trip from Hua Hin? How long to Bangkok Central?

[Tolley]

I think a week is more than enough in Hua Hin.

It really is too small and doesn't have the infrastructure that Pattaya has.

Neither does it have the facilities and amenities that you have in Pattaya.

Hua Hin is gonna be more expensive than Patts and transport could be an issue if you don't drive yourself.

[AlexRich]

While it's getting better in Hua Hin, shopping options seem better in Pattaya. e.g. For western groceries Pattaya has Foodland, Villa, Friendship, basement of Central (Tops?), new place in Harbor Mall on Pattaya Klang, and FoodMart. HH has two Villas. Pattaya has Central Department store, wherea HH has no place for branded western goods like cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, kitchenware, etc.

And, as mentioned above, Bangkok and its airports are more convenient to Pattaya. HH does have air con train service to Hualampong and Bell Travel deluxe buses to Suvarnabhumi.

That said, I chose Hua Hin over Pattaya/Jomtien after ten years in Jomtien. I moved back to Jomtien a couple years ago since I couldn't sell my condo. However, last December I locked up my empty condo and abandoned it to return to Hua Hin. I just like it better overall here. No baht bus or taxi mafia, easier to get around without a car/bike (I live in central HH where everything is walkable), nicer beaches, and overall cleaner and quieter.

Oh, and Songkran water play in Hua Hin only lasts one afternoon/evening not all bloody week long like in Pattaya.

I'm quite interested in moving to Hua Hin but thought that it might be difficult to get around without a car or bike. You say that central Hua Hin is walkable? Can you give me a map location or well known place/shop/restaurant so that I can check that out on the map?

If I go I want to make sure I live in the right area, given my circumstances.

[Alex2015]

While it's getting better in Hua Hin, shopping options seem better in Pattaya. e.g. For western groceries Pattaya has Foodland, Villa, Friendship, basement of Central (Tops?), new place in Harbor Mall on Pattaya Klang, and FoodMart. HH has two Villas. Pattaya has Central Department store, wherea HH has no place for branded western goods like cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, kitchenware, etc.

And, as mentioned above, Bangkok and its airports are more convenient to Pattaya. HH does have air con train service to Hualampong and Bell Travel deluxe buses to Suvarnabhumi.

That said, I chose Hua Hin over Pattaya/Jomtien after ten years in Jomtien. I moved back to Jomtien a couple years ago since I couldn't sell my condo. However, last December I locked up my empty condo and abandoned it to return to Hua Hin. I just like it better overall here. No baht bus or taxi mafia, easier to get around without a car/bike (I live in central HH where everything is walkable), nicer beaches, and overall cleaner and quieter.

Oh, and Songkran water play in Hua Hin only lasts one afternoon/evening not all bloody week long like in Pattaya.

I'm quite interested in moving to Hua Hin but thought that it might be difficult to get around without a car or bike. You say that central Hua Hin is walkable? Can you give me a map location or well known place/shop/restaurant so that I can check that out on the map?

If I go I want to make sure I live in the right area, given my circumstances.

My thoughts as well, plenty of decent properties in Hua Hin but transport required, I have no wish to have acScooter or own a car. Living in Pattaya it's not required.

[AlexRich]

While it's getting better in Hua Hin, shopping options seem better in Pattaya. e.g. For western groceries Pattaya has Foodland, Villa, Friendship, basement of Central (Tops?), new place in Harbor Mall on Pattaya Klang, and FoodMart. HH has two Villas. Pattaya has Central Department store, wherea HH has no place for branded western goods like cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, kitchenware, etc.

And, as mentioned above, Bangkok and its airports are more convenient to Pattaya. HH does have air con train service to Hualampong and Bell Travel deluxe buses to Suvarnabhumi.

That said, I chose Hua Hin over Pattaya/Jomtien after ten years in Jomtien. I moved back to Jomtien a couple years ago since I couldn't sell my condo. However, last December I locked up my empty condo and abandoned it to return to Hua Hin. I just like it better overall here. No baht bus or taxi mafia, easier to get around without a car/bike (I live in central HH where everything is walkable), nicer beaches, and overall cleaner and quieter.

Oh, and Songkran water play in Hua Hin only lasts one afternoon/evening not all bloody week long like in Pattaya.

I'm quite interested in moving to Hua Hin but thought that it might be difficult to get around without a car or bike. You say that central Hua Hin is walkable? Can you give me a map location or well known place/shop/restaurant so that I can check that out on the map?

If I go I want to make sure I live in the right area, given my circumstances.

My thoughts as well, plenty of decent properties in Hua Hin but transport required, I have no wish to have acScooter or own a car. Living in Pattaya it's not required.

Agreed. And from some of the comments here it looks like that it is not possible to live there without a car or scooter. Pattaya has it's downsides, but you can avoid them if you wish ... the facilities are good for a westerner, transport is easily available, and although there is vehicle pollution, you don't seem to get the toxic agricultural burning of the north.

[wpcoe]

One of the reasons I choose Pattaya over Hua Hin was the ease of getting to the airport.

How long is the airport trip from Hua Hin? How long to Bangkok Central?

Using the Bell Travel Bus from a station on Petchkasem Road near Soi 96 it takes around 3.5 hours. Sometimes quicker, sometimes longer, of course, but that gives you an idea. The bus is comfortable (24 seats in a 1 + 2 configuration on the same size bus that holds 44/45 seats out of Pattaya) and is bookable online.

Using a taxi is faster to the airport. I've heard folks saying 2.5 hours, but my experience has been closer to three hours.

To get to downtown, of course you can take the Bell Travel bus and then ARL train into town, but a taxi is easier and faster for around B2,000-2,200 and takes about three hours. My preferred mode of travel, though, is the train. It's old and well-worn but there's a 400pm Second Class air con Express train that takes about four hours to Hualampong. The train is not for everybody, but it works for me.

[wpcoe]

While it's getting better in Hua Hin, shopping options seem better in Pattaya. e.g. For western groceries Pattaya has Foodland, Villa, Friendship, basement of Central (Tops?), new place in Harbor Mall on Pattaya Klang, and FoodMart. HH has two Villas. Pattaya has Central Department store, wherea HH has no place for branded western goods like cosmetics, perfumes, clothing, kitchenware, etc.

And, as mentioned above, Bangkok and its airports are more convenient to Pattaya. HH does have air con train service to Hualampong and Bell Travel deluxe buses to Suvarnabhumi.

That said, I chose Hua Hin over Pattaya/Jomtien after ten years in Jomtien. I moved back to Jomtien a couple years ago since I couldn't sell my condo. However, last December I locked up my empty condo and abandoned it to return to Hua Hin. I just like it better overall here. No baht bus or taxi mafia, easier to get around without a car/bike (I live in central HH where everything is walkable), nicer beaches, and overall cleaner and quieter.

Oh, and Songkran water play in Hua Hin only lasts one afternoon/evening not all bloody week long like in Pattaya.

I'm quite interested in moving to Hua Hin but thought that it might be difficult to get around without a car or bike. You say that central Hua Hin is walkable? Can you give me a map location or well known place/shop/restaurant so that I can check that out on the map?

If I go I want to make sure I live in the right area, given my circumstances.

My thoughts as well, plenty of decent properties in Hua Hin but transport required, I have no wish to have acScooter or own a car. Living in Pattaya it's not required.

As mentioned, I live in the city center. Soi 80, to be exact. Within ten minutes walk are a bunch of restaurants, the beach, the main police station, the post office, TOT, CAT, the water department, the tessabahn, a small shopping mall (called The Hua Hin Shopping Mall, I think?). Power Buy, Villa Market, the train station, a bus station, two night markets, and probably more that I can't think of off the top of my head. Can't find a decent online map right now with those places on it. Best I can come up with now is Google Maps centered on the train station. Soi 76 and Petchkasem Rd (Highway 4) is the main intersection downtown. You can see Soi 80 where I live is actually two parallel sois: one is a popular bar soi, and behind it is a row of quiet townhouses.

Within fifteen minutes walk is Market Village, the main shopping mall with Home Pro and a big Tesco store, and a fitness gym.

For farther out, I can catch sawng taews on Petchkasem Road. The original green line has been supplemented with a red line, orange line, and a white line. I use them to go to Makro, InvadeIT, Immigrations and other farther places. Also, the moto-sai guys/gals are as plentiful as in central Pattaya.

Now, if you want a farang mansion with white picket fence in a gated community, you need a car and/or a motor bike. But, it's entirely possible to live in the city center without a vehicle, and simply walk.

[Rimmer]

A post has been removed:

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[Alex2015]

Thanks for all the comments, I have been looking at houses in HH and Pattaya, I currently live in a Condo and I don't want to spend the rest of my life sitting on a balcony. Both places have the same issues, location of a decent house, I am looking for a 2 Bedroom House with a garden/patio area. My preferred location in both places would be in the center of town, after contacting many agents there doesn't appear to be anything suitable/decent.

I am leaning towards Pattaya, think HH is too small, I don't drive and reluctant to use Scooter Taxis, I like to walk. There are an abundance of suitable properties in East Pattaya/Dark Side but is there transport, Baht Buses and if so how regular are they and what time do they stop running on an evening ? I believe there are a few Bars in the area if I fancy a beer.

[wpcoe]

Alex2015, I agree that it would be slim pickings for a house with a yard/garden in central Hua Hin, but can't entirely rule that out. Some of the Sois like 82 and 84 might have houses that would fit your needs, but I'm relying on vague memories from when I first looked several years ago. You can walk down both those sois easily from P'Road to investigate.

The rear Soi 80 is a row of the standard cookie-cutter townhouses. There is a similar neighborhood behind the Grand Hotel. "Technically" they have "patios" out front, but I'm pretty sure that's not what you were looking for. I only mention that in case anybody else browsing the thread would care.