What's it like in the off-season? (I might settle in HH)

[dblaisde]

I'm looking for a good selection of expats to hang out with throughout the year, but I heard HH is pretty vacant during low season. Do I have this right?

 

What's the expat community like?

 

thanks

[Falcon]

Hua hin is really no different year round for those of us who live here. High season is obviously more tourists and busier in the town but again, for those of us living here it makes very little difference. Hua hin is a nice place to live with most of what you need, as long as it's not only bars and clubs that your looking for. Still relatively safe and a good place to bring up a family.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Some expats go home over new year other stay. If you make friends you will only notice it by the number of tourist you see a Market Village. 

[themerg]

Hot BUT very very nice ocean breeze.

Same as anywhere in Thailand, in low season prices go down.

Bluport Resort mall.

I like Hua Hin. Nice and cooler at night from ocean breezes.

[dblaisde]

2 hours ago, Falcon said:

Hua hin is really no different year round for those of us who live here. High season is obviously more tourists and busier in the town but again, for those of us living here it makes very little difference. 

Thanks. Is there an area where  expats tend to hang out? I'd like to talk with some for advice on apartments, transport, social hangouts, etc.

[ICECOOL]

Been in HH for 6 years. I suggest you come try it. Only you know what you like.

 

It has a fairly mixed expat community. Plenty of Brits and northern Europeans here permanently along with US, Canadian and Aussie like me. It has golf and fishing for daytime and pool leagues (almost every night) darts and a fair bit of live music. We just had a jazz festival. If you come here suggest you find out about pool league and head to the host bars.

 

One comment I do hear constantly is that the expat population are friendly but as its a fairly spread out town you tend not to realise so many people here. A number of distinct bar entertainment areas. The Thai population here are quite friendly to expats too.

 

They just opened a second upmarket shopping center so there is pretty good choice.

[dblaisde]

2 hours ago, Falcon said:

Hua hin is really no different year round for those of us who live here. High season is obviously more tourists and busier in the town but again, for those of us living here it makes very little difference. Hua hin is a nice place to live with most of what you need, as long as it's not only bars and clubs that your looking for. Still relatively safe and a good place to bring up a family.

But the story maybe 10 years back was that HH's farang population left town in off season. I gather that's not true anymore.

[ICECOOL]

There are a number of FB social sites for HH. Hua Hin Expats, We Love Hua Hin. Hua Hin Buy and sell (3 similiar pages) Suggest you join them. You can also find places to rent...just ask

[dblaisde]

2 hours ago, themerg said:

Hot BUT very very nice ocean breeze.

Same as anywhere in Thailand, in low season prices go down.

Bluport Resort mall.

I like Hua Hin. Nice and cooler at night from ocean breezes.

I also was hoping the conversational level might be higher than Pattaya. (ie: people have conversations not limited to food, the evils of Thailand, Thai women especially, how drunk they got last night, or football)

Edited March 30, 2017 by dblaisde

[233493_1469957364]

I agree with all the replies. I have lived in TH 12 years and have looked at both HH and Bang Saray 20km from Pattaya. I choose Bang Saray for these reasons:

 

1. Sports:  Live Football - Pattaya United and Navy Fc - both Toyota Premier League clubs - super nice stadiums, lots of snacks and have a beer during match. The Footy is improving as each side allowed a Foreign player quota now. 

 

Muay Thai fights, F1 Power Boat Races, Pro Jet Ski races, Volleyball Tournaments loads of live events seaside. I'm sure HH has its share as well. Golf haven. 

 

2. Island getaways: Can see Koh Larn - 30 minutes by ferry and Koh Samet younger crowd lots of live music and resorts are reasonable. But you feel miles away from and the water is crystal clear. There are also very nice public beaches in Sattahip, Narong - water is clear and blue - amazing compared to the brown water just 30 km away in Patts and Jomtien.

 

3. Restaurants:  I love loads of variety and higher end eateries many beachside. Everything within a 20-30 minute drive. Live music, festivals, wineries and local seafood joints. I have no use for Pattaya city nightlife, but do like the shopping options with Central Festival and the new Terminal 21 on it's way.

 

4. Pool Villas:  I think HH has the advantage here. The new pool villa projects are stunning and reasonably priced. Both cities have the mountain views (Sattahip). But there is just more inventory on the market in HH.

 

5. Commute: Bangkok is a great cosmopolitan city and has so much to offer. I have businesses and a condo in the city - I only go to BKK twice a month for 2-3 nights. I enjoy being able to be in BKK in 2 hours, the highway system form Pattaya is strong and getting better. I found I did not enjoy the drive from HH to BKK - roads too few lanes, more congested.

 

These are just a few observations - I live 1km from Bang Saray beach, an easy motorbike, bicycle ride to the fishing village. The expats are mostly Scandinavian, but loads of English speaking folks and generally quite nice and open to meeting new people. The Thais are lovely.

 

That said, I would highly recommend renting first in either or both cities. 8-12 months will give you a good feel for the area, rents are very reasonable, with 3b 2b pool villas for THB 25K - 35K for a very lovely spot. A nice home in a moo baan close to the sea with no pool can be 10K-15K and there are many.

 

Enjoy the good life and best of luck with your new adventure!

[BsBs]

Hua him is dead all year long, don't go there except if you are very ill.

 

 

[islandgirljenny]

2 hours ago, dblaisde said:

But the story maybe 10 years back was that HH's farang population left town in off season. I gather that's not true anymore.

That's still true (not the whole farang population, of course! but a very substantial percentage).  There are a number of countries (mostly European) that will cancel their citizens' healthcare coverage if they stay away more than a certain amount of time (typically more than six months).  So even many westerners who own houses or condos here return to their country of citizenship for several months each year.  

A few of us (in my part of town, at the southern edge of the city) do have this as our only home.  But we are a definite minority. 

 

[geisha]

I didn't like the beach at all, awful, and bad traffic jams in Hua Hin. Not enough shopping for me, Tho it might have changed lately. 

[pcliff069]

I didn't like the beach at all, awful, and bad traffic jams in Hua Hin. Not enough shopping for me, Tho it might have changed lately. 

I don't like Hua Hin because of A B and C. But that might have changed lately.

Yeah OK. [emoji23]

Sent from my A37f using Tapatalk

[GarryP]

I was there for a short break over the weekend, and would consider it for retirement. However, the house prices seem to disproportionately expensive. I could buy something just as good in the suburbs of Bangkok for the same price. I was only looking in the windows of real estate agents, so perhaps I was looking in the wrong place. What struck me as unusual was that most of the adverts were in English so certainly focused at the foreign community, and yet foreigners can't buy property in Thailand.

 

I don't see the point of paying rent if you can buy,  so I would be looking to buy.      

[portroyal]

2 hours ago, BsBs said:

Hua him is dead all year long, don't go there except if you are very ill.

 

 

Yes, don't go HH... boring !

let's the oldies stay quite in HH

[GarryP]

Just now, portroyal said:

Yes, don't go HH... boring !

let's the oldies stay quite in HH

Which one day you will become.

[Seligne2]

4 hours ago, GarryP said:

Which one day you will become.

If some grammar Nazi does not murder him first.

[dblaisde]

7 hours ago, 233493_1469957364 said:

I agree with all the replies. I have lived in TH 12 years and have looked at both HH and Bang Saray 20km from Pattaya. I choose Bang Saray for these reasons:

 

1. Sports:  Live Football - Pattaya United and Navy Fc - both Toyota Premier League clubs - super nice stadiums, lots of snacks and have a beer during match. The Footy is improving as each side allowed a Foreign player quota now. 

 

Muay Thai fights, F1 Power Boat Races, Pro Jet Ski races, Volleyball Tournaments loads of live events seaside. I'm sure HH has its share as well. Golf haven. 

 

2. Island getaways: Can see Koh Larn - 30 minutes by ferry and Koh Samet younger crowd lots of live music and resorts are reasonable. But you feel miles away from and the water is crystal clear. There are also very nice public beaches in Sattahip, Narong - water is clear and blue - amazing compared to the brown water just 30 km away in Patts and Jomtien.

 

3. Restaurants:  I love loads of variety and higher end eateries many beachside. Everything within a 20-30 minute drive. Live music, festivals, wineries and local seafood joints. I have no use for Pattaya city nightlife, but do like the shopping options with Central Festival and the new Terminal 21 on it's way.

 

4. Pool Villas:  I think HH has the advantage here. The new pool villa projects are stunning and reasonably priced. Both cities have the mountain views (Sattahip). But there is just more inventory on the market in HH.

 

5. Commute: Bangkok is a great cosmopolitan city and has so much to offer. I have businesses and a condo in the city - I only go to BKK twice a month for 2-3 nights. I enjoy being able to be in BKK in 2 hours, the highway system form Pattaya is strong and getting better. I found I did not enjoy the drive from HH to BKK - roads too few lanes, more congested.

 

These are just a few observations - I live 1km from Bang Saray beach, an easy motorbike, bicycle ride to the fishing village. The expats are mostly Scandinavian, but loads of English speaking folks and generally quite nice and open to meeting new people. The Thais are lovely.

 

That said, I would highly recommend renting first in either or both cities. 8-12 months will give you a good feel for the area, rents are very reasonable, with 3b 2b pool villas for THB 25K - 35K for a very lovely spot. A nice home in a moo baan close to the sea with no pool can be 10K-15K and there are many.

 

Enjoy the good life and best of luck with your new adventure!

Thanks for the detailed account. For the first time you make me think that Pattaya might be a possible. I'm not much of a jock or food buff, but I like the beach, walking for exercise, peace & quiet (I'm 70 years old), and interesting conversation. I didn't know there were many Scandinavians in Patts. I'd heard there were many in HH. I only need one bedroom but a pool would be nice nonetheless.

 

In my 16 years here, I've only been to Patts twice and then only in the Walking Street ugly part of town so the rest is a black box to me. I've only judge the place based on the sex zombies (customers and vendors) I see knuckle dragging their way along. Not that I have anything against sex, but it's no longer my sole reason for living :), so there has to be something else. I like conversation: interesting, funny, original chats leading to good friendships. I was part of a sea community in Bang Saphan, but it became filled with male social misfits who cared a lot about motorbikes, dissing Thai women, English football, getting drunk early and often (happy hour begins at 2PM), and fist-fighting in bars ("did you just say my motorbike was 'underpowered'?!!). Fist fights between 70 year old drunks are boring but usually nobody lands a punch. So....I was hoping for a place to grow friendships. I like reading, drawing, science, classical music and computers too. (This is usually a disadvantage unless I'm in Bangkok, where there are discussion groups for these things, but I don't expect miracles from beach towns. I'm there for good air, exercise, chatting, and some laughs. A lot of the "cultural stuff" I can get online.

 

One good thing about HH is that it's close (3 hours) to Bang Saphan, and I'll still have a few friends down there.

 

Again, thanks for your comments.

 

 

 

[dblaisde]

7 hours ago, islandgirljenny said:

That's still true (not the whole farang population, of course! but a very substantial percentage).  There are a number of countries (mostly European) that will cancel their citizens' healthcare coverage if they stay away more than a certain amount of time (typically more than six months).  So even many westerners who own houses or condos here return to their country of citizenship for several months each year.  

A few of us (in my part of town, at the southern edge of the city) do have this as our only home.  But we are a definite minority. 

 

Thanks for the feedback. Glad there are a few that live there mostly full time. How do you like your part of town? Does it have a name? Is there a particular area in HH that the "full timers" tend to live? (If so I'd look for hotels there). 

 

I wonder if I lived like you do (on the outskirts) whether I'd need a motorbike to get into town. I like walking a lot but don't want to feel it's an hour's walk to get anywhere (and an hour back). I'm pretty leery of driving motorbikes though I trust motorbike taxi drivers, if they're available. A half hour walk would be fine though.

 

Thanks again for your comments. HH is a pretty big area so anything that narrows down where I might want to live or hang out is valuable.

[dblaisde]

42 minutes ago, Seligne2 said:

If some grammar Nazi does not murder him first.

I hate those Grandma Nazis too.

Edited March 30, 2017 by dblaisde

[islandgirljenny]

8 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

Thanks for the detailed account. For the first time you make me think that Pattaya might be a possible. I'm not much of a jock or food buff, but I like the beach, walking for exercise, peace & quiet (I'm 70 years old), and interesting conversation. I didn't know there were many Scandinavians in Patts. I'd heard there were many in HH. I only need one bedroom but a pool would be nice nonetheless.

 

In my 16 years here, I've only been to Patts twice and then only in the Walking Street ugly part of town so the rest is a black box to me. I've only judge the place based on the sex zombies (customers and vendors) I see knuckle dragging their way along. Not that I have anything against sex, but it's no longer my sole reason for living :), so there has to be something else. I like conversation: interesting, funny, original chats leading to good friendships. I was part of a sea community in Bang Saphan, but it became filled with male social misfits who cared a lot about motorbikes, dissing Thai women, English football, getting drunk early and often (happy hour begins at 2PM), and fist-fighting in bars ("did you just say my motorbike was 'underpowered'?!!). Fist fights between 70 year old drunks are boring but usually nobody lands a punch. So....I was hoping for a place to grow friendships. I like reading, drawing, science, classical music and computers too. (This is usually a disadvantage unless I'm in Bangkok, where there are discussion groups for these things, but I don't expect miracles from beach towns. I'm there for good air, exercise, chatting, and some laughs. A lot of the "cultural stuff" I can get online.

 

One good thing about HH is that it's close (3 hours) to Bang Saphan, and I'll still have a few friends down there.

 

Again, thanks for your comments.

 

 

 

From what you wrote here, I think Hua Hin might be a good place for you.  Good air and exercise are some of our specialties.  Many of us find that Hua Hin alone is not enough, and occasional trips to Bangkok are needed to add an urban cultural dimension (and there's a fantastic new bus to Bangkok operated by Sombat Tours, leaves from soi 96/1, just 155 baht one way, which drops you right at the BTS/Mochit and MRT/Jatujak stations).  But if one of your calculations is where you want to do most of your breathing, Hua Hin is far better than Bangkok (and better than Pattaya from what I hear, though I haven't been there).

 

If you're interested in "reading, drawing, science, classical music and computers," there are also people here who share those interests.  But it will take some doing to find them.  One really good option is to choose one of these and start a Meetup group.  That way you will meet others with similar interests who you would never have encountered otherwise.  We now have a few of these groups in Hua Hin (just Google "Meetup Hua Hin" and they will come up).  But there's room for a lot more.  You might be a major contributor to this!  It doesn't take many simpatico people to form a workable community.  You might want to give it a try.

 

About housing prices here:  yes, things are more expensive here than in many other places.  It's a very popular (and prestigious) getaway place for Bangkok Thais, for one thing.  But a good way to find a more affordable place is to look at older buildings (Thais, in particular, don't prefer these).  There are real estate agents--I haven't used them since I already own a place, have just heard about this from friends--who can help you to locate a rental property in your desired price range.  And again, as other posters have noted, renting before buying is always a good option.

 

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do!

[dblaisde]

Thinks for pointing me to the HH meetups. I'm active in Bangkok 'Meetups' and like them. And you're right, I could always start one. I'm comfortable doing such things. I was surprised that there are already some HH meetups that look interesting (and there seem to be almost as many, and more interesting, than the Pattaya meetups). I've also looked at the HH Facebook pages and they're encouraging.

 

I'm not *too* worried about accommodation prices. Not that I'm particularly rich, but I don't need a whole lot since there's just me and I'm not worried if I don't make the Modern Homes and Garden's magazine centerfold. I'm paying more for the location than my particular 4 walls. Nice beach walks, good friendships, and stimulating people is what I'm looking for. It's all in BKK too but I've found through trying out Central Bangkok that I simply can't breathe here. Strangely I've lived off and on in Banglampoo (Khao San Rd area) by the river for nearly 10 years with no ill effects except at the worst 3 months of the year (Apr-June). But the air in the center of the city is poisonous for me and there's no riverfront to walk for exercise.

 

Glad to hear about the fast transport up to Mo Chit, which as you point out is an ideal starting point to get into the city. I've also read that Pattaya air isn't very good either (despite the location). One of the Facebook groups has quite a few real estate offers (individuals vs. agencies) that look affordable and pleasant to me. Time and a lot of running around will tell. Thanks for the tip on older buildings. Old is fine with me as long as the room isn't moldy. (more allergies)

 

I'll probably first find an affordable night-by-night hotel and branch out from there. :) thanks again.

Edited March 30, 2017 by dblaisde

[islandgirljenny]

45 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

Thanks for the feedback. Glad there are a few that live there mostly full time. How do you like your part of town? Does it have a name? Is there a particular area in HH that the "full timers" tend to live? (If so I'd look for hotels there). 

 

I wonder if I lived like you do (on the outskirts) whether I'd need a motorbike to get into town. I like walking a lot but don't want to feel it's an hour's walk to get anywhere (and an hour back). I'm pretty leery of driving motorbikes though I trust motorbike taxi drivers, if they're available. A half hour walk would be fine though.

 

Thanks again for your comments. HH is a pretty big area so anything that narrows down where I might want to live or hang out is valuable.

I live in Khao Takiab.  Technically it's beyond the city limits of Hua Hin, though most foreigners would consider it to be still a part of the town.  It's right on the beach, great air and sea breezes.  Quiet most of the time (unless someone has a loud party, always a hazard anywhere in Thailand!).  

 

There's no need to have a motorbike to get into town from here.  Hua Hin has a quirky but useful public transit system (a somewhat outdated but still useful description is here:  https://kamtingwong.wordpress.com/2014/04/21/how-to-take-the-songthaews-in-hua-hin/).  

 

About where the "full-timers" tend to live, perhaps another poster can answer this (I simply don't know).  What I have noticed is that most of my "full-timer" friends live in Bangkok!  Another reason for making occasional forays there, especially during the hot season when the foreign population of Hua Hin is at its low point.

 

Best wishes, and good luck!

 

 

[islandgirljenny]

42 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

Thinks for pointing me to the HH meetups. I'm active in Bangkok 'Meetups' and like them. And you're right, I could always start one. I'm comfortable doing such things. I was surprised that there are already some HH meetups that look interesting (and there seem to be almost as many, and more interesting, than the Pattaya meetups). I've also looked at the HH Facebook pages and they're encouraging.

 

I'm not *too* worried about accommodation prices. Not that I'm particularly rich, but I don't need a whole lot since there's just me and I'm not worried if I don't make the Modern Homes and Garden's magazine centerfold. I'm paying more for the location than my particular 4 walls. Nice beach walks, good friendships, and stimulating people is what I'm looking for. It's all in BKK too but I've found through trying out Central Bangkok that I simply can't breathe here. Strangely I've lived off and on in Banglampoo (Khao San Rd area) by the river for nearly 10 years with no ill effects except at the worst 3 months of the year (Apr-June). But the air in the center of the city is poisonous for me and there's no riverfront to walk for exercise.

 

Glad to hear about the fast transport up to Mo Chit, which as you point out is an ideal starting point to get into the city. I've also read that Pattaya air isn't very good either (despite the location). One of the Facebook groups has quite a few real estate offers (individuals vs. agencies) that look affordable and pleasant to me. Time and a lot of running around will tell. Thanks for the tip on older buildings. Old is fine with me as long as the room isn't moldy. (more allergies)

 

I'll probably first find an affordable night-by-night hotel and branch out from there. :) thanks again.

One last thing:  finding a "night-by-night hotel" might make sense, but you can get a much better rate here if you book for a month.  (this also allows a lot more time for exploring)  In the off-season, you can get a (small) room near the beach for as little as 11,000 baht per month.  Try Googling places such as the Franjipani hotel (now apparently partly converted to condos) and the Sea Craze condo, both in Khao Takiab.  There must be other such places closer to the center of town as well.

Edited March 30, 2017 by islandgirljenny

[dblaisde]

Hi islandgirljenny,

 

Thanks. Perfect feedback. I've walked down there from "town" to the area you refer to. It's a longish walk along the beach to do every day, but as long as the songthaews are up and running, that's perfect.

 

The only issue with month-by-month is that I first have to know if I can make it day-by-day. :) "Make it" meaning whether I can survive a night allergy-wise. My chances are less than 50/50 (based on my allergen experience). In monthly rentals, I first have to make sure that one night works out OK. (When I come to a new town, I sometimes have 3 rooms rented out at once because I need the best pick of 3 bad ones. And it usually takes an hour or so in the room to know how bad it will be).

 

The approach of a "test night" can be a bit of a hard sell for some hotels. But...in low season and if I can put the right combo of English and Thai together to be understood, I might be able to convince a hotel that it's a sensible thing to do. For first times, I usually try to find a place I can get a night at a time and if I like it I'll try to get a good monthly rate. Anyway, in the beginning I expect to float around a bit till I find what location works well for me. 

 

Your hotel suggestions are great though, just what I need. Good recommendations (which I've found most here are) save a lot of aggravation and surprises. I'm more interested where full season expats live than "first timers", since the expat scene is what I'd like to become a part of. I've been to HH occasionally over the years for short periods so I know the layout in town. The rest is a mystery though, including your area.

 

Funny comment about your "full-timer friends" there all living in BKK. But again, it's nice to know that BKK is close by. I need to go up occasionally. It's also close to Pratchuap and Bang Saphan in the other direction. I know people in both places, especially Bang Saphan and both are only 2 or 3 hours away. I'm also fond of Ranong further south and the islands off it, so I'll have places to escape if I feel the need (as long as I don't feel it too often :))

[dblaisde]

1 hour ago, islandgirljenny said:

you can get a (small) room near the beach for as little as 11,000 baht per month.  Try Googling places such as the Franjipani hotel (now apparently partly converted to condos) and the Sea Craze condo, both in Khao Takiab. 

Can you give me the name of the 11,000 baht/mo place? (haha). The other two are very nice but definitely pricey, at least per-night (perhaps they have monthly rates though I didn't see them?).

Edited March 30, 2017 by dblaisde

[islandgirljenny]

4 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

Can you give me the name of the 11,000 baht/mo place? (haha). The other two are very nice but definitely pricey, at least per-night (perhaps they have monthly rates though I didn't see them?).

https://www.dotproperty.co.th/en/1-bedroom-commercial-for-rent-in-hua-hin-prachuap-khiri-khan_556165

 

Don't know why it says "commercial"; don't check any of the hotel sites (Agoda, Tripadvisor, etc.) if you want to see the monthly rates.  I live just around the corner from the Franjipani, if you'd like me to go ask them about current rates please let me know.  It's newly renovated so mold issues might be at a minimum.

 

Couldn't find the low rate (c. 15,000 baht/month) at the Sea Craze that I saw earlier when I searched just now, but that happens on the web ... worth trying again from time to time.

 

Another place right on the beach (with nightly rates) is the Blue Wave hotel.  Agoda just quoted a price of 1,300 baht per night.  Not bargain-basement but not too bad either.

 

There's also the Boat Lodge Hotel, and several nearby condos (but most don't have nightly rates).  

 

Lots of choices in this area (and in many other areas in Hua Hin!).

 

Edited March 30, 2017 by islandgirljenny

[cheshiremusicman]

You say that you like walking on the beach and you won't find a nicer beach to walk along that the one at Khao Takiab (starts aprox 4 kms south of HH); it's about 7 kms long and backed by sea pines all the way. We also  have very good local hospitals for which you only pay local Thai prices for treatment. One is a Military hospital and the other is the Hua-Hin General hospital, so no need to pay the exorbitant prices that the farang places charge, I know because I've used them and had excellent service from them. I'm like you and nearly 74 years old and have been here in HH for 10+ years. If you are into sport then we have some excellent golf courses around us. HH has a 'Music  Society' which I have been  intending to join for some time, but just haven't got around to it. Plenty of very reasonably priced restaurants of all varieties, plus some very upmarket places. Local transport as previously mentioned is available at very low prices along all the main roads, so you don't have to have a vehicle to get around. Good local shops selling all kinds of vegetables/drinks  etc plus two very large shopping malls. We also have  a local sea food pier where you can buy freshly caught fish etc. A new ferry service has recently opened up between the northern end of the Khao Takiab beach that goes to Pattaya once a day. High quality coach services go to Swampy airport for 350B and to Jatajak marker for 140B, so if you fancy a trip to Bangkok it doesn't cost much. We have excellent air quality all the year round and probably have one of the best climates in Thailand overall. I have attached a photo of the local beach mentioned above. If you require any further information just send me a personal email to me.

 

[geisha]

Although I didn't really like living in Hua Hin center area ( Khao  Takieb was too far and lonely for a single lady) i must say the weather was good, always breezy .I had moved away from Phuket mainly because of the price of rent at decent condos, lack of public transport, and the heat and humidity. If Hua Hin had had an attractive beach, i would have stayed.