As a regular tourist – if you call once a year regular – to Thailand/inc. Hua Hin – I have for several years considered it to be a fine place to retire to.
Recently, while trying to describe the attractions of HH to a married friend, I came up with the following:
* a fairly laid-back pace of daily life
* a compact, easily negotiable centre
* only 3 hours or so from Bangkok
* a beach
* a range of bars, restaurants and markets within any walking distance to suit every budget and taste
* a nice mix of Thais, local expats and passing tourists for company, conversation, people-watching, etc…
* excellent place for friends and family to come and visit
Obviously, I have omitted several factors common to Thailand as a whole (eg, climate, cost of living, etc.) but since these are what could be called simple tourist perceptions, I wondered how others on the board would list their own ideas about what makes Hua Hin a particularly attractive or user-friendly place to live?
(Your top 3 Pros and Cons might be an interesting format. I would have tried this myself, but do not have enough experience to think of any Cons yet.)
I am sure many would be interested in any responses.
Why Hua Hin?
Why Hua Hin?
"Is a dream a lie if it don't come true?" - Bruce Springsteen
OK, I'll start you off with my top 3 pros.
Before I start my list, my main reason for returning regularly, with the dream of retiring there next year is to see my 2 granddaughters.
1) I love the compact area that comprises the main town (village?) of Hua Hin. Once in the town it is possible to walk anywhere. It has a reaonably flat terrain, so is suitable for all ages. If you don't want to walk, or the weather turns inclement, there are always plenty of tuk tuks available to transport you.
2) The night life is also in a fairly compact area, with bars and restaurants in very close proximity. The plentiful restaurants serve a good variety of dishes, both Thai and Farang. The bar scene is there, but not as 'in your face' as somewhere like Pattaya. Yes, the girls will try to drag you in, but generally they will leave you alone unless you are seeking attention (but it's always re-assuring that I am still handsome
).
3) The ready made ex-pat community. When I was in Hua Hin last year, I made a point of meeting a lot of the ex-pat users of this forum. Without exception, they were all great people who made my family and I feel totally at ease. It certainly made me feel an awful lot more confident of taking my early retirement and moving to Thailand - obviously a huge life decision. This community tends to blend very well with the Thai community - more so than I've seen anywhere else in Thailand. It is the only place I've been to in Thailand where I've seen so many Thais and Farang socialising in the same places.
Before I start my list, my main reason for returning regularly, with the dream of retiring there next year is to see my 2 granddaughters.
1) I love the compact area that comprises the main town (village?) of Hua Hin. Once in the town it is possible to walk anywhere. It has a reaonably flat terrain, so is suitable for all ages. If you don't want to walk, or the weather turns inclement, there are always plenty of tuk tuks available to transport you.
2) The night life is also in a fairly compact area, with bars and restaurants in very close proximity. The plentiful restaurants serve a good variety of dishes, both Thai and Farang. The bar scene is there, but not as 'in your face' as somewhere like Pattaya. Yes, the girls will try to drag you in, but generally they will leave you alone unless you are seeking attention (but it's always re-assuring that I am still handsome
).3) The ready made ex-pat community. When I was in Hua Hin last year, I made a point of meeting a lot of the ex-pat users of this forum. Without exception, they were all great people who made my family and I feel totally at ease. It certainly made me feel an awful lot more confident of taking my early retirement and moving to Thailand - obviously a huge life decision. This community tends to blend very well with the Thai community - more so than I've seen anywhere else in Thailand. It is the only place I've been to in Thailand where I've seen so many Thais and Farang socialising in the same places.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Leeds Utd 
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
Good thread, I’ll stick mine in as a long term permanent resident of around 9 years.
Pros
1) As stated above one of the main attractions of HH is that it is primarily a Thai town which has seen a boost in tourism over the past 15 years. Many other destinations in Thailand are completely fabricated to suit foreign tourists, HH only has a small tourist centre and the rest is a regular working town.
2) Agree with the expat community comments also, it is the people I met many years ago that convinced me to stay, there was a great sense of community then and people went out of their way to help both Thai and farang.
3) The surrounding area also has won me over, waking up nearly everyday to blue skies and palm trees, open country side, empty beaches a short drive away, lakes and rivers, nature, isolated temples, rustic villages and tiny local restaurants and stores where nothing has changed over the years despite the towns boom effect.
Cons
1) Traffic and road mayhem – the town has expanded and the road system hasn’t. Parking is near impossible so going into town is no longer a good option if you have kids and a car. Driving standards here are shocking and you’ll risk your life every time you get on the road. Hua Hin seems worse than other areas in Thailand I have driven.
2) An influx of shady characters looking for a slice of the action, again this is only relative if you have been here for a long time and can really see the changes, tourists wont notice anything. In contrast to my number 2 “proâ€
Pros
1) As stated above one of the main attractions of HH is that it is primarily a Thai town which has seen a boost in tourism over the past 15 years. Many other destinations in Thailand are completely fabricated to suit foreign tourists, HH only has a small tourist centre and the rest is a regular working town.
2) Agree with the expat community comments also, it is the people I met many years ago that convinced me to stay, there was a great sense of community then and people went out of their way to help both Thai and farang.
3) The surrounding area also has won me over, waking up nearly everyday to blue skies and palm trees, open country side, empty beaches a short drive away, lakes and rivers, nature, isolated temples, rustic villages and tiny local restaurants and stores where nothing has changed over the years despite the towns boom effect.
Cons
1) Traffic and road mayhem – the town has expanded and the road system hasn’t. Parking is near impossible so going into town is no longer a good option if you have kids and a car. Driving standards here are shocking and you’ll risk your life every time you get on the road. Hua Hin seems worse than other areas in Thailand I have driven.
2) An influx of shady characters looking for a slice of the action, again this is only relative if you have been here for a long time and can really see the changes, tourists wont notice anything. In contrast to my number 2 “proâ€
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Just thought of a 3rd con:
3) Shocking internet connections and generally very poor infrastructure. While other areas of the Kingdom have good connectivity, wireless etc Hua Hin is sadly lacking in the technology department.
3) Shocking internet connections and generally very poor infrastructure. While other areas of the Kingdom have good connectivity, wireless etc Hua Hin is sadly lacking in the technology department.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
I'd like to put forward an 'in-between' viewpoint.
Although I've been resident in Thailand for almost twenty years, I'm still employed and am based in Bangkok. The wife (Thai) also works in Bangkok, and it is where my kids go to school.
I like Hua Hin for :
1. it's accessibility from Bangkok (yes, yes, the dreaded Bangkok weekender..)
2. the compact town center - step out the hotel door and you're in the middle of it all. If you're going to buy something, though, you have to know what you're looking for, where to find it , and you will be limited in choice.
3. the members on this board. I have met many and a nicer lot of people you will be hard put to find.
Cons? Well...
Limited medical facilities - compared to Bangkok
If you're going to travel anywhere outside of Hua Hin you have to plan in advance - especially if you do not own your own transport. Bangkok is three hours away.
You are the the mercy of the local immigration officials, who think they have police powers.
It is still a tourist destination, and is touted as such. As the Jazz festival gets bigger, you will attract more.
If you're retiring, you still cannot own landed property officially, only a condo. Conditions will apply. But this point is equally valid for me in Bangkok.
I have resigned myself to the fact that I will be Bangkok-based, as this is where the family is.
Yes, Hua Hin is attractive in that you have the sun, sea, and sky but I have grown used to the convenience of having access to almost everything twenty-four hours a day. Foodland is a ten-minute walk from my house, and I'm 25 km out of the town center. Lotus is a seven-minute drive away. Zeer Rangsit has just as much choice as Panthip and I don't have to pay for parking.
I can't comment about the nightlife as I typically don't indulge, but have had the opportunity to have graced more than one bar stool in Hua Hin.
I do know a semi-retired person who has a condo in both Bangers and HH, he spends the weekends there and flies back overseas for Christmas.
Eventually, for me perhaps, the best of both worlds?
Although I've been resident in Thailand for almost twenty years, I'm still employed and am based in Bangkok. The wife (Thai) also works in Bangkok, and it is where my kids go to school.
I like Hua Hin for :
1. it's accessibility from Bangkok (yes, yes, the dreaded Bangkok weekender..)
2. the compact town center - step out the hotel door and you're in the middle of it all. If you're going to buy something, though, you have to know what you're looking for, where to find it , and you will be limited in choice.
3. the members on this board. I have met many and a nicer lot of people you will be hard put to find.
Cons? Well...
Limited medical facilities - compared to Bangkok
If you're going to travel anywhere outside of Hua Hin you have to plan in advance - especially if you do not own your own transport. Bangkok is three hours away.
You are the the mercy of the local immigration officials, who think they have police powers.
It is still a tourist destination, and is touted as such. As the Jazz festival gets bigger, you will attract more.
If you're retiring, you still cannot own landed property officially, only a condo. Conditions will apply. But this point is equally valid for me in Bangkok.
I have resigned myself to the fact that I will be Bangkok-based, as this is where the family is.
Yes, Hua Hin is attractive in that you have the sun, sea, and sky but I have grown used to the convenience of having access to almost everything twenty-four hours a day. Foodland is a ten-minute walk from my house, and I'm 25 km out of the town center. Lotus is a seven-minute drive away. Zeer Rangsit has just as much choice as Panthip and I don't have to pay for parking.
I can't comment about the nightlife as I typically don't indulge, but have had the opportunity to have graced more than one bar stool in Hua Hin.
I do know a semi-retired person who has a condo in both Bangers and HH, he spends the weekends there and flies back overseas for Christmas.
Eventually, for me perhaps, the best of both worlds?
วินเชนท์
culture smulture
we've got it right here for sure.....the stones performed last week in khao takiab after sneaking out of chiva som for one night(keith was scene climbing coconut trees, silly guy!), i think the joffrey ballet is at the cha am civic auditorium this weekend and my local high school is performing "meows" every weekend this month......if those aren't your cup of tea then try a little planting on soi disappointment in hh where you can lead a horticulture but you cannot make her think!
Re: culture smulture
I assume this was an attempt at humour?dan wrote:we've got it right here for sure.....the stones performed last week in khao takiab after sneaking out of chiva som for one night(keith was scene climbing coconut trees, silly guy!), i think the joffrey ballet is at the cha am civic auditorium this weekend and my local high school is performing "meows" every weekend this month......if those aren't your cup of tea then try a little planting on soi disappointment in hh where you can lead a horticulture but you cannot make her think!
culture smulture
albeit a weak attempt, yes
-
Wanderlust
- Legend
- Posts: 2862
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:27 pm
- Location: Hua Hin
caller,
I think that HH is lacking in the sense you are talking about, although live music is available at other times than just the Jazz Festival (the Jazz Train and Bike Week for example). The only thing i really miss compared to Bangkok or the UK is cinemas that consistently show original soundtrack movies, but even that is not such a big loss with a decent home cinema set up! I think there will be more and more 'cultural' things though, particularly art galleries, as HH seems to be becoming a bit of a centre for that. For me though it is the same as it was when I was living in the UK - it was a trip up to London whenever I wanted to do something cultural, so the only difference now is maybe an extra 90 minutes of travelling time.
I think that HH is lacking in the sense you are talking about, although live music is available at other times than just the Jazz Festival (the Jazz Train and Bike Week for example). The only thing i really miss compared to Bangkok or the UK is cinemas that consistently show original soundtrack movies, but even that is not such a big loss with a decent home cinema set up! I think there will be more and more 'cultural' things though, particularly art galleries, as HH seems to be becoming a bit of a centre for that. For me though it is the same as it was when I was living in the UK - it was a trip up to London whenever I wanted to do something cultural, so the only difference now is maybe an extra 90 minutes of travelling time.
I'm going to be difficult and not reply only in terms simply of "pros and cons".
I came to HH for the first time in 1989. I was on my own and just needed a holiday away from troubles in the UK.
Three weeks later, I left The Anantara (ex Royal Garden Village) on a tour bus nearly in tears and I vowed I'd return. HH and their people had simply enchanted me.
It took me 8 years to return after seeing The East again and I fell in love with a girl. That was it, back home and within a short time I'd jacked my job in, left my family, my friends and my culture behind. I don't think anyone back in the UK expected me to last more a few years at age 39. However:
!. Hua Hin gave me some things that I didn't feel I had in London. Namely, happiness without the rat race.
2. A new start in life. Although that didn't turn out as expected, there are no hard feelings any more.
3. A town that was on the beach and very quiet at the time.
4. A police force who really couldn't care less how long we opened our bar - as long as it was quietish and orderly after 2am.
5. Expats and Thais, who've all been really helpful to me whenever I've needed advice.
6. Good beaches.
7. Good golf courses.
8. My wife.
Bad things,
Anything that makes the above any different. There aren't too many for me, although I do feel them - even if I'm a dinosaur and don't like the idea of a boardwalk
1. The expansion of town without any seeming improvement in infrastrucure.
2. And this is the difficult one - I really don't think that the Thais are as friendly towards us farangs as they were years ago.
That's it really. Apologies for not being as direct as other answers so far. What HH means to me is personal - for good or bad.
I came to HH for the first time in 1989. I was on my own and just needed a holiday away from troubles in the UK.
Three weeks later, I left The Anantara (ex Royal Garden Village) on a tour bus nearly in tears and I vowed I'd return. HH and their people had simply enchanted me.
It took me 8 years to return after seeing The East again and I fell in love with a girl. That was it, back home and within a short time I'd jacked my job in, left my family, my friends and my culture behind. I don't think anyone back in the UK expected me to last more a few years at age 39. However:
!. Hua Hin gave me some things that I didn't feel I had in London. Namely, happiness without the rat race.
2. A new start in life. Although that didn't turn out as expected, there are no hard feelings any more.
3. A town that was on the beach and very quiet at the time.
4. A police force who really couldn't care less how long we opened our bar - as long as it was quietish and orderly after 2am.
5. Expats and Thais, who've all been really helpful to me whenever I've needed advice.
6. Good beaches.
7. Good golf courses.
8. My wife.
Bad things,
Anything that makes the above any different. There aren't too many for me, although I do feel them - even if I'm a dinosaur and don't like the idea of a boardwalk
1. The expansion of town without any seeming improvement in infrastrucure.
2. And this is the difficult one - I really don't think that the Thais are as friendly towards us farangs as they were years ago.
That's it really. Apologies for not being as direct as other answers so far. What HH means to me is personal - for good or bad.
Thanks WL - fair point about travelling and being in London, I guess I am spoilt! I was at the Millais exhibition at the Tate on Saturday and as you say, for me, it was just a short train ride away. I'm aware of what appears to be the art scene in HH (as opposed to most of the pap sold in the shops) and last time in Bkk, one of the artists, I recall featured in the Observer, was having an exhibition there.Wanderlust wrote:caller,
I think that HH is lacking in the sense you are talking about, although live music is available at other times than just the Jazz Festival (the Jazz Train and Bike Week for example). The only thing i really miss compared to Bangkok or the UK is cinemas that consistently show original soundtrack movies, but even that is not such a big loss with a decent home cinema set up! I think there will be more and more 'cultural' things though, particularly art galleries, as HH seems to be becoming a bit of a centre for that. For me though it is the same as it was when I was living in the UK - it was a trip up to London whenever I wanted to do something cultural, so the only difference now is maybe an extra 90 minutes of travelling time.
I guess with wealthy Thais and ex-pats, its a place that should thrive in this area.
2. And this is the difficult one - I really don't think that the Thais are as friendly towards us farangs as they were years ago.
I wonder if this is the same all over Thailand.
The country is now a "mature" tourist destination (though many of the visitors are not!) and the thrill may be gone for Thais except in the more remote areas. Getting my hair cut up in a Lopburi village drew an audience of about 8 or 9 curious villagers. Some had not encountered a falang before and all were good-natured and made me feel welcome.
Still, HH offers one of the nicest mixes in Thailand of Thainess + western amenities and overall I find most of the Thai people to be very nice. They seem happy to live in HH. Perhaps HM The King living here contributes to that and gives a sense of pride.
HH does have growing pains for sure but so far the growth isn't overwhelming unlike Samui for example where the ring road is clogged with development, much of it ugly and ill-considered.
I wonder if this is the same all over Thailand.
The country is now a "mature" tourist destination (though many of the visitors are not!) and the thrill may be gone for Thais except in the more remote areas. Getting my hair cut up in a Lopburi village drew an audience of about 8 or 9 curious villagers. Some had not encountered a falang before and all were good-natured and made me feel welcome.
Still, HH offers one of the nicest mixes in Thailand of Thainess + western amenities and overall I find most of the Thai people to be very nice. They seem happy to live in HH. Perhaps HM The King living here contributes to that and gives a sense of pride.
HH does have growing pains for sure but so far the growth isn't overwhelming unlike Samui for example where the ring road is clogged with development, much of it ugly and ill-considered.