The most popular ocean front resort to visit in Thailand is Hua Hin. Around three hours from Bangkok, Hua Hin is a favorite beach resort for Thais and tourists alike. It’s easy to get to from Bangkok, doesn’t take too long to get there and it’s cheap. I’ve traveled to Hua Hin in several different modes of transportation and all have their positives and negatives.
If you’re thinking of traveling to Hua Hin, here are several options to get there, all of which are easy and interesting.
Hire a Car and Drive from Bangkok to Hua Hin – The most expensive way to get to Hua Hin is to hire a car at one of Bangkok’s rental agencies and drive. As hiring a car is not very popular in Thailand though, it’s much more expensive than hiring a car in the US. Plus, with many Thai road signs being either only in Thai or translated into various spellings of the same road name in English, things can get a little confusing.
If you enjoy driving yourself though, hiring a car to get to Hua Hin from Bangkok can be the way to go. The most popular places to hire a car are Avis and Budget, and pick ups include both of Bangkok’s airports or various areas around the city.
Once you’ve rented the car, getting to Hua Hin from Bangkok is easy. Just take the Thonburi-Paktho Road out of Bangkok. Keep driving until you go through Samut Songkram and a few miles further on, take the Petchkasem Highway left. You’ll see signs to Hua Hin all the way with the drive taking around 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Take the Train From Bangkok to Hua Hin – A wonderful way to get from Bangkok to Hua Hin is by train. Thailand’s trains are clean and fun to travel in, although not always the fastest or most efficient form of transportation. The train from Bangkok to Hua Hin travels several times a day, with one of the best times to travel from Bangkok to Hua Hin being in the early morning.
Related: What is Hua Hin like? Watch this video to find out
The train trip, at 4 to 5 hours, takes longer than driving or taking the bus. I say 4 to 5 hours as, although the train schedule to Hua Hin from Bangkok, shows several train options being 3 to 4 hours, both times I’ve taken the train it takes at least 30 minutes longer than the schedule says and Thai friends have told me the same thing.
Taking the train to Hua Hin though is highly recommended as it’s cheap (from 202 baht to 44 baht – $5.77 to $1.25) depending on if you go first, second or third class, and the scenery along the way is lovely.
Take the Bus From Bangkok to Hua Hin – An efficient and cheap way to get from Bangkok to Hua Hin is to take the bus. The first time I traveled to Hua Hin from Bangkok, I took the bus and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. First of all, taking the bus to Hua Hin is cheap (around 155 baht – approximately $4.42 each way) and this includes a movie on the bus, a bottle of water and some snacks.
It takes about three hours from Bangkok to Hua Hin and, as the bus arrives in Hua Hin right in the middle of the city center (it stops right outside an internet cafe), it’s easy to get to your hotel from the bus stop.
To take the bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin, go to the Southern bus station in Bangkok, which is on Borommarat Chonnani Road close to Pinklao Bridge. Best way to get here is to take a taxi, but try to find a Thai before you go that can write the name of the Southern Bus Station, in Thai, as both times I’ve taken a taxi here it’s been an adventure in touring the city because the taxi driver didn’t know where he was going.
Take a Mini Bus/Van to Hua Hin – You can also take a van or mini bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin, which is convenient and very cheap. Just go to Victory Monument by sky train and find one of the many mini buses going to Hua Hin (make sure you get a direct van and not one that’s going to ten other places). It’s only about 180 baht ($5.14) and vans leave every 15 minutes or so, depending on how fast the van fills up (they leave as soon as it’s full). I like taking the vans but, because the journey is three hours, I prefer taking the bus as it’s more comfortable.
Hire a Taxi to Get From Bangkok to Hua Hin – Hiring a taxi from Bangkok to Hua Hin is very easy. You can either book a taxi through your hotel or, often, can just flag one down by the side of the road anywhere in Bangkok and most of them will take you. The cost is quite expensive, compared to the bus or the train, (around 2,000 to 2,800 baht depending on how good your negotiation skills are – $55 to $80 – each way).
But this is a very convenient way to get to Hua Hin and probably preferable if you’re traveling with a ton of luggage.
If you’re in Bangkok on business or holiday, don’t miss going to Hua Hin if possible. It’s a lovely beachside resort with many excellent restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, a great night market, an interesting beach and, of course, lots of interesting temples.
The people in Hua Hin are lovely too. And, at only around three hours from Bangkok, Hua Hin is very easy to get to.