20 Very Best Things to Do in Hua Hin - Endless Travel Destinations

Looking for fun things to do in Hua Hin? Check out this list of the coolest things to do in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Hua Hin is the oldest seaside resort in Thailand and is a popular travel destination among foreign tourists, Thais themselves, and even the royal family of Thailand. The town has been through a great deal of development in recent years but has still retained the charm of its past as a fishing village.

If you’re planning a trip to Hua Hin, check out this list of the very best and coolest things to do in Hua Hin.

The coolest things to do in Hua Hin:

1. Wat Huay Mongkol

Wat Huay Mongkol is a temple in honor of the monk Luang Pu Thuat who is said to have had supernatural powers. The statue of the monk is located on an elevation and has an impressive size of 12 meters high and 10 meters wide.

The temple is very popular among Thais who come here to ask for protection from the monk. Besides the statue of the monk, there’s also a sacred tree and an elephant statue at the temple.

2. Mrigadayavan Palace

In about 1926, after the completion of Hua Hin Rail Station, Mrigadayavan Palace was built as the summer residence of King Rama VII. It was built in a beautiful Spanish style surrounded by cozy gardens full of plants and art.

Mrigadayavan is still used by the royal family in Thailand but is open to the public when they aren’t staying there themselves. It’s an exciting thing to do in Hua Hin, especially if you want to know more about Thailand’s history.

3. Hua Hin Railway Station

One of the very best things to do in Hua Hin is to visit Hua Hin Railway Station. This landmark is considered one of the oldest and most beautiful railway stations in all of Thailand.

It is especially the royal pavilion that is popular with tourists. The pavilion was built for King Rama VI who used it as a waiting room during his vacations in Hua Hin. If you cross the train tracks, you can also enjoy the sight of an impressive old steam locomotive.

4. Thai boxing (Muay Thai)

Thai boxing is one of the coolest things to do in Hua Hin and is an incredibly important sport for Thais. If you want to watch a boxing match in Hua Hin, you can choose to do so at the Grand Sports Arena or Mr. Chop Rawee’s Thai Boxing Garden.

The two sites are often having boxing matches twice a week, and they usually begin around 9:00 PM. It really is a fun activity in Hua Hin that you must not miss.

5. Black Mountain Water Park

Black Mountain Water Park is a nice and popular water park near Hua Hin. Inside the water park, you’ll find nine water slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, a children’s pool, and much more. If you’re up for a challenge, there’s also an obstacle course by the park lake.

Of course, there are also plenty of opportunities to relax by one of the pools in luxurious surroundings. If hunger or thirst strikes, Black Mountain Water Park offers a restaurant, stalls, and a pool bar.

6. Monkey Mountain (Khao Takiab)

Monkey Mountain is an extremely popular attraction in Hua Hin and is a mountain full of monkeys. If you want to get in touch with the monkeys, you can buy bananas and nuts on top of the mountain. However, you should know that the monkeys are very playful and teasing.

To be completely honest with you, I admit that I was reasonably scared of the crazy monkeys. They jumped on the cars, stole a soda from a little boy, and stalked us very intensely. It was absolutely crazy! My best advice is to take extra good care of your belongings, just in case.

On the mountain, you’ll also find a temple from which there’s a great view of Hua Hin and the sea. To visit the temple, you need to be properly dressed, but it’s possible to borrow scarves up there.

At the foot of the mountain, there’s a cozy little fishing community. This is also where you’ll find a Buddha with a height of about 20 meters. Remember to adapt the trip to the tide as the sea can block the stairs at certain times of the day.

7. Take a ride in a tuk-tuk

When visiting Hua Hin, it is almost impossible to avoid riding a tuk-tuk. In Thailand, Tuk-tuks are a very popular means of transportation. In fact, it can be difficult to find a normal taxi on the streets of Hua Hin. A ride on a tuk-tuk is definitely one of the coolest things to do in Thailand.

If you’re planning to explore a sight outside of Hua Hin, ask the driver if he’s willing to wait to drive you back again afterward. However, you need to be careful not to get scammed.

You must never pay for the trip before it’s completed, not even for an upcoming trip back again. Also, remember that you can haggle the price with the driver.

8. Ratchapakdi Park

Ratchapakdi Park consists of seven large statues made in honor of the most significant kings of Thailand through time.

In fact, Ratchapakdi Park also has a museum. Here you can read about why exactly these seven kings are so important to the people of Thailand.

9. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

The best thing I’ve done in Hua Hin was definitely to volunteer at Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. This rescue center is a great place that rescues wild animals from the horrible tourist industry. They also welcome abandoned animals in need of a home.

Inside the center, there are elephants, monkeys, bears, turtles, dogs as well as other animals. The wild animals cannot be released into the wild again because they simply cannot fend for themselves after years in captivity.

It’s insanely heartbreaking to hear about these animals’ terrible past but luckily, they’re in a better place now. By visiting the Wildlife Friends Foundation, you’re supporting a good cause. The price you must pay to volunteer goes directly to site improvements.

The Wildlife Friends Foundation is located a short distance from Hua Hin, but transportation can easily be arranged to pick you up at your hotel. Read more about Wildlife Friends Foundation and book a visit right here.

10. Kao Hin Lek Fai

Kao Hin Lek Fai is located high above Hua Hin and offers absolutely stunning panoramic views of the city. For the best views, visit the place at sunset.

Next to the viewpoint, there’s a cozy park with lots of peacocks and wild monkeys. Inside the park, you’ll also be able to find a few stalls with some food and drinks.

11. Santorini Park

Santorini Park is a small entertainment area that is supposed to represent the Greek island of Santorini. Inside the area, there are several small restaurants, shops, and an amusement park with a large Ferris wheel.

It isn’t quite cheap to visit Santorini Park and on top of that, you also must pay for the rides. I would only say that you should visit Santorini Park if you literally have nothing else to do.

12. Koh Talu

If you’re missing some island vibe while visiting Hua Hin, Koh Talu is a perfect choice. This small privately-owned island is located about a 3-hour drive and 30-minute boat ride from Hua Hin.

The trip out there may sound difficult, but there are actually several arranged trips to the island, making it an obvious day trip from Hua Hin.

Koh Talu offers a wonderful silence in beautiful surroundings. The island is especially known for its coral reef which is said to be the best place to snorkel and dive nearby Hua Hin. I must say though that the coral reef is a bit disappointing, but luckily the island is an experience in itself.

13. Taste food from street stalls

You cannot have been in Thailand without tasting food from a street stall. This is where you’ll get real Thai food that is very spicy and extremely cheap. There are plenty of street stalls in Hua Hin, serving all sorts of different things.

If you’re afraid of hygiene, it may be a good idea to keep an eye on where the locals are eating their food. Another option is to research which street stalls are most popular online.

14. Kaeng Krachan National Park

Kaeng Krachan National Park is located close to the border to Myanmar and is the largest national park in Thailand. Here you’ll find a unique nature with rainforest, rivers, waterfalls, cliffs, caves, and much more.

If you’re lucky, you may come across wildlife such as elephants, leopards, tigers, bears, wild boars, monkeys, or snakes. However, this rarely happens.

The most popular attraction in Kaeng Krachan National Park is the Pala-U waterfall with 16 impressive falls. If you want to reach the Palu-U waterfall, you need to be in good shape as it’s a tough ride.

15. Plernwan

Plernwan is definitely one of the most popular things to do in Hua Hin. When stepping into this small entertainment area, it almost feels like stepping back in time. It’s a very cozy place with a few restaurants, specialty shops, and a small amusement park.

Plernwan isn’t very big, so don’t expect anything wildly huge. I was actually a little disappointed with the small size, but it’s still pretty cool to stop by if you’re nearby anyway.

16. Vana Nava

Vana Nava is probably the best water park in Hua Hin. Here you’ll find plenty of entertainment for the whole family with several water slides and various pools.

Vana Nava boasts the largest water slide in Thailand as well as the longest water slide in Thailand. There are also about seven other water slides, some of which have free fall and loops.

Inside the water park, you can also choose to relax in the Lazy River, jump over the waves in the wave pool, try a surf simulator, enjoy the sun on the artificial sandy beach, play in the children’s pool, or something completely different.

17. Hop on the ferry to Pattaya

The new ferry connection between Hua Hin and Pattaya opened in 2017 and makes it easy for you to visit the popular tourist city of Pattaya.

The boat trip takes about 2 hours, but you should be aware that there are often delays. The ferry departs from each city once a day, making it a perfect day trip from Hua Hin.

18. Royal Hua Hin Golf Course

Hua Hin offers plenty of golf courses, making it a very popular destination for golfers. One of the most popular golf courses in Hua Hin is the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course which opened back in 1924.

The golf course is soon approaching its 100th birthday and is thus the oldest golf course in all of Thailand. I’ve never played golf myself, but it’s an obvious thing to do in Hua Hin for golfers.

19. Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park

Located about 60 kilometers from Hua Hin, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park offers unique and beautiful scenery. Here you’ll find limestone mounds, mangrove forests, mountains, caves, beaches, islands, and the largest wetland in Thailand.

The most popular attraction in the national park is Phraya Nakhon Cave, a large cave with a royal pavilion in the middle. A hole in the cave lets in sunlight and breathtakingly illuminates the pavilion. It’s quite demanding to get down to the cave, so you must be in good shape.

20. Markets

In Hua Hin, you’ll find lots of markets full of colors, crowds, and a great atmosphere. One of the best markets in Hua Hin is the Night Market, offering several stalls with street food, souvenirs, and clothes.

Hua Hin’s oldest market, Chatchai Market is also worth a visit, but it mainly sells vegetables, fish, and other food. In addition, Cicada Market and Grand Market are also some great markets in Hua Hin.

So, that’s all on this list of the coolest things to do in Hua Hin, Thailand. What are your favorite things to do in Hua Hin? What are you looking forward to on your trip to Hua Hin? Feel free to leave a comment.