Top 10 Nightlife in Hua Hin

Like most outdoor markets in Thailand, Hua Hin Night Market is jam-packed with all kinds of vendor stalls selling everything from cheap souvenirs to handicrafts and all kinds of kitsch imaginable. Food is also a major reason to come. Open-sided vans selling cheap cocktails and makeshift seafood stalls ready to whip up anything to order are the main highlights. Strolling around and soaking up the atmosphere is a great source of entertainment.

Part of the five-star Hyatt Regency Hua Hin, this restored 19th century pavilion makes for the perfect setting to enjoy a few cocktails at sunset. The lounge-style seating and relaxed oceanfront ambience make it a firm favourite with Khao Takiab’s visitors who can kick back and enjoy the chill out tunes over some snacks, Tapas style, and the drink of their choice.

Part of Centara Grand Beach Resort and Villas, Elephant Bar transports you back to 1920s Hua Hin with its elegant colonial ambience – dark timber floors, brass ceiling fans, white marble-topped tables and black leather armchairs. Unwind to the sound of live jazz music (except Sundays) and sample a glass of Heritage Fizz, the bar’s signature cocktail celebrating the hotel’s long-established history.

Decorated like a rustic fisherman’s house, this is Hua Hin’s busiest club by far with both live bands and DJ’s. It attracts quite a crowd most nights and is invariably good for a laugh and a bit of a dance. The food menu covers all the basic pub grub, steaks, spare ribs and barbecue skewers as well as a selection of bottled beers and locally brewed beers. It’s part of Hilton Hua Hin, so don’t expect it to be cheap.

Experience Thailand’s cultural heritage through its cuisine and performing art. Set in a lush tropical garden, the seven-act show begins slightly after the first course rolls out from the kitchen. Enjoy your dinner as drama unfolds on the stage, taking you on a journey from Thai classical music to Khon (mask dance), Thai martial arts and contemporary dance. Advanced booking is required, to secure your seat and set dinner menu.

Hua Hin’s official nightlife street, Soi Bintabat and nearby Poolsuk Road have a lineup of beer bars with pool tables, sports TVs and girls to keep you company. Mai Thai, next to Hilton Hua Hin, attracts a steady crowd every evening, while the Johnnie Walker's Sports & Music Bar on Selakam Road proves popular among the expats. U Turn in Soi Bintabat is a friendly place with an outdoor seating area and comfortable loungers.

Like Hua Hin, Cha-Am’s nightlife is a far cry from Bangkok’s or Pattaya’s, although it has its own share of girlie bars, karaoke lounges, discos and a go-go – all are concentrated in an area near Cha-Am Beach. Soi Bus Stop, just before Soi 1, has the largest concentration of bars and is as upbeat as it gets around here. Leading up from the beach, Narathip Road is home to Cha-Am’s only go-go bar and a handful of beer bars and karaoke pubs.

Even a mellow costal town like Hua Hin doesn’t miss out on the cabaret show bandwagon. This tells you that Thailand takes its love affair with ladyboys and their talents in the entertainment business seriously. Note that Hua Hin’s is no match to Pattaya’s or Phuket’s, but the show is good enough to satisfy your curiosity.

This open-front bar is one of the most relaxed and fun place to be after dark. Come here for live telecasts of sports events, finger-licking good burgers with fries, chicken wings, nachos, iced-cold beers and excellent cocktails. The food menu also extends to all-day breakfast, salads, sandwiches, soups and Thai fare. Live music caters to a wide range of tastes, whether blues, funk, soul, rock, pop, or others.

This warehouse-style bar located at the corner of Soi Bintabat and Naresdamri Road offers live music, coyote shows and drinks all in one place. The dim, neon-lit interiors feel rather exotic, with velvet-red sofas, tall tables with bar stools, a large dance floor and ‘freelance’ bar ladies occupying the bar counter. The drinks list covers all major beers, whiskies and spirits, with a handful of cocktails. No cover charge, but you must pay the bar fee to take the girls out.