Despite ill-conceived development in recent years, Hua Hin has managed to avoid
the tawdriness and commercial excesses of other beach resorts like Pattaya and
Phuket. Nightlife revolves around seafood dinners and drinks at simple open-air
cafes down by the water, and at restaurants in the better hotels.
Night Market: A popular place to dine inexpensively while shopping for socks
and cassettes. Streetside specialties include seafoods, Thai sweets, mussel
omelettes, and "pigs' bowels."
Beach Road (Naret Damri) Cafes: Several small and inexpensive cafes are located
on the beach road near the budget guesthouses.
Pishing Pier: Three basic but lively spots are located at the pier in the north
of town. Sang Thai provides a good display of fresh seafood packed over ice and
a useful photographic menu, but Charoen PoChana has a longer pier with better
views and finer ambience. Meek aruna Seafood across the street features a
snooker club and an upstairs a/c dining room with English-language menus. Good
food, too.
European Restaurants: Restaurants rise and fall quickly in Hua Hin, but as of
this writing the most popular choices are La Villa Italian Restaurant with an
Italian chef; Ban Lan Sao Restaurant for a curious culinary combination called
"Thai-ltalian Cuisine"; and beautiful La Provence Restaurant in a back-alley
courtyard graced with trees and flowers.