Hua Hin Beach

Hua Hin Beach is the long main beach behind the town, and it is the most convenient base in the area because the hotels, restaurants and night markets sit right behind the sand. The honest truth is that it is a beach for a walk, a horseback ride and a sundowner more than a clean swim. Near the town centre the gulf water can look brown after rain, and the gentle slope means the tide retreats a long way at low water, leaving a wide band of firm flats rather than lapping sea. Set your expectations to convenient rather than pristine and it does its job well.

The thing the beach does beautifully is the easy town day. You can stroll for kilometres along the firm sand, watch the horses that have plodded this shore for generations, and drop into a beachfront deck like the Seenspace complex for a swim in the pool, a long lunch and a drink as the light softens. The sand is wide and walkable, the resorts give you shade and loungers, and the whole stretch is a short hop from the buzz of the town, which is exactly why Thai families have holidayed here for so long.

For the actual swim, be willing to move. A few kilometres south, Khao Takiab offers calmer, cleaner water and a softer, wider beach that suits children far better, and the quieter bays beyond add pine shade and real peace. Use Hua Hin Beach for the convenience, the horses and the evening, and treat the southern beaches as your swimming days. Played that way, the town beach earns its place rather than disappointing you.