Hua Hin in the News: Sexpat Mecca or retirement community?

[lazarus]

Seems the 'secret' is out and droves of sex-pats are forgoing Pattaya for Hua Hin.

. . .

The town where ANY older man can find a young female lover... making it one of the world's biggest expat magnets. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14765319/

. . .

"...Hua Hin now boasts one of the fastest growing expat communities anywhere in the world – including more than 1,000 Brits – the vast majority of whom are elderly single men hoping for a second shot at happiness. Only this time, with girls as young as their granddaughters.

A survey conducted last month by local news service Hua Hin Today found that about 81 per cent of expats in the city are male with over half aged 66-75. An impressive 96.5 per cent said that living in Hua Hin had either met or surpassed their expectations..."

"...Mark has spent 40 years working as a plumbing and heating engineer in the West Country, and has been coming here for a few months at a time since his 30-year marriage ended in 2019.

‘Soon I’ll move out full-time,’ he said. ‘The demographic of England is changing and I don’t feel safe there. Plus, the girls aren’t interested in me.

‘I’m more into petite, attractive girls anyhow – not like the big girls in the UK. And here, men don’t even have to flirt with women, it’s the women who flirt with me.’.."

. . .

[fforest]

Hua Hin

[Lemondropkid]

Maybe they'll put on a second bus a day to cope with the Pattaya exodus 😆. 

 

[Lemondropkid]

Hua Hin is a decent place in its own right, all joking aside.

Maybe one day we'll reach a point where we accept everyone has different tastes and don't necessarily want to live in Pattaya or even visit there.

 

[Glasseye]

I've seen it over the years with my own eyes.

 

Surely is evolvign....  No doubter.

 

I've gotten the best out of it, bucause it will quickly be going down the toilet.

[Lemondropkid]

1 minute ago, Glasseye said:

I've seen it over the years with my own eyes.

 

Surely is evolvign....  No doubter.

 

I've gotten the best out of it, bucause it will quickly be going down the toilet.

Why's it going down the toilet?

[Glasseye]

1 minute ago, Lemondropkid said:

Why's it going down the toilet?

 

They always do mate.

[joker]

Yeah, I like Hua Hin, I keep a place there. There are plenty of retirees and it is mostly known as a retirement haven

But there's plenty for the youngsters too.

It's just not a full on party town like Pattaya, so if you're looking for every day late nights and gogo bars Hua Hin isn't for you.

If on the other hand you've been in Thailand for 10 or 20 years and all that became so normal you ignore it a decade or more ago then Hua Hin is a decent place to go.

[Horizondave]

Hua Hin just appeals to those who might find that Pattaya is a bit too fast and crazy for their needs. The pace of life in Hua Hin is slower, with a smaller entertainment offering, so probably a perfect location for older retirees and expats.

Most older expats are probably not all looking for a top quality go go dancer, may have even been there, done that and got the t shirt, similar to myself, and a slower pace was welcome, especially if with family.

Can't see a massive influx, and Hua Hin is still a well spread out location, so a few extra foreigners seeking new horizons shouldn't tip the place over.

[loafofbrad]

Why not both!

Haha, well it's on my travel list so I guess I'll check it out.

I do enjoy a more sedate weekend every now and then.

Bet some of those old salts have fun stories though!

[Nickrock]

I have been intending to go to hua hin the last couple of years but been busy on other trips but was looking at hotels etc a few nights ago

[Stillearly]

HH is great , nice to have alternatives to Pattaya 

[Siam Addict]

I was in Hua Hin last December and I found single men to be a minority.

It felt like a lot of families with young children who spent most of the days on the beach and the evenings at large open air restaurants, or retired older European couples that spent the days by the pool and the evening at the restaurant.

I also noticed that there was a lot more bars than I expected. Bintabaht has three streets with bars, and some were busy but most of their clientel were couples or groups. I did enjoy this area the most.  I was most disappointed with Soi 80, loads of bars, with plenty of life but it felt dead to me!

Wonderland was always busy and there is a lot more bars and restaurants scattered further along the street and also spilling over into the area behind it, but all this done was to spead out the small amount of single men so that it appeared that most bars were empty. 

And early closing didn't help. Everything closes at midnight.

[Horizondave]

17 minutes ago, Siam Addict said:

I was in Hua Hin last December and I found single men to be a minority.

It felt like a lot of families with young children who spent most of the days on the beach and the evenings at large open air restaurants, or retired older European couples that spent the days by the pool and the evening at the restaurant.

I also noticed that there was a lot more bars than I expected. Bintabaht has three streets with bars, and some were busy but most of their clientel were couples or groups. I did enjoy this area the most.  I was most disappointed with Soi 80, loads of bars, with plenty of life but it felt dead to me!

Wonderland was always busy and there is a lot more bars and restaurants scattered further along the street and also spilling over into the area behind it, but all this done was to spead out the small amount of single men so that it appeared that most bars were empty. 

And early closing didn't help. Everything closes at midnight.

That bit is attractive to me as I don't stay out late. It is more in keeping with the clientele that enjoy the place and just maybe does put off the late birds, more suited to Pattaya, from making Hua Hin a place to live.

I must admit I gave up Bintibaht a long time ago, the bar areas of Soi 94 offer a great night, if I need it, but I will still likely be having my tea and Oreos before midnight.

I think Hua Hin offers a great experience, just one that doesn't try to compete with Pattaya.

[Toy Boy]

I spent a week over there in late March, our first visit. After reading all the moaning about traffic on the Hua Hin FB groups I was expecting the entire place to be like Sukhumvit in South Pattaya, but there's just a couple of traffic lights with annoyingly long wait times and the usual road works here and there. Other than that, you can breeze up and down Highway 4. 

The best part was that we got a big poolside family room in the Centara Grand, one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in. We both liked it so much that it's enough reason on its own to go back again. The hotel location is great, too, right on the beach and set in 23 ha of grounds. There are loads of restaurants an easy walk away and Soi Bintabaht is just up the road if that's your cup of cha. 

The area's interesting, we spent two days exploring the Sam Roi Yot NP, and went up the coast to Cha Am and Hat Puek Tian, something else again. We also visited Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan towns, nice enough places but a bit too Thai for me (e.g. there's about a hundred temples but no bars in the centre of Phetchaburi). I prefer the more cosmopolitan lifestyle in Hua Hin. 

Here's a picture of Sam Roi Yot:

and the sea ogress from a famous Thai epic at Peuk Tian beach north of Cha Am:

I'd be a regular over there if it wasn't for the drive across southern Bangkok and the Rama II Death Road madness. Here's an old photo of the hotel, they've added another wing since then extending off the bottom right-hand corner of the photo. The hotel is over a century old now and has an interesting history which you can find online if you're interested. 

[redwood13]

Hua Hin used to be Scandi Central, is that no longer the case?

[fygjam]

Just remember, HuaHin means "head stone."

 

[Krapow]

@Lemondropkid only there a few months, reputation of the place ruined already ffs 

[fforest]

5 hours ago, fygjam said:

Just remember, HuaHin means "head stone."

 

I guess every one who lives there is in grave danger..

[Horizondave]

10 hours ago, Toy Boy said:

I spent a week over there in late March, our first visit. After reading all the moaning about traffic on the Hua Hin FB groups I was expecting the entire place to be like Sukhumvit in South Pattaya, but there's just a couple of traffic lights with annoyingly long wait times and the usual road works here and there. Other than that, you can breeze up and down Highway 4. 

The best part was that we got a big poolside family room in the Centara Grand, one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in. We both liked it so much that it's enough reason on its own to go back again. The hotel location is great, too, right on the beach and set in 23 ha of grounds. There are loads of restaurants an easy walk away and Soi Bintabaht is just up the road if that's your cup of cha. 

The area's interesting, we spent two days exploring the Sam Roi Yot NP, and went up the coast to Cha Am and Hat Puek Tian, something else again. We also visited Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan towns, nice enough places but a bit too Thai for me (e.g. there's about a hundred temples but no bars in the centre of Phetchaburi). I prefer the more cosmopolitan lifestyle in Hua Hin. 

Here's a picture of Sam Roi Yot:

and the sea ogress from a famous Thai epic at Peuk Tian beach north of Cha Am:

I'd be a regular over there if it wasn't for the drive across southern Bangkok and the Rama II Death Road madness. Here's an old photo of the hotel, they've added another wing since then extending off the bottom right-hand corner of the photo. The hotel is over a century old now and has an interesting history which you can find online if you're interested. 

It is indeed a great hotel, I have stayed there and the facilities are second to none.

[maipenrai]

I don't mind HH for a few days for a change of pace from Pattaya but don't like the long drive there - if they ever start that ferry service again I will visit more often. I also haven't had much luck with hotel choices there but remain optimistic for future  trips. 

[boydeste]

I love the change of pace and vibe of HH, it very much features in my Winter trips.

The longish journey to get there is probably what stops many from visiting, unless of course you are flying in from CM.

[KhunDon]

6 hours ago, Horizondave said:

It is indeed a great hotel, I have stayed there and the facilities are second to none.

Did a food review there for The Tatler back in 2002. Actually another guy who was a neighbour and a friend wrote the review, I was just along for the ride.
Did 12 restaurants and eateries in HUA HIN over the course of 3 months, where we wined and dined and The Tatler paid the bills. 😊

[Toy Boy]

11 hours ago, Horizondave said:

It is indeed a great hotel, I have stayed there and the facilities are second to none.

And the staff - everyone's so pleasant and helpful. There were plenty of older Europeans staying who were evidently regulars, the way they were greeted and hugged by members of the staff. The breakfast buffet was also amazing, the TGF thought she'd died and gone to Heaven, lol. 

[Going2Siam]

I wouldn't compare HH to Pattaya when it comes to bars ,girls and bar girls. 

The scene is a lot smaller and Pattaya have better looking girls. There are no GC's in HH as far as I know. 

Come for the beaches not the bitches.