Cha Am Better Than Hua Hin

[Jockey]

I never thought I'd ever be saying this, but having lived in both Hua Hin and Cha Am in my opinion Cha Am is a far better place to stay. Apart from better assessable beaches, Cha Am has retained it's true Thai identity something that attracted me to Hua Hin about 7 years ago.

I should watch what I'm saying because a lot of the expats living in Cha Am prefer to keep its appeal a secret. Actually there are more and more expats discovering the attraction of Cha Am over Hua Hin and are making the move never to look back. Accommodation is cheaper whether buying or selling, there is more choice in the centre of Town, the beaches are cleaner and have more remote quiet areas.

The people are more friendly, there is a slower pace to life in Cha Am and there are less undesirables that has blighted Hua Hin over the last few years.

The social scene is more varied but less obvious. There are great music venues and although less bars, if its pub crawls your after - stay in Hua Hin - although there are much more pubs than you'd imagine.

Hua Hin's a good place to go for shopping at Tescos or Homepro, but its great to get out of the traffic mayhem, easily park back at Cha Am and enjoy a less chaotic peaceful existence.

Agree?

[Wanderlust]

I'd say horses for courses really Jockey; I have never lived in Cha Am but it does make a nice change sometimes. However although the beach is better than certain stretches of Hua Hin beach I don't agree that it is better overall, and i find the beach restaurants in central Cha Am a bit samey and uncomfortable. There also seems to be an extraordinary amount of hawkers and food sellers on Cha Am beach for the numbers of potential buyers, and i find myself warding them off more often than in Hua Hin. The beach is far more accessible though in Cha Am. As far as nightlife goes I don't think you can or should compare them because they are so different; Cha Am as you rightly point out does not attract as many farang tourists or expats at the moment, thus it has less idiots as well. The friendliness i can't judge really but I have rarely encountered unfriendly people in Hua Hin anyway.
The traffic problem is undeniable in Hua Hin and this, along with other infrastructure issues may well transfer themselves to Cha Am in time. I know this may sound ridiculous, but I believe the only solution to the traffic in Hua Hin is to impose charges of some description on car drivers coming into the town, whether that is parking meters, traffic wardens, tolls or whatever, while at the same time providing or allowing a better alternative, such as more local buses or songthaews. Also more traffic has to be encouraged to use the bypass, which would benefit Cha Am as well, although ironically the weight of traffic at peak times in Hua Hin will start to persuade drivers to do so anyway. New and existing hotels should also be forced to provide both sufficient parking and access to their premises, and planning should take a much more important part of the local governments work. It ain't gonna happen but one can dream...

[Jockey]

Good points WL but I should point out the beaches I am talking about are North and South of the centre of Cha Am, not the Thai version of Blackpool on the "main stretch"

[Big Boy]

I do agree with that point Jockey. I actually hate the main stretch of beach at Cha-Am. However, during our last visit we did hire a car for a few days and explored a bit off the beaten track. There were some very nice looking beaches - just as you say.

[STEVE G]

Jockey, I was over in Cha Am last month for lunch at the sea-food restaurants by the fishing harbour there. (Excellent chilli crabs.) Afterwards while walking past the harbour and back down the beach to where we had parked, I noticed a couple of beach-bar type places along that first stretch that I hadn’t been aware of before.
What are they like at night; anything happening there?

[Jockey]

Steve - I don't go out as much as I used to. The bars you refer to on the beach can be quiet and romantic if with your loved one. Soft music & sounds of the sea. Pleasant staff.

Going along the main stretch theres a very lively bar mainly frequented by young Thais - The Ozone. Go up one of the Soi's (Soi 9) and your find Bar Chang - an excellent music venue. I'm not the best person to give a bar review though cos' as I said, I don't go out so much as I used to. If you want to go out frequently to bars and want variety and more people, then Hua Hin's the place to be, but if bar hopping doesn't appeal so much then Cha Am can offer a fulfilling night with a subtle difference. The trendy bars are frequented by young Thais and the Ferang bars I admit do tend to be frequented by oldies.

PS - There are much more seedy bars in Cha Am too and I'm not talking about the Chicken Coop area which is lousy!

[Onlyme]

Jockey. Looks like you'll be starting an exodus of farrangs from Huahin.
We'll know who to blame!
Onlyme.

[STEVE G]

Actually I go over to Cha Am quite often during the day as our house is near Hua Hin hospital, it’s actually often quicker to drive to Cha Am to visit a restaurant or a beach than it is to penetrate the traffic to get to Hua Hin or further south.
I prefer living in Hua Hin because I admit that I like a drink in the evening and I don’t like to drink and drive, but apart from that Cha Am does have its attractions.

[buksida]

You boys have never been to Bangsaphan yet have ye ...



Dammit .................... Doh :

[margaretcarnes]

We checked out ChaAm 8 years ago before opting for HuaHin. Chicken Coop was on the go back then! Must say the main thing that put me off was the long treck from the town/markets/buses down to beach road, and having to use motorbike taxis ALL the time didn't appeal.
But having settled in HH the quite regular trips to ChaAm for pool and darts used to be an enjoyable change. Excellent midweek market as well, and getting there on the rickety bus from outside Thai Farmers was part of the fun.

[KelpieKiss]

There's an excellent Pizza place in Cha Am, way better than anywhere in Hua Hin. What's it called again?

By the way, Khao Takiab is better than Cha Am and Hua Hin!

[Jockey]

KS - Bella Pizza? Or maybe A Roi? Both are excellent.

[klikster]

You boys have never been to Bangsaphan yet have ye ...

This boy has. IMO, the beachs around Bangsaphan town are pretty mediocre. Ban Krut is a different matter .. best beach area on the Gulf .. before the bad waves last year .. still some of the best beaches around .. long stretches of deserted beaches and MUCH cleaner water (except for Ban Chai Talay).

[buksida]

.. still some of the best beaches around .. long stretches of deserted beaches and MUCH cleaner water

Yep - that whole stretch of coast is pretty spot on, Ban Krut, Bangsaphan, Bang Berd ...

www.bangsaphanguide.com/images.htm

Cha-am?

[STEVE G]

I’d consider Bang Saphan when I finally get around to retiring, but at the moment it’s too far from an international airport for the long range commuter lifestyle.