Hua Hin’s Surprising Food Scene – Beyond Pad Thai
When travelers plan their travel to Thailand, the big tourist destinations, like Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, are always on their list. However, Hua Hin with its convenient access from Bangkok, offers a great selection of beaches, interesting things to do and a wide choice of accommodation options. While it may lack the glamour of Phuket and Ko Samui, the Hua Hin area retains plenty of old-fashioned charm. It’s also home to a surprisingly diverse food scene. Hua Hin has a unique food culture due to its location in Thailand.
A Destination for Thai Food Lovers
Firstly, it is a highly sought-after destination for Thai travelers wanting to escape from Bangkok. They want to taste local food and have an enjoyable dining experience, whether international or Thai food. Secondly, you can dine at great eateries that showcase the four culinary regions of Thailand: Central, Southern, North and Northeast. This, in our opinion, is quite unique to Hua Hin. These regions all have different flavour profiles, and we recommend that you try restaurants that specialise in a specific region to get the true flavour profiles.
A Compact Foodie-Friendly City
Hua Hin is not a large city, and everything is quite accessible. Travelers who want to seek out different food styles can easily do so, compared to other tourist destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, which are more heavily populated.
Local Flavours from Nearby Regions
Not being an ancient city compared to some places in Thailand, Hua Hin has drawn on neighbouring areas for its own unique flavour profile. Phetchaburi, north of Hua Hin, is known for its amazing palm sugar and salt production, whereas Pak Nam Pran (just 30 minutes south) has wonderful seafood and pineapples. Therefore, cooks in Hua Hin have embraced these ingredients and flavours to serve dishes unique to this area.
Phetburi Rice Experience Lunch
Discover with Feast Thailand
Exploring the local food scene should be on everyone’s “to-do list” as it gives you a glimpse of what this region is all about. Feast Thailand commenced doing local food tours and experiences in 2016 with the view to offer travelers to Thailand a food experience like no other, focussing on dishes that Thai people love to eat, rather than the Thai dishes travelers already know from their home country.
It is all about showcasing the diversity of Thai food, as it gives travelers another reason for where they should holiday. Feast Thailand is very proud to say that the eateries on our food tours are where they eat regularly. It’s about what they love as well as supporting local eateries.
Go Beyond the Basics
Thai food is more than Pad Thai and Thai Green Curry. Whilst they are great dishes, there is so much more especially once you know how and what to order when you enter a Thai restaurant. Exploring the 4 main culinary regions is exciting but you should go to eateries that specialize in those regions: that’s where the magic is.
Real Thai Flavours – No Compromises
Also, what you can find in Hua Hin, which is sometimes more difficult in the heavily populated tourist zones, are vendors that have not reduced the flavours to suit a Western palate. Not every Thai dish is spicy and that’s again another reason to do a food tour with Feast Thailand. You will get to know the dishes that are not meant to be spicy. You will learn how to order meals so they are balanced with flavour and textures. International travelers need to share the dishes; Thai style. When you order 1 dish for yourself, it is going to be more spicy as that is all your mouth is tasting. But add a couple of dishes to the table, non-spicy, vegetables, rice, a soup for example, take a little bit of everything, and now you are eating Thai style.
It is a myth that all Thai people eat spicy. It is a fact that all Thai people know what dishes to order to suit their palate without having to ask the cook to reduce the spiciness.
Feast Thailand helps you navigate this and finds you dishes to suit your palate, then you can order these dishes for the remainder of your holiday.
Feast Thailand On Tour Group
Local Specialties to Try in Hua Hin
- Gaeng moo sapparot: Yellow curry with coconut milk, pineapple (both the juice and pieces), along with pork belly.
- Hoi siap malakor: Dried seafood on sticks served with green papaya and palm sugar dipping sauce – unique to Hua Hin.
- Tod mun bplaa insee: Fried mackerel fish cakes using local ‘bplaa insee’.
- Dtun nam dtaan bpeuk bplaa meuk: Squid braised in palm sugar with chillies, lime, onion and coriander.
Night Markets and Street Food Culture
Hua Hin also has several night markets set up to offer a great food selection to travelers. In the main part of town are the Chat Sila night market and Patio Old Town night market which offer different dining choices. On a weekend the very popular Cicada Market and right next door, Tamarind Market: Chic and Chill, not only has a wide range of food options but local entertainment and shopping are also a highlight.
Feast Thailand Sunset Salad
There are also several open-air night markets with a wide variety of Thai and international food on offer plus Thai bands are there to entertain the diners. Baan Khun Por and One Palm Food Garden are very popular with locals and Hua Hin expats.
Street Food is King
Street food vendors can be found throughout the main town area where you can see the food being prepared and cooked versus a restaurant kitchen. This allows you to see the preparation, cooking and serving standards of the vendors.
Don’t be afraid to simply point to something that you want to order, even if you don’t know what it is. Your eyes won’t deceive you, and if it looks good, chances are it will taste good as well. Every vendor will usually have a sign, so use your best translator to see what it says. Street food is generally not expensive, and it’s a great way to taste something new.
Why Hua Hin?
Hua Hin is still relatively undiscovered, especially for first-time travelers who generally head to the islands, Bangkok, or Chiang Mai. Because Hua Hin doesn’t have the same volume of tourists, it retains its own style.
Support Local with Feast Thailand
Feast Thailand prides itself on a being responsible tour company that supports local businesses. Booking a food tour directly with Feast Thailand means you can enjoy a fabulous eating experience while supporting the local community. It will also allow you to discover venues and dishes that are hard to find unless you have an expert local guide to help you.
To learn more about the food scene in Hua Hin and its range of tours, visit Feastthailand.com and social media channels for more mouth-watering inspiration.
