Cha-am and Hua Hin are both on Thailand's Sunrise Coast and they are only 25 km apart. So they should be pretty much the same, right? Not at all.
Both Cha-am and Hua Hin are about the same size, with populations of 49,000 and 50,000 people respectively. But Hua Hin has more foreigners, numbering around 4,000 and growing. Cha-am has far fewer expats, but accurate figures are harder to come by.
Hua Hin is famous for being the home of the Thai Royal Family and many people --Thai and foreigners alike -- feel owning property there imparts a certain status.
Cha-am, by comparison is more of a resort town for Thais, popular with Bangkokians on weekends and holidays. Cha-am's beach is famous for being one of the longest in Thailand at about 5 km. It is full of mostly Thais on the weekends, but is often empty during the week.
Hua Hin sports many more foreign style shops and restaurants -- Burger King, McDonalds, Starbucks, Pizza Hut and KFC to name a few. There's Market Village, a shopping mall similar to any you'd find in Europe or the USA.
Cha-am at present has no Western-style shopping malls, but one is planned and a Makro cash & carry is being built. There are plenty of Mom & Pop shops and restaurants in Cha-am that can meet most every need.
Hua Hin has a vibrant night life with several popular night clubs and discos.
Cha-am is more family-friendly with only a few night spots. For those that seek nightlife, it is only about 15 minutes away in Hua Hin.
One thing you will notice by looking at our listings is that property in Hua Hin carries a higher price when compared to Cha-am. More expats and retirees on a budget are moving to Cha-am.
So the choice is yours -- Cha-am is a more traditional Thai community and offers foreigners a true taste of Thai culture. It's perfect for those who want to live the good life affordably, and appreciate relative peace and quiet.
Hua Hin is more upscale and foreigner-oriented for those who want to live in Thailand but don't want to leave too much of their homeland behind.
Learn more about Cha-am here.
Learn more about Hua Hin here.
Both Cha-am and Hua Hin are about the same size, with populations of 49,000 and 50,000 people respectively. But Hua Hin has more foreigners, numbering around 4,000 and growing. Cha-am has far fewer expats, but accurate figures are harder to come by.
Hua Hin is famous for being the home of the Thai Royal Family and many people --Thai and foreigners alike -- feel owning property there imparts a certain status.
Cha-am, by comparison is more of a resort town for Thais, popular with Bangkokians on weekends and holidays. Cha-am's beach is famous for being one of the longest in Thailand at about 5 km. It is full of mostly Thais on the weekends, but is often empty during the week.
Hua Hin sports many more foreign style shops and restaurants -- Burger King, McDonalds, Starbucks, Pizza Hut and KFC to name a few. There's Market Village, a shopping mall similar to any you'd find in Europe or the USA.
Cha-am at present has no Western-style shopping malls, but one is planned and a Makro cash & carry is being built. There are plenty of Mom & Pop shops and restaurants in Cha-am that can meet most every need.
Hua Hin has a vibrant night life with several popular night clubs and discos.
Cha-am is more family-friendly with only a few night spots. For those that seek nightlife, it is only about 15 minutes away in Hua Hin.
One thing you will notice by looking at our listings is that property in Hua Hin carries a higher price when compared to Cha-am. More expats and retirees on a budget are moving to Cha-am.
So the choice is yours -- Cha-am is a more traditional Thai community and offers foreigners a true taste of Thai culture. It's perfect for those who want to live the good life affordably, and appreciate relative peace and quiet.
Hua Hin is more upscale and foreigner-oriented for those who want to live in Thailand but don't want to leave too much of their homeland behind.
Learn more about Cha-am here.
Learn more about Hua Hin here.
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