Hua Hin and Chiang Mai are very different places when comparing them. Hua Hin is a beach town that is a couple of hours from Bangkok and has a laid-back beach vibe. And Chiang Mai is a city in northern Thailand with no beaches but is surrounded by mountains, temples, and history.
These two cities have very different vibes with Hua Hin being a resort town and Chiang Mai being more of a small relaxed city vibe. And have a reasonable amount of stuff to do in each city. But there are distinct differences between the two cities. These range from the nightlife to which city has a better range of available accommodation.
In this post, we will go through which city to visit if it is either Hua Hin or Chiang Mai to visit. Let’s get started!
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Chiang Mai Or Hua Hin
Chiang Mai and Hua Hin are both good cities to visit for a variety of reasons. Hua Hin is a small resort beach town that is 2 hours from Bangkok. It is well developed in terms of accommodation, water parks, and markets.
While Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, it is well-developed and is popular with backpackers and digital nomads.
These two cities are over 900 km apart or it takes around a 12-hour bus journey to go from one to the other. Flying between the 2 cities would be faster as they both have airports.
Which One Has The Better Culture?
Both cities have a good cultural scene but Chiang Mai would be considered a cultural hub in Thailand. Whereas Hua Hin is finding its feet on this front.
Chiang Mai Culture
In Chiang Mai, you will find markets and temples, and by exploring the old city you will find museums, restaurants, and more.
You can go jungle trekking with elephants or visit and learn about the Karen tribe villages and in the evening you can take a Thai cooking class.
Hua Hin Culture
In Hua Hin, you will find museums and arts and crafts galleries. As well as taking Thai cooking classes and a dinner theatre. By exploring the city you will see architectural monuments of the colonial era.
And then there is Kaeng Krachan National Park which is home to the biggest waterfall in Thailand, which is called Pala U Waterfall.
What’s The Nightlife Like?
Thailand is known for its nightlife, in particular, the party islands in Thailand like the famous full moon party in Koh Phangan. Hua Hin or Chiang Mai is nowhere as crazy as that but they do have nightlife.
Let’s compare the nightlife between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai’s Nightlife
Chiang Mai’s nightlife happens in and around 3 areas of the city. These are the Old City, along the river, and Nimman Road. The city does have a good bar scene not really a club scene as nearly all bars close at midnight.
Hua Hin Nightlife
Hua Hin’s nightlife is fairly quiet, during the week quiet and gets busy over the weekend. There are bars in Hua Hin center but the bar scene is not that big.
Accommodation in Chiang Mai and Hua Hin
Choosing the right accommodation is important regardless if it is in either Chiang Mai or Hua Hin.
Staying in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has a good range of hotels and hostels. The prices in Chiang Mai start from $5 for a bed in a hostel and $9 for a hotel.
The hostel and hotel prices can differ a lot from high season to low season.
Staying in Hua Hin
Hua Hin has a good supply of luxurious 5-star resorts, guesthouses, and hotels that are within walking distance from the beach. Prices are further away from the beach you stay in.
The hostel and hotel prices can differ a lot from high season to low season.
What To Do See In Chiang Mai And Hua Hin
Chiang Mai and Hua Hin are both very different places to visit, with Hua Hin being more of a beach town and Chiang Mai being more of a busy city surrounded by the jungle with elephant sanctuaries, markets, and more.
Here are some of the best things to do in each city.
Things To Do In Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai does have a relaxed vibe to it and there are a lot of things to do from temples, to good nightlife, temples, and more to see and so.
Here is our list of things to do in Chiang Mai Thailand.
- Explore the local temples.
- Go to an elephant jungle sanctuary.
- Visit the Chiang Mai night safari.
- Shop at the night bazaar market.
- Take a cooking class.
Read more about things to do in Chiang Mai here.
Things To Do In Hua Hin
Hua Hin is a beach resort town so a lot of the activities center around the beach and a great place to visit if you love the beach and just want to relax and enjoy the laid-back vibe.
Here is our list of things to do in Hua Hin Thailand.
- Go snorkeling.
- Enjoy the beach
- Visit the water jungle park.
- Shop at the Cicada market.
- Visit Huay Mongkol temple.
Read more about things to do in Hua Hin here.
Best Time To Travel To Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai’s peak tourist season is between December to February with an average temperature is 13°C to 25°C. And in April to August has an average temperature from 30°C to 35°C.
Remember the burning season starts from mid-February to late April. It changes slightly from year to year.
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is between October to February when the weather is cooler and pleasant.
Best Time To Travel To Hua Hin
Hua Hin is an all-year-round location with an average temperature from 23°C to 32°C. November and January have been the high season for tourists.
The best time to visit Hua Hin is between December to March.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, which one to choose really depends on your interests. For people interested in relaxing at the beach for a few days and enjoying the water parks and golf courses then it is Hua Hin.
On the other hand, if you are looking for somewhere with a good range of bars and restaurants. If and enjoy hiking in the jungle and learning about the local culture and history then Chiang Mai is for you.
And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on Hua Hin or Chiang Mai Thailand, which to visit was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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