BEST PLACES TO WATCH THE SUNRISE IN HUA HIN

At the start of the pier you can photograph the sunrise alongside the adjacent beach and the remains of what was the old fishing pier to the right, which has been left partially demolished in the water.

Go to the end of the pier and with a wide angle lens or with your phone’s camera settings in panoramic mode (or the equivalent) you can capture the sunrise with the beach, the old seafront buildings and Hilton Hotel in the distance.

The awakening sunrise, when light begins to creep over the horizon, the birds begin to sing and the day starts to come alive.

Find the perfect vantage point and a spectacular sunrise can be something you remember for a long, long time.

Happily, Hua Hin offers a multitude of places to watch the sunrise. From accessible beachside locations, to easily reachable viewpoints that you can walk to, with a coffee, camera and a companion.

The best part is that the sunrise always looks different from one day to the next and no two sunrises ever look the same.

What time does the sun rise in Hua Hin?

In the summer months (March to July) the sun starts rising shortly after 6am. In the tourist high season from late November to February the days are a little shorter, with the sun starting to rise from around 6:30am to 6:45am.

Websites such as Accuweather can tell you exactly what time the sun will rise in Hua Hin. Failing that, just a simple Google search will provide the information you need.

However, we’d recommend that you aim to be at a location a good 30 minutes ahead of the sunrise as that is when the real magic can happen.

It is at the absolute first light of the day when you can capture the early bursts of colour on the horizon, with some wonderful blue, deep purples and orange tones over the sea.

Then, as the minutes tick by, you can photograph the sunlight as it progressively changes.

Being at the beach, you also have the benefit of capturing both the sunrise and water, meaning you have two elements that can blend together beautifully. Add to that the occasional longtail fishing boat that may sweep into your shot and before you know it you’ve got yourself a really wonderful sunrise photo.

Below we have rounded up some of our favourite locations to watch the sunrise in Hua Hin and why.

The truth is that pretty much anywhere along Hua Hin beach offers a good spot to shoot a shot of the sunrise.

However, we have tried to highlight a variety of different locations that will help to give you a different vantage point or perspective of the sunrise in Hua Hin.

We have chosen the locations for a number of different reasons, including being the most accessible, the one offering best uninterrupted views or for offering the most unique vantage point.

Whether you are an experienced photographer with the latest and greatest camera setup or someone just armed with their smartphone, these tips will help ensure you get a fantastic photograph of the sun rising over Hua Hin beach.

This section of the beach located at the end of Soi 75 is arguably one of the most accessible parts of the beach from where you can watch the sunrise. Our tip is to park your car or motorcycle on Soi 94, cross over Phetkasem Road and walk down Soi 75 to the beach.

It is from here that you can get sweeping views of the beach to the left and right as the sun rises on the horizon. After taking your sunrise photos drop into the Morning Bread cafe on Soi 94 for a coffee and spot of breakfast before returning to your vehicle.

A place worth visiting in its own right, Hua Hin’s Chinese temple, the Jao Mae Tub Tim Shrine is a great place to watch the sunrise. Located next to the Hilton Hotel, it is a popular place for people to watch the sun rising due to the fact there are a few benches where you could sit with a coffee for what would be a pretty wonderful start to the day.

In fact, given its close proximity to the fishing pier, (it’s just a short walk) you can photograph the sunrise from both locations on the same day.

Khao Takiab Soi 1, Cafe Amazon

Queen’s Park or the area known locally as 19 Rai is perhaps one of the most scenic places in Hua Hin to take photos of the sunrise.

If you stand at the park itself, rather than heading onto the sand, you can take a photo of the sun rising behind the palm trees which grow along the park’s perimeter. Position yourself right and the results can be pretty spectacular.

Located in Nong Kae, to the south of Hua Hin is Khao Takiab. Alongside the branch of Cafe Amazon you will find Soi 1, which leads on to the beach.

From here you can photograph the sunrise with views of Khao Takiab beach to the right hand side. There is an area to park your motorbike or car too.

First light here can be stunning so get there well ahead of sunrise to capture a really special photo.

Saphan

The fishing pier in Hua Hin can be a hive of activity first thing in the morning.

As you approach the pier you will see the fleet of boats to your left, while you can also expect to see people out walking, exercising and fishing along the pier at first light.

The pier offers another interesting viewpoint from where you capture the sunrise.

Hin

Hua Hin’s famous viewpoint at Hin Lek Fai offers a completely different vantage point from which to watch the sunrise.

The viewpoint offers spectacular views of all of Hua Hin, as well as Khao Takiab to the south and Cha Am to the north.

There are a total of six viewpoints at Hin Lek Fai but viewpoints 3 and 4 are our favourites to watch the sunrise.