Gulf of Thailand
Hua Hin is the old royal seaside — the king's summer palace has stood on the beach here since the 1920s — and it photographs like it: a long, wide, gently shelving beach, horses walking the tideline, and a town that is quieter and more family-minded than Pattaya. Because the coast faces east, the sea is lit from the front at sunrise and the sun sets behind the land. That makes two good sessions: the first hour, with the light coming off the water, and the last two, when the beach is in open shade and nobody is squinting. At low tide the sand is wide and wet enough to hold a reflection, and the horses — a paid ride, arranged with their owners — give a frame that is entirely Hua Hin's own. The best location is an hour south and works on its own schedule. In Phraya Nakhon cave, in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, a beam of light falls through a collapsed roof onto a royal pavilion between about 10:30 and 11:30, most reliably from December to March — after a steep climb of around half an hour from Laem Sala beach. Nearer town, Khao Takiab has its standing Buddha and its monkeys, the historic railway station is preserved beside the new elevated one, and Cha-am and Pranburi extend the coast north and south. Most visitors come by road from Bangkok, roughly three hours, which is why the session is best put on the second morning rather than the day of arrival. Families with young children usually take the late-afternoon beach session and leave the cave to the adults.
Hua Hin is one of the drier stretches of the Thai coast. November to February is the best season: dry, clear, and the coolest months of the year. March to May is hot, with sessions held to the edges of the day. June to August is mostly dry with occasional storms. The main rain comes from September to November, heaviest in October, usually as afternoon and evening downpours. For Phraya Nakhon, the light beam is most reliable from December to March, when the sky is clearest.
Here is where to shoot in Hua Hin, with ideal times and permit notes.
A long run of east-facing sand from the town centre south to Khao Takiab. In the morning the light comes off the sea; in the late afternoon the beach is in the shadow of the town and the light is soft and flattering for families with small children. At low tide it is wide enough to walk out and get the sea and sky alone in the frame.
The headland at the south end of the beach, with a tall standing golden Buddha facing the sea at its foot and a temple on the top. From the hill there is a view back along the whole bay. The monkeys are the reason to keep the session moving and the sunglasses in a pocket.
A royal pavilion built in 1890 for King Chulalongkorn's visit, standing in a cave whose roof has fallen in. For about an hour in the late morning a shaft of sunlight lands on it. Starting from Laem Sala beach, the trail is rocky and steep: trainers for the climb, the outfit in a backpack, and the walk timed backwards from the light.
The red-and-cream wooden station and its royal waiting pavilion, among the most photographed buildings in Thailand. Since the new elevated station opened next to it in late 2023, the old building is kept as a heritage site — quieter than when trains stopped here, and a short ride from the beach.
King Vajiravudh's 1920s teak summer palace on the beach between Hua Hin and Cha-am: pale yellow pavilions on stilts joined by long covered walkways. The repetition of columns and the shade make it one of the few places on this coast that works in the middle of the day.
These beaches and areas come under the Hua Hin rate: the photographer comes to you at no extra charge, and the session costs exactly the same.
Sunrise, if you want the sea in the light: the beach faces east and the sun comes up over the water. The sun sets behind the town, so an evening session is about soft shade on the beach rather than a sunset — which is often the better choice with small children. For a sunset view, the hill at Khao Takiab looks back over the bay.
Yes, as a half-day. It is about an hour's drive south, then a steep climb of half an hour or more from Laem Sala beach, and the light beam falls on the pavilion only for about an hour in the late morning, best from December to March. Comfortable shoes are essential; the outfit is changed at the top.
Most visitors fly into Bangkok and drive, roughly three hours depending on traffic. Hua Hin has a small airport with a limited schedule, and there is also the train. Either way, the first full day is the better day for a session than the day you arrive.
