Hua Hin, Thailand's
royal seaside golf town

Black Mountain Golf Club is the headline round. Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Design laid out its 27 holes, which opened in 2007, beneath a ridge of limestone hills inland from town. It hosted the Asian Tour's Black Mountain Masters in 2009 and the 2015 Thailand Classic, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, and it regularly appears among Thailand's top-ranked courses. Visitors need a tee time, and a caddie is mandatory.

Springfield Royal Country Club, north of Hua Hin in Cha-am, gives you Jack Nicklaus across three nines — Mountain, Lake and Valley — climbing the hills above the Gulf of Thailand. It is one of Nicklaus's best-known early international designs in Asia.

Royal Hua Hin Golf Course is the history lesson. Opened in 1924 for railway travelers, it is Thailand's oldest course, with tree-lined fairways, hillside temples and Gulf views, and it sits within walking distance of central Hua Hin.

• Pineapple Valley Golf Club Hua Hin — Pirapon Namatra's rolling parkland, routed through a former pineapple plantation. It was known as Banyan Golf Club until its renaming on 1 March 2024 and is a perennial favorite with visiting golfers.
• Palm Hills Golf Club & Residence — Max Wexler's 1992 layout in Cha-am, Hua Hin's first modern international-standard course and host of the inaugural Thailand World Pro-Am in 1993. Undulating ground gives several holes a links-like feel.

November to March is the prime window. Skies are dry, humidity drops and early-morning tee times are as comfortable as they get all year. December through February is the busiest stretch, so book tee times and rooms early.

Hua Hin sits in a relatively dry rain shadow on the Gulf coast, which is why golf continues year-round. April and May are the hottest months; plan to be off the course by late morning. October usually brings the heaviest showers, though rain tends to come in bursts rather than all-day washouts.

• Day 1 — Royal Hua Hin. Arrive, settle in and play an afternoon round on Thailand's oldest course, then walk to the railway station and dinner by the pier.
• Day 2 — Black Mountain. An early start for the tour venue. Spend the afternoon by the pool and the evening at the Hua Hin Night Market.
• Day 3 — Springfield Royal. Head north to Cha-am for Nicklaus's hillside 27, then stop at Mrigadayavan Palace on the way back.
• Day 4 — Pineapple Valley or Palm Hills. Choose rolling parkland or links-like foothills, and finish with a beachfront seafood lunch before the drive out.

Hua Hin is roughly a three-hour drive south of Bangkok, so most visitors arrive by private car. Four rounds in four days is comfortable; serious golfers can add a second loop at Black Mountain or Springfield, both of which have 27 holes.

Central Hua Hin puts you on the beach and within walking distance of Royal Hua Hin, the railway station, the night market and the seafood restaurants on Naresdamri and Naebkehardt roads. It is the best all-round base.

South toward Khao Takiab is quieter, with long stretches of beach and easy access to the courses west of town, including Black Mountain and Pineapple Valley.

Cha-am, to the north, suits golfers prioritising Springfield Royal and Palm Hills and wanting a calmer beach. Most courses sit a short drive inland whichever base you choose; drive times from each hotel are shown on this page.

Hua Hin's dining is built on Gulf seafood. Chao Lay Seafood, by the fishing pier on Naresdamri Road, is known for crab curry and baked scallops; Baan Itsara serves clams in basil at beachfront tables in an old Hua Hin house; and You Yen Hua Hin Balcony cooks regional Thai food in a 1920s wooden house on the sand. For a sense of the town's railway-era past, book the colonial-style Railroad Restaurant in the historic 1920s Railway Hotel building.

• Hua Hin Railway Station — the red-and-cream wooden station and royal waiting pavilion, a short walk from Royal Hua Hin.
• Mrigadayavan Palace — King Rama VI's teak summer palace, raised on stilts and linked by covered walkways.
• Khao Takiab — a hilltop temple with macaques and wide views along the beaches.
• Cicada Market — a weekend evening art-and-craft market with live performances and food stalls.

• Book tee times ahead for December to February and for weekends, when demand peaks; midweek mornings are easiest to secure.
• Caddies are standard at most clubs in the region and are tipped in cash at the end of the round; ask the club or your hotel for the customary amount.
• Carts are usually optional and paid separately; with heat and humidity, most visitors take one.
• Dress code is conventional: collared shirt, tailored shorts or trousers, and soft-spike shoes. No denim.
• Transfers are simplest by private car or hotel driver; agree a pickup time for after lunch at the clubhouse.
• Tee off early to beat the midday heat, and carry more water than you think you need.

Rules, rates and booking policies change, so confirm details directly with the club before you travel.