Cha-am

Cha-am (Thai: ชะอำ) is a small, quiet beach town on the Gulf of Thailand. If nearby Hua Hin is too crowded and noisy for you, then Cha-am is the place to go.

Understand
Cha-am is not a major tourist hub, but there is still plenty to see. A fishing village north of Ruamchi Rd features Thai shops, fishmongers and restaurants. You could spend half a day touring the area and immersing yourself in one of the town's most important industry, fishing.

Orientation
The main street, Narathip Road, runs roughly east-west from the train station to the beach. It has a range of restaurants, shops, and even bars, but is still pretty quiet, with woods mixed in here and there between the storefronts.

The beach stretches at least a couple of kilometers in either direction and is dotted with shops selling beachwear, stands selling seafood and fruit, massage parlors, restaurants, and 7-Elevens. All of these get sparse as you move away from the main street.

Get in
Hua Hin is the nearest town with good transportation connections. From Hua Hin to Cha-am you can take a taxi or songthaew. There's also a little orange bus that plies Phet Kasem Road from Phetchaburi to Hua Hin and stops in Cha-am, but it doesn't run frequently.

(also known as Ban Cha-am Station) is the most convenient train station and gets four trains a day in each direction. As of February 2020, northbound trains are scheduled at 01:39, 04:54, 06:40, 12:12, and 14:32; and southbound trains are scheduled at 11:18, 13:10, 17:23, 19:42, and 22:07. A ticket from Cha-am to Thonburi is 38 baht as of 2020. These tickets are only sold within 30 minutes of departure. Nearby on the street leading to the station are a few inexpensive restaurants – you can get lunch for 30 or 40 baht while waiting for your train.

Hua Hin train station gets more service.

Buses from Bangkok to Hua Hin may be able to stop in Cha-am if you ask.

Buy
7-Elevens and other convenience stores are plentiful. There are also a fair handful of pharmacies, supermarkets, and stores selling various household products. The selection of beachwear is not extensive. For a wider range of shopping options head to Hua Hin.



Go next

 * Hua Hin
 * Wildlife Rescue Centre and Elephant Refuge