In Thailand, the Hua Hin Night Market Preferred by Locals

Of all the various night markets in Hua Hin, Thailand, the food bazaar called Baan Khun Por is the one to eat (and party) at. 

Any food market in Thailand is worth visiting for the smorgasbord of offerings you can find, even in an up-country beach town. Hua Hin, a few hours south of Bangkok in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, may not be as well known as Phuket or Chiang Mai, but there are several nightly food markets that draw heaps of attention, from both foreign and domestic visitors. One of these, the Hua Hin night market, is famous, but the other–the Baan Khun Por food court–is wild.

Hua Hin, a once small fishing village, has grown over the last two decades into a city of over 100,000, including a high percentage of foreigners. Traditionally, this was a resort town, made accessible by the southern railway’s completion in 1916, that catered mostly to Bangkok’s upper and middle classes; it was once the preferred residence of the former King Rama IX. Today Hua Hin remains laid-back and beloved for its miles of beach, but it also boasts a vibrant market scene. Most of the food markets offer just basic dishes for takeout, along with utilitarian items for the house and family. The walking street night market and Baan Khun Por are something else.

The night market is noted in all the guidebooks as one of the highlights of visiting Hua Hin. Every evening, three street blocks are closed to traffic and occupied instead by stalls selling all things edible, as well as clothing, arts and crafts, and trinkets of all types. There are nail stalls and places to get your hair braided, as well as Thai massage spots and fish spas. The range of foods and drinks available throughout the market is beyond listing, but many cuisines are represented. You can even sit down at some of the nicer food stalls and drink a glass of chilled wine as you wait for your prawns to be flash-fried or your som tam salad to be pounded out. The market is a tourist favorite and fills up every night with a slow-moving crowd munching and gulping along.

As tourists flock to the night market, locals, both domestic and foreign, are more likely to make their way to the lesser known but even larger Baan Khun Por food court. Only a short walk from Hua Hin’s historic train station, it is marked by what looks like a Ferris wheel of fairy lights. The open-air food bazaar consists of around 100 food stalls surrounding an enormous eating area with seats for up to 1,000 people. Along one edge of the bazaar is a stadium-size stage that hosts live music every night. Some nights, there are rock bands; on others, pop singers with dancers. The market even brings in national acts on weekends and holidays.

Namesake and owner Khun (Mr.) Por, a local hotelier, is greeted by diners and drinkers alike as he strolls through the market every evening with his assistant, Ann, making sure the place runs as smoothly as a chaotic market can. Baan Khun Por offers no services, no clothes for sale, and no souvenirs. You won’t find any tacky elephant pants or T-shirts here; it’s just food and drink, with the occasional lottery ticket hawker wandering around.

An even greater diversity of cuisine is found at Baan Khun Por, including stalls serving a full menu of Italian, Indian, and Mexican foods. Here, you come specifically to eat, so you order your food (from any of the vendors) and sit at a table. At the walking night market, you’re generally eating on the move, or you’re sitting at one place eating only their food. It’s more limiting. 

The only advantage that the night market has over Baan Khun Por, in my opinion, is its full bar. However, Khun Por has an exclusive agreement with Chang beer, so he offers it cheaper and colder than anywhere else in town. Whether in bottles or on draft, Chang beer is consumed in tremendous amounts every night–we must beat the heat somehow.

The majority of the Thai customers come to Baan Khun Por for hot pot, or moo ka ta in Thai, which consists of a glowing-hot BBQ plate surrounded by a trough of ever-bubbling water delivered to the table. Ingredients of all sorts can be simultaneously grilled and boiled. Each item that goes into the broth makes it richer by turn until, by the end of the meal, the broth is the best part. Whole seafood dinners, grilled salted fish, roasted piglet, curries, and all fresh-cooked Thai dishes are on hand too, but you can also find brick-oven pizza, fresh sushi, Korean fried chicken, and even those corn dogs that push the limits of junk food technology to its maximum. 

When I go to Baan Khun Por with friends, moo ka ta usually anchors our meal, but we’ll also likely get a plate of pasta, a rack of ribs with mashed potatoes, a plate of butter paneer with naan, at least one burger, and an order of loaded nachos. I don’t know if that meal breaks any actual laws, but I’m sure it breaks some culinary rules.

To my taste though, the single best dish available, in terms of both deliciousness and value, is the avocado caprese from the one Mexican stall. This is a halved avocado with the pit replaced by a big scoop of fresh mozzarella, sprinkled with minced cherry tomatoes and arugula, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. It’s cool and fresh and costs about two bucks–I couldn’t make it at home for anywhere near that cheap.

According to the market’s website, Khun Por wanted to create a place where everyone could party any night of the week, all in one spot. There’s plenty of food, beer, and music available to make that happen, along with good security for when the party gets a little out of hand. When the live music kicks in at 8pm, the place gets loud. With the music blaring and the crowd singing along or shouting from table to table, and the smell of so many different cuisines mixing in the air, Baan Khun Por is a feast for the senses, and a hell of a good time.

VISIT Baan Khun Por: The market opens nightly at 5pm and closes at 11pm. HX64+578, Hua Hin 88/1 Alley, Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan (map) 

About the author: John McMahon is a painter and writer who has spent the last twenty years traveling and working in Asia. His work can be seen on platforms and publications all across the English-speaking world. Links to all his work can be found at mcmahonwrites.com.