🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you drive south from Bangkok, Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the first provinces where you catch the sea air. Hua Hin sits at the top of the province and is the seaside town with the most food and the most variety. The town of Prachuap itself, further south, is quieter, but the seafood is fresh and prices run cheaper. This guide is split into three parts to give you the full picture: seafood, mackerel and dried seafood, and pineapple souvenirs.
Bayside seafood — where locals go
Seafood is the heart of eating around here. Fishing boats come in during the morning, so everything is fresh — prawns, shellfish, crab, squid, right up to big fish. The places locals favour usually aren't fancy, but the catch is fresh and the price is fair. We've picked spots by the actual neighbourhoods they're in.
Rab Lom — on Prachuap Bay
A seaside spot in Prachuap town with a good breeze and easy seating, and one people often recommend when you come into town. The dishes everyone orders are stir-fried sea snail with chilli, sun-dried squid, and spicy blood cockle salad.
Kon Kin Pla — Khlong Wan
A local fish restaurant in the Khlong Wan area, south of Prachuap town, known for fresh fish and simple home-style cooking. It's the place locals mention when they want straightforward sea fish that isn't over-seasoned.
Krua Chom Whale — Kui Buri
A seaside spot in the Kui Buri area, between Hua Hin and Prachuap town, with a setting right on the water. Favourites are tamarind-fried fish and stir-fried seafood — a good stop on the way south.
Chao Lay Seafood — Hua Hin
A long-running, well-known seafood spot in Hua Hin. A common order is grilled scallops with garlic butter, and the catch is fresh with an easy-to-walk location in central Hua Hin.
Sopha Seafood — Hua Hin
A Hua Hin seafood spot that buys from local fishermen, so the stock changes daily with whatever the boats bring in. Better suited to people who want the fresh daily catch rather than a fixed menu.
Krua Je Maew — Pak Nam Pran
A spot in the Pak Nam Pran area (Pran Buri) that reviewers praise for bold, well-seasoned flavours. The standout is sour curry with fish roe, and travellers on the Pran Buri side stop here often.
Hua Hin Fishing Pier — fresh seafood
Not a single restaurant but the fishing-pier area in Hua Hin itself. In the morning fresh seafood comes off the boats; you can take in the sea view and buy fresh catch, and a few spots grill it for you on the spot.
Hua Hin Night Market — grilled seafood
A night market on Dechanuchit Road, roughly 300 metres long, open from evening into the small hours. The grilled-seafood section has several stalls in a row at fair prices — ideal for a dinner where you walk and graze, ordering one thing at a time.
Tips for ordering seafood
Most beachfront places price fresh seafood by weight. Before you order, ask the price per kilo and ask to see the actual catch — it saves confusion when the bill comes. Crab and tiger prawns are usually the priciest, while squid and shellfish tend to be better value.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Prachuap Khiri Khan food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Prachuap Bay mackerel and dried seafood
Prachuap Bay is a mackerel ground locals take pride in. People around here say the bay's mackerel isn't big but is full of fat with firm flesh, and it's good steamed or fried. Beyond fresh mackerel, dried and preserved seafood is both a dish and a souvenir you'll find across the province.
- Steamed / fried mackerel — found at fresh markets across Prachuap town and Hua Hin. Eaten with shrimp-paste chilli dip, it's a home-style meal you never tire of.
- Sun-dried squid — a Gulf coast specialty; fry it and it turns sweet and springy. Buy it raw to fry at home, or order it at a restaurant.
- Local shrimp paste & fish sauce — around Khlong Wan and Bang Saphan they make their own shrimp paste, richer than the supermarket kind, a good souvenir for anyone who cooks.
- Dried shrimp / salted fish — sold at Chatchai Market in Hua Hin and the Prachuap fresh market. Pick a stall with a queue so the stock keeps turning over and stays fresh.
If you want to see real fishing-town life, Chatchai Market in Hua Hin is a morning market that's been part of the town for over 80 years, with fresh seafood every day. Hua Hin locals do their shopping here, and there are old-school coffee shops like Jek Pia for a traditional breakfast.
Sweet pineapple — the local souvenir
Prachuap Khiri Khan grows pineapple across the whole province; along Phetkasem Road through Prachuap you'll see pineapple fields stretching out on both sides. The pineapple here is firm and juicy-sweet — eaten fresh and also processed into souvenirs.
Fresh pineapple
Sold at roadside stalls and fresh markets. Pick a fruit that feels heavy, with big eyes and a good smell — far cheaper than buying it in Bangkok.
Pineapple jam / dried pineapple
A popular souvenir that keeps well and travels easily. Find it at souvenir shops in town and at roadside rest stops.
Pineapple dishes
Many seafood spots cook with pineapple — like fried sea bass with pineapple sauce, the sweet-sour cutting through anything rich.
Fresh pineapple juice
Markets and cafes press it fresh. Refreshing on a hot day and only a few baht.
Other bites you shouldn't miss
- Hai Piang (Hua Hin) — an old Chinese restaurant in Hua Hin going back more than 60 years, with home-style Chinese dishes that longtime Hua Hin locals know well.
- Hua Hin cafes — Hua Hin has plenty of cafes, both beachfront and in town, good for an afternoon break between meals.
- Steamed rice-skin dumplings & Thai sweets at Chatchai Market — a Thai breakfast Hua Hin locals actually eat. Go early while the selection is still full.
Plan a full eat-and-explore trip through Prachuap and Hua Hin
See the Prachuap Khiri Khan guide →