Sporting LifeTWO ANNUAL EVENTS TO ATTEND AND PLAN FOR

Sporting Life

TWO ANNUAL EVENTS TO ATTEND AND PLAN FOR

As Hua Hin has continued to grow, annual events grow with them, and two that have been running for several years are highlighted this week. Coming very soon is the 14th Hua Hin World Cup, taking place on the 13th and 14th December, while announced last week was the date for a more recent addition, first run in 2018, the Hua Hin Marathon for 2026, which is scheduled for 10th May 2026. Both events attract more competitors and supporters every year, with registration still open for the football, and for the marathon it opened this week.

Viking Club Hua Hin, and more specifically, Thomas Andersson and Anders Hagstedt, are the men behind the Hua Hin World Cup, which began in 2013, and which saw 20 teams and over 250 players, fans and families involved last year; this year there will be 24 teams and more than 330 players competing, in a new location and a new competition format. The fun starts at 9am on Saturday 13th December at the Arena sports complex on their new Arena Hua Hin Soccer Pitch Branch 2 location (click for Google Map), purpose built this year. The competiton continues through to a final on Sunday 14th December, with an after-party with dinner and a prize ceremony in the evening. The main sponsors of the event this year are property agents Kahouze, with numerous other sponsors including Surf Radio, the leading local English language radio station, marking this now as a major annual event.

Meanwhile the Hua Hin Marathon also goes from strength to strength, with thousands of local and overseas runners expected in 2026; registration opened on Monday, 1st December for the race(s) that take place on 10 May 2026 (Register here or via the Facebook page), with the all races starting and finishing at Khao Krailart Temple in Nong Kae. The marathon features four distances: a full marathon (42.195 km), half marathon (21 km), mini marathon (10.5 km), and a 5 km fun run, which is non-competitive and aimed at participants of all fitness levels. Organised by Preserve Hua Hin under the royal patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, all proceeds will support environmental activities in Hua Hin, including the long-term conservation of the 7-acre mangrove ecosystem near Khao Krilart Temple and environmental education initiatives.

The main race route (shown above) follows scenic routes through the city, including sections with coastal views. One of the aims of the whole event is to support health-focused tourism and promote Hua Hin to international visitors while helping stimulate the local economy. Below are the entry fees for those who plan to enter:

  • Marathon: 1,150 THB early bird / 1,200 THB regular
  • Half Marathon: 850 THB early bird / 900 THB regular
  • Mini Marathon: 650 THB early bird / 700 THB regular
  • Fun Run: 450 THB early bird / 500 THB regular

All registered runners will receive a race T-shirt, bib and RFID timing chip, medal, refreshments along the course, and accident insurance coverage. Marathon finishers (42.195 km) will also receive a finisher T-shirt. Trophies will be awarded to the overall winners and the top five runners in each age group.

Both of these events, along with the variety of other events, activities, live music, etc, help to dispel the myth that Hua Hin is a boring, slow place where only old people go, that many YouTube vloggers try to portray; on the contrary, Hua Hin can be whatever you want it to be to suit your tastes, and is a fantastic place for both domestic and foreign tourists, the perfect location for retirees, families, digital nomads, young, old, young at heart and any other age or preference you can think of. There are very few activities that you can’t access in Hua Hin, and for those that are not available, Bangkok is only two or three hours away.

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