Southern Thailand
From Wikitravel
Contents
Southern Thailand includes many of Thailand's most famous resorts on both the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, and the east-facing Gulf of Thailand coast south of Chumphon.
[edit] Provinces
- Chumphon
- Krabi
- Nakhon Si Thammarat
- Narathiwat
- Pattani
- Phang Nga
- Phatthalung
- Phuket
- Ranong
- Satun
- Songkhla
- Surat Thani
- Trang
- Yala
[edit] Cities
- Chumphon
- Hat Yai - the largest city in the south
- Krabi
- Nakhon Si Thammarat
- Narathiwat
- Pattani
- Phang Nga
- Phatthalung
- Ranong - border town with Kawthoung, Myanmar
- Satun
- Songkhla
- Surat Thani
- Trang
- Yala
[edit] Islands
- Ko Chang (not to be confused with the more famous Ko Chang in Trat Province) - small and peaceful island near Ranong
- Ko Lanta
- Ko Lipe- set in the middle of 52 uninhabited islands with Thailand's best Dive sites and beaches.
- Ko Nang Yuan - group of three tiny inter-connected islands near Ko Tao Surat Thani Province
- Ko Ngai - small, quiet island, home to some amazing reefs for snorkeling and diving
- Ko Pha Ngan - home to the infamous Full Moon Party Surat Thani Province
- Ko Phayam
- Ko Phi Phi - devastatingly beautiful setting for "The Beach", starring Leonardo DiCaprio
- Ko Rawi
- Ko Samui - quickly moving upmarket Coconut&Paradise's island Surat Thani Province
- Ko Siboya - rural Thailand
- Ang Thong National Marine Park is a fascinating archipelago of 60 or so islands to the north west of Ko Samui, Surat Thani Province
- Ko Tao - one of the best places in Thailand for diving Surat Thani Province
- Similan Islands - national park with spectacular views over and under water
- Tarutao National Park - includes Ko Adang and Ko Tarutao and 49 other islands
[edit] Beaches
- Ao Nang - Krabi's top destination
- Khao Lak
- Rai Leh - a peninsula with a stunning beach and no motor vehicles
- Chaweng an excellent white beach on Ko Samui
[edit] Understand
Parts of the west coast of Thailand were hit hard by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, but all infrastructure has long since been repaired and it takes a careful eye to spot any remaining damage.
[edit] Talk
[edit] Get in
[edit] By Boat
It is possible now to travel by ferries in hi season(Nov-May) from Phuket and island hop your way down the cost all the way to Indonesia.
This can now be done without ever touching the mainland, Phuket (Thailand) to Padang (Indonesia).
Islands on rout:
- Ko Phi Phi
- Ko Lanta
- Ko Ngai
- Ko Mook
- Ko Bulon
- ko Lipe-Koh lipe being the hub on the boarder between Thailand and Malaysia having a Thai immigration office.
- Langkwai- Malaysian immigration here.
- Penang
Note:Thai portion can be done in a day.
[edit] Get around
[edit][add listing] See
[edit][add listing] Do
[edit] Diving
The reefs around Ko Lipe are largely intact; As they have been protected by being within Thailand's oldest National marine Parks.
- Castaway Divers, (Sunrise Beach), ☎ +66 (0) 811 707 605 (lipe-divers@castaway-resorts.com), [1]. edit
[edit][add listing] Eat
[edit][add listing] Drink
[edit] Stay safe
In 2004, long-simmering resentment in the southern-most Muslim-majority provinces burst into violence in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces. All are off the beaten tourist trail, although the eastern rail line from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok (gateway to Malaysia's east coast) passes through the area and has been disrupted several times by attacks.
Hat Yai (Thailand's largest city after Bangkok and its Nonthaburi suburbs) in Songkhla has also been hit by a series of related bombings, however the main cross-border rail line connecting Hat Yai and Butterworth (on the west coast) has not been affected, and none of the islands or the west coast beaches have been targeted.
In September 2006, three foreigners were killed in bombings in Hat Yai. Some rebel groups have threatened foreigners, but while targets have included hotels, karaoke lounges and shopping malls, westerners have not been singled out for attacks.
[edit] Get out
- East Coast Malaysia - to Kedah, Perak, or Perlis
- Myanmar - to Tanintharyi Division, via Ranong and Kawthoung
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