The Hidden Gems of Thailand’s Phang Nga Province

Phang Nga is a province in southern Thailand that is best known for the spectacular limestone karst scenery of Phang Nga Bay, and the sunset views from the beach resorts of Khao Lak, a tourist town on the Andaman Sea which is popular with European travellers seeking a quieter alternative to Phuket.

For many visitors, a boat trip to James Bond Island and the ‘floating’ Muslim fishing village of Koh Panyee in Phang Nga Bay, or the highway trip between Phuket airport and Khao Lak, is all they see of the province. But there’s much more to Phang Nga than just these destinations, especially for older travellers who like to do things at a slower pace.

Phang Nga province is a nature destination. There are four national parks in Phang Nga, and it borders one Thailand’s best national parks – the Khao Sok National Park in adjacent Surat Thani province. Khao Sok is easily accessible from Phang Nga and contains southern Thailand’s oldest virgin rainforest.

Within Phang Nga there are waterfalls and nature walks, hot springs and deserted beaches. There are many excellent resorts and rural accommodation options throughout the province offering spa services, yoga and meditation. Whereas people might go to Phuket to party, Phang Nga is where they go to chill out and enjoy sunset dinners at much cheaper prices on near-deserted beaches.

A cheap sunset dinner on Natai Beach in Phang Nga province.

The province is easy to access. Just 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport, the Sarasin Bridge is the main gateway to Phang Nga for most visitors. The bridge joins Phuket Island to the mainland, and there is good road access from Krabi and Surat Thani, the two provinces to the east, as well.

Phang Nga Bay

Many of the 40 million tourists who visit Phuket every year make day trips into Phang Nga to view the spectacular scenery from the Beyond Skywalk at Nangshi or take a boat trip to the islands in Phang Nga Bay. The scenic area of Phang Nga Bay is as big as Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay but it doesn’t offer overnight stays on cruise boats as Ha Long Bay does.

That’s because Phang Nga Bay is much closer to Phuket than Ha Long Bay is to Hanoi, so it’s unlikely there would be the same demand for overnight stays on the water. However, many people do stay on Ko Yao Yai or Ko Yai Noi – the two large islands in the middle of Phang Nga Bay.

The Beyond Skywalk overlooking Phang Nga Bay.

There are many islands in the bay that can be visited on day trips, with James Bond Island, Panyee Island and Hong Island being the most popular. These can be visited either on small group island-hopping tours from Phuket (with van transfers included) or independent travellers with their own transport can arrange private tours from the many piers on the estuaries around the northern reaches of the bay. Surakul Pier and Ngop-Ko Tapu Pier are the most popular but the pier at Sam Chong on the Bang Lam estuary is a good alternative because it’s closer to Phuket and usually less busy.

The real name of James Bond Island is Ko Tapu. It was featured in the film ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ which was released way back in 1974, but 50 years on it still attracts thousands of tourists every day. It can get very crowded from about 10am onwards, so getting there early is a good move.

Panyee Island (or Ko Panyi) is not actually floating as many of the tourist brochures claim. It has a floating football field and floating pontoons to accommodate the tourist boats, but the rest of the fishing village is built on wooden piles that have been driven into the seabed. Although very touristy (the inhabitants make more money from selling souvenirs than they do from fishing these days) it is still worth visiting to see how the inhabitants live in this unique location.

Colourful tourist boats moored at Panyee Island.

Hong Island (Ko Hong) is a popular spot for those wishing to kayak the waters of Phang Nga Bay. Around Ko Hong and the nearby islands there are hidden lagoons and pristine beaches with limestone caves to explore. For older travellers who may not have the strength or inclination to kayak on the ocean, experienced paddlers can be hired to do the hard work.

Many group tours to Phang Nga Bay include the cost of these paddlers (who will also act as your guide) in their tour price, and participants will only have to pay for a tip. So, if going on an organised tour, be sure to check in advance what is included. Some tours offer fishing and snorkelling as well, so be sure to choose a tour that suits your personal interests.

There is a marine national park fee to be paid when visiting the islands of Phang Nga Bay because it is listed as a protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) where it is known as the Ao Phang Nga National Park.

Sightseeing by longtail boat on Phang Nga Bay.

For those not so keen on island hopping tours, seeing Phang Nga’s iconic scenery from one of the mainland viewpoints is well worth the effort. There are a number of free viewpoints, but they involve strenuous climbs and will not appeal to most older travellers. The easiest (but most expensive) is the Beyond Skywalk Nangshi which has an elevator to take visitors up to the glass-floored viewing platforms.

The entrance fee is 500 baht per adult, but 200 of that can be applied as a credit for food and drink purchases at the restaurant or cafes located behind the skywalk. The food is good (although service can be slow when busy) and you can easily spend several hours over a meal taking in the magnificent scenery.

There is also accommodation available at the skywalk for those keen to witness a sunrise over Phang Nga Bay (for sunsets you need to be on the Krabi side of Phang Nga Bay) but it is not cheap at around US$200 per night for a bamboo sea view tent and $280 for the main hotel. The Sametnangshe Boutique hotel next door has even more luxurious sea view rooms ranging from $280 to $400 per night.

Phang Nga Bay view from the Beyond Skywalk.

For those on a budget, the Ao Tho Li Viewpoint about two kilometres south of the Beyond Skywalk offers views of the bay that are almost as good for an entrance fee of only 50 baht. There are small chalets available for rent at 500 baht per night and tents for 200 baht for those who may wish to stay overnight, but the shared bathroom facilities are very basic.

The Beaches

Whilst Phang Nga Bay is considered to be the province’s primary attraction, the beaches along the Andaman Sea coast come a close second. They are as good as any beaches in Phuket, but much less developed. The only area of development that feels at all touristy is Khao Lak.

Khao Lak is a 45 mins drive north of the Sarasin Bridge. It’s on a good four-lane divided highway and is a fairly scenic drive. Khao Lak’s beaches begin just south of the headland which forms part of the Khao Lak – Lam Ru National Park but the main tourist area is on the northern side of the headland with beaches stretching north as far as the eye can see.

The highway north is a good road carrying light traffic.

For independent travellers with their own transport, there are many beaches along the coast that are worth visiting even before you reach Khao Lak. Bang Khwan Beach is the first, five minutes north of the Sarasin Bridge. It’s a deserted beach as there’s nothing there except an abandoned resort construction project. However, do not follow Google Maps directions to the beach because the road is blocked by the fence to the abandoned resort. Instead, take the road to the Sasabhumi International Learning Center (SILC) and that will take you straight down to the middle of the beach.

Khao Pilai Beach is the next one up, around the small headland at the northern end of Bang Khwan Beach, and that one transitions into Natai Beach which stretches right up to the Bo Dan estuary near the Hotspring Beach Resort and Spa. About halfway along is the Natai Pier. The northern end of the beach, where the coastal road skirts right along the edge of the beach, is called North Natai Beach.

Public access to Natai Beach is limited because it is fronted by four- and five-star resorts and beachfront villas, but there are small parking areas at Natai Pier and at North Natai Beach.

About 10 mins further north is one of the best beaches along the Andaman Sea coast. It’s called Bor Dan (or Bo Dan) Beach and is completely undeveloped aside from a few wooden food shacks which open in the afternoon to cater for locals who go there to enjoy the sunsets.

Early morning on beautiful Bor Dan beach in March.

In the morning, the beach is usually deserted and is a great spot for an early morning swim or walk in the dry season. In the rainy season the ocean is often too rough for swimming (with dangerous undertows) but it is still a great beach for walking or jogging at any time of the year. There is plenty of shade available under trees that line the foreshore.

The next beach up is Tha Sai Beach and that is also often deserted. Tha Sai Beach is not so good for swimming though as it has a steeper grade into the water, but it does have lots of casuarina trees (she-oaks) along the foreshore, so there’s plenty of shade for those who just enjoy relaxing on the beach (bring your own beach chairs though because there’s no development here either, other than a temple, a small monastery, and a restaurant).

About 10km further on is Thai Mueang Beach. This is a reasonably good swimming beach but can be busy in the area immediately adjacent to the town of Thai Mueng. However, further up the coast towards the entrance to the Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueng National Park, there are plenty of spots where you can pull off the road and have the beach to yourself.

A rainy season sunset from Tha Sai Beach.

To access the beaches within the Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueng National Park, you’ll need to buy an entry ticket (100 baht for foreigners, 20 baht for Thais) at the entrance gate. From there there’s a 5km dead-straight road shaded by tall trees that runs parallel to the beach up to a park ranger station located next to an outdoor display of old tin dredging equipment.

Opposite the ranger station is one of the park’s best beaches for swimming (unless there’s a red flag on the beach). This point is as far north as you can go along the coast from Thai Mueng in conventional vehicles. It’s the start of the 6km long Khao Na Yak Golden Beach which stretches up to the Khao Na Yak headland.

During the dry season it’s possible to access Khao Na Yak by 4WD, but for those without 4WD vehicles, and during the rainy season, the only way to access Khao Na Yak (other than a 12km hike there and back along the beach) is to take a boat from the Ban Tha Din Daeng pier, about 10km off Highway 4 on the other side of the Hin Lat estuary. The cost of the boat is 1000 baht (return trip) and they can carry up to 8-10 people.

A deserted Khao Na Yak beach in the rainy season.

The trip across the estuary takes about 15 mins in a longtail boat and then it’s a 15 mins walk across mainly open grassland to Khao Na Yak. The trip is worthwhile because the Khao Na Yak Golden Beach is undoubtedly the most beautiful of the most deserted beaches along the province’s Andaman Sea coastline.

After Khao Na Yak, the beaches are interrupted by the Thap Lamu estuary where the piers for the boats to the Similan Islands are located. There’s a 4km-long stretch of beach on the mainland northwest of the Thap Lamu estuary but it’s only accessible from the sprawling Phang Nga Naval Base or the Kalima Resort at its northern end.

North of the Kalima Resort there’s a small beach called Poseidon Beach that can be accessed from the main road. There are several Thai restaurants and massage huts there. It’s a picturesque beach as there are large granite boulders protruding from the sand, but it’s not suitable for swimming at high tide.

The small and partly rocky Poseidon Beach.

Around the headland from Poseidon Beach is the start of the popular Khao Lak South Beach. There are five large 4-star resorts located along this good swimming beach and a small tourist village with restaurants, souvenir shops and massage places between the resorts and the main highway. There are a handful of Indian tailors in the village too – something that seems ubiquitous to most tourist destinations in southern Thailand.

On the northern side of Khao Lak South Beach is the rugged coastal headland of the Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park over which the main highway climbs in twists and turns before dropping down to the main Khao Lak beach and tourist strip.

The main beach is 12 km long from the national park headland in the south to Cape Pakarang in the north with a gap in the middle where the Khuek Khak river enters the ocean. Along this strip different sections of the beach have been given different names such as Nang Thong Beach, Bang Niang Beach and Khuk Khak Beach, but the whole stretch is commonly known as Khao Lak Beach.

The golden sands of the main Khao Lak beach.

This is Phang Nga’s main tourist area but is nowhere near as busy as the western beaches of Phuket Island, and many visitors come to Khao Lak to enjoy a Phuket-like environment but without the crowds, traffic and noisy bars. It’s a quieter alternative to Phuket but still has a wide range of accommodation options, and a good selection of restaurants.

North of Cape Pakarang there are two more stretches of beaches that are generally regarded as still being in Khao Lak. The first is the stretch between Coconut Beach and Ban Tap Tawan Beach which includes White Beach, Pak Weep Beach and Bang Sak Beach.

Along this stretch there are still many resorts, but not so many eating places outside of the resorts (but do check out the Garang Cafe at Bang Sak Beach which serves excellent coffee and artisan ice-cream).

The colourful and stylish Garang Café at Bang Sak Beach.

The next stretch runs from Ban Tap Tawan Beach up to the Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Park which includes Bang Lut Beach and Phantom Nga Beach. This stretch only has a couple of resorts and few other facilities, so most of the beaches here are fairly deserted.

After Ban Nam Khem, most of the coastline is mangrove country, with only the western coasts of Ko Kho Khao, Ko Phra Thong and Ko Ra with any beaches. Those beaches are the least visited and most deserted of all the beaches along the Andaman Sea coast of Phang Nga. They are not easy to reach, so will only appeal to the most adventurous travellers.

The easiest to reach are the two western beaches of Ko Kho Khao as there is a regular vehicle ferry from Baan Nam Kem Pier, and from there good roads right up to the north of the island. However, there is not much to see or do on Ko Kho Khao, and only a handful of beach resorts which are only open during the dry season.

The car ferry to Ko Koh Khao loading on a rainy day.

Ko Koh Khao is not a scenic island and therefore only suits those looking for an uncrowded beach and are happy to stay in an isolated beach resort where there are no other eating or drinking options around. It’s not suitable for cycling because of the wild buffalo in the interior of the island.

Ko Phra Thong is less accessible because there is no vehicle ferry, only longtail boats from Greenview Pier at Khura Buri on the mainland, which services the northern end of Ko Phra Thong, or Ban Muang Mai Pier on Ko Koh Khao which services the southern end.

Aside from its long unspoilt golden beaches on its western shore, Ko Phra Thong is known for its savannah grasslands across its interior which turn a golden colour at the end of the dry season around April. The grasslands are home to sambar deer and monitor lizards.

The author enjoys the solitude of a deserted beach on Ko Koh Khao.

There are only a few small eco-resorts on Ko Phra Thong and again they are only open during the dry season. From the northern end of Ko Phra Thong, it’s only 200 metres across a swiftly flowing channel to Ko Ra.

However, Ko Ra sees few tourists because there is only one small and very basic eco-lodge and no other facilities on the island. During the dry season there are guided jungle treks available from the eco-lodge, but it’s not an island that can be hiked on your own. It is home to dangerous wild white boar, king cobras, and reputedly has the largest Burmese pythons on the planet.

Most other visitors travel to the island on day trips on chartered boat tours to either explore its deserted beaches or snorkel in its pristine waters.

North of Ko Ra there are a few small beaches before the northern border of Phang Nga province with Ranong province, the most notable of which is Ao Khoei Beach. These are so far north that you’ll rarely find anyone on them but will appeal to those who like to get off the beaten track.

The Waterfalls

As far as back-to-nature experiences are concerned, nothing beats the exhilaration of sitting under a roaring waterfall on a hot day in a tropical rainforest. Phang Nga offers many such experiences, and most of the province’s waterfalls are easily accessible.

Many of the waterfalls start drying up in early January and may only have a trickle of water during the hot months of March and April, so they are best enjoyed during the rainy season.

The nature walk to the Ton Prai waterfall is a rocky trail.

There are about a dozen waterfalls within the province that are worth visiting. For those staying in the southern part of Phang Nga, the Ton Prai waterfall is undoubtedly the best, but it involves a 600m hike from the car parking area along an up-and-down nature trail that includes some fairly rough terrain, so won’t suit those who aren’t steady on their feet.

As it’s a little more difficult to reach compared to some of the others, if you go on a weekday there’s a good chance you’ll be the only visitors at the waterfall. There’s a large swimming hole at the base of the waterfall, and a shallower area for cooling off downstream.

For those who may find the hike to Ton Prai too strenuous, the nearby Lampi waterfall is an alternative. It’s not as big or picturesque as Ton Prai but it is still quite impressive and is only a short level walk from the car parking area.

The first level of Ton Chong Fa is known as Ton Maliton.

If you’re staying around Khao Lak then the Ton Chong Fa waterfall is a must visit. It’s an interesting one to experience because there are four levels. Although the first level of the waterfall is about a kilometre from the car parking area, it’s an easier walk than to Ton Prai because most of the trail is along a wide forestry dirt road.

It's then another 150m to the second level along a nature trail similar to that at Ton Prai. Those who are reasonably fit shouldn’t have much difficulty getting to the second level, but the track to the third level 50m further on is much steeper, and the fourth level involves another 100m of climbing.

This travel blog has a detailed guide to climbing Ton Chong Fa.

The Temples

Phang Nga is in the transition zone between the dominant Buddhist regions of Thailand and the Muslim provinces of the south, so there are not as many spectacular temples to visit in the province compared to those in the central and northern regions of Thailand.

The large reclining buddha in the Suwon Khuha Temple cave.

However, one that is easy to reach and worth a short visit is the Suwon Khuha Temple just off Highway 4 to the southeast of Phang Nga town. It features a large golden reclining buddha statue in a limestone cave, and you can climb right into the interior of the cave to see large stalactites and stalagmites.

Another unusual temple is the Tham Ta Pan Temple right in Phang Nga town. The temple grounds are fairly run down but it’s worth visiting because it has two sections called ‘Heaven’ and ‘Hell’. The entrance to Hell is through the mouth of a large serpent and a tunnel through its belly where there are bats (real) on the ceiling.

The Hell section is not for the faint-hearted because it depicts some gory scenes. Admission is free, but you can make a small donation one of the monks looking after the temple. There is also a long cave at the back of the temple through which you can walk to a small shrine.

Wat Thetthumnawa at Tha Sai Beach has ornate wooden carvings.

If you are in the Khok Kloi or Thai Mueng areas, then Wat Thetthumnawa (also known as Wat Thetharamnawa or Wat Tha Sai) on Tha Sai Beach is worth a visit. It’s only a small temple but it’s very ornate and built entirely out of wood. The main buddha statues are carved from white jade.

There are also some Taoist shrines around the province that are generally more colourful than the Buddhist temples which are predominantly gold and red. There are two in Khok Kloi that are easily accessible, one off the road to the Khao Khok Kloi Temple Waterfall and one right in town on Soi Tessabal 1.

Other Attractions

There are no theme parks, cultural shows, or other tourist attractions in Phang Nga of the scale that exist in neighbouring Phuket, but that’s the appeal of Phang Nga for older travellers. It’s a laidback province where things happen at a slower pace.

The roads are good throughout the province and those off the main highways carry only light traffic making it easy to explore the villages and nature spots in its rural areas. For that reason, the province is popular with cyclists who enjoy the quiet roads that wind through the many palm oil and rubber plantations.

Cooling off an elephant at the Khao Sok Elephant Conservation Centre.

Visiting an elephant sanctuary is usually a must-do activity for first-time visitors to Thailand, and there are many in Phang Nga province. Most of them treat their elephants humanely and do not allow riding which still happens at some of the elephant parks in Phuket.

However, it can still be difficult to tell which sanctuaries operate ethically. If the sanctuary doesn’t have a website outlining its ethical tourism practices and involvement in conservation efforts, and doesn’t limit visitor numbers, then it’s probably not operating ethically.

The Khao Sok Elephant Conservation Centre on the highway between Takua Pa and the Khao Sok National Park is one that we’ve checked out personally and seems to tick all the right boxes. Their visit fees are a little higher than other places, but that’s because they limit visitor numbers to avoid stressing the elephants with too many tourist visits in one day.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to make reservations in advance either by calling or emailing them in advance. Some travel agencies in Khao Lak can make reservations for you but beware of agencies that might try to divert you to other elephant parks because they offer higher agency commissions.

The soaking pools at the Rommanee Hot Springs.

A trip to the Khao Sok Elephant Conservation Centre can be easily combined with a visit to the nearby Rommanee Hot Springs. The turnoff to the hot springs is about a kilometre past the elephant sanctuary towards Khao Sok.

The Rommanee Hot Springs are not as picturesque as some of the hot springs around Krabi because the grounds are not well-maintained, but the upside is that there is rarely anyone there. There are two pools – at 40 degrees and 42 degrees – and a couple of smaller private pools that can be hired for an additional fee.

Another attraction well worth visiting in that part of the province is Little Amazon in Takua Pa. This features guided kayak rides through mangrove forest where you’ll see lot of the local bird life. You may also see a few snakes on the mangroves too. The guides do all the paddling, so it is not strenuous at all.

Tourists enjoying their kayak rides at Little Amazon.

There are many small music festivals held in different parts of the province, but mainly around Khao Lak. Look for banners along the major highways advertising the artists, dates and location. The festivals are held throughout the year.

When there are big Buddhist festivals such Songkran, Vesak, Loy Krathong, or the Vegetarian Festival in crowded Phuket, you can enjoy the same festivals in many of Phang Nga’s towns on a smaller scale but without the crowds.

For foodies, there’s an excellent Sunday morning market located about halfway between the towns of Khok Kloi and Takua Thung called the Long Lae Weekend Market. It’s about 2km off Highway 4. As well as a wide range of local foods which you can eat on tables at the market, there’s a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Local delicacies can be sampled at the Long Lae Weekend Market.

After enjoying a local breakfast and some fresh tropical fruit at the market, you can head inland for another kilometre or so and enjoy some excellent coffee in a lovely jungle setting at Manee Coffee, adjacent to the Bangnu Greenery Resort. It’s been there since 1960 so is well-signposted.

Another market with local foods and snacks that is popular with travellers staying around Khao Lak is the Sunday evening market held in Takua Pa Old Town. That’s more of a tourist market with handicrafts, clothes, and souvenirs, whereas you’ll rarely see any tourists at the Long Lae Weekend Market.

Takua Pa Old Town also has a few shops, boutique cafes and other eating places that make an evening visit worthwhile, but it’s much smaller than Phuket’s Old Town and the Sino-Portuguese buildings haven’t been maintained as well as those in Phuket. But Takua Pa Old Town is not crowded and that’s part of its appeal.

Students entertain at the Takua Pa Old Town Sunday market.

Phang Nga town itself is worth a short visit. There’s not a lot to see or do there aside from some caves and the Tham Ta Pan Temple, but it’s a picturesque town by virtue of its setting between huge limestone cliffs. The jungle-covered karsts are always green, given that Phang Nga town is one of the wettest provincial capitals in Thailand.

On the way to Phang Nga town, or when visiting one of viewpoints of Phang Nga Bay, it’s worth making a 10-15 mins detour to visit the Benyaran Museum in Ban Ti Tae. It’s not your typical museum but more a collection of memorabilia and antiques from the past 100 years or so.

Its ‘mission’ is to educate people about past trading relations with other countries, and through its collections of everyday items, learn about the traditions, culture, occupations and living conditions of the residents of southern Thailand over the past century.

The eclectic public toilets inside the Benyaran Museum.

The museum is large and is contained within 10 sheds. They are not airconditioned so they can be very hot in March and April. However, it’s a great spot to spend an hour or two during the rainy season but bring an umbrella for walking between the sheds. Their public toilets are probably the most spacious and artistically decorated in the province, so a good place for a toilet stop too!

Where to Stay

Most visitors to Phang Nga base themselves around the Khao Lak beaches as that’s where most of the biggest resorts and hotels are located. But if you are not planning to spend most of your time on the beach, but instead want a base to explore the province’s nature spots, then staying at Natai Beach or around the town of Khok Kloi is a better option.

Khok Kloi is located in the southern part of the province where the highway from Phuket Island joins Highway 4 about halfway between Phang Nga town and Khao Lak. It’s just 30 mins north of Phuket International Airport and less than an hour’s drive from both Phuket’s northern beaches and all of Khao Lak’s beaches.

A quiet day at the Aleenta - one of Natai Beach’s five-star resorts.

The piers for boats to Phang Nga Bay and most of the beaches, waterfalls, temples and other attractions mentioned in this article are within 25-45 mins driving time of Khok Kloi, so it’s an ideal base for those who want to see more than just Khao Lak.

There are several 5-star hotels (the Aleenta and the Baba Beach Club) and about half a dozen 4-star hotels (the best of which are the Santhiya, Natai Resort, and the Hot Spring Resort & Spa) along Khok Kloi’s nearby Natai Beach, and a wide range of 2- and 3-star budget hotel accommodation around the town.

There are also many Airbnb accommodation options around Natai Beach and Khok Kloi town ranging from luxury 5-bedroom beachfront villas at $2000 per night down to comfortable guesthouses like the Natai Garden Retreat five minutes back from the beach for only $60 per night.

Comfortable budget accommodation at the Natai Garden Retreat.

Khok Kloi has some excellent Thai restaurants (with menus priced at half those in Phuket or Khao Lak) but not so many western restaurants. However, there is a good selection of western restaurants at Mai Khao Beach which is only 10 minutes from the Sarasin Bridge on the Phuket side.

To fully enjoy Phang Nga’s many nature spots, and using Khok Kloi as a base, you’ll need to hire a car from Phuket International Airport. Alternatively, for those who prefer to explore on a motorbike or scooter, they can be rented from Benny Motorbike Rental next to the APA-TREE Boutique Hotel on Soi Tessaban 3 in Khok Kloi.