We often think that trips to the jungle in Thailand must be in the north and trips to the sea must be in the south. Our recent trip to Trang, however, made us realise that southern Thailand has more to offer than merely the sea. In and around Trang Town we discovered various species of flora, scenic viewpoints, and lush forests. We also enjoyed popular local dishes such as dim sum and roasted pork, shopping at night markets, and taking tons of photos at various natural attractions, traditional buildings, and art-filled streets.
We started this 3-day and 2-night trip in Trang Town and went directly to Ka Chong Hill, a year-round attraction consisting of accommodation, restaurants, and cafés. The coffee here is located on Ban That Range and it has been the legend of coffee for more than 100 years about its plantation surrounded by the picturesque views.
Opening Time : Daily from 08:00 A.M. - 08:00 P.M.
Tel. : 075-573-513
Next, we stopped to fill up our stomachs at Talad Na Pod, a market with tons of local food, fresh vegetables, and tropical fruits – do not miss it! There are many local and OTOP products, which are guaranteed as Trang’s best quality products.
Opening Time : Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday 03:00 P.M. - 09:00 P.M.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10:00 A.M. - 09:00 P.M.
Tel. : 075-573-143
After that, we stopped at KUANITO Patisserie. This pastry and cake shop is decorated in a modern style and is a perfect place to check-in when you just arrive or are about to leave Trang because its location is close downtown and the airport. There are plenty of pastries and cakes for you to choose from. A must-try sweet is the thin crepe served with rich cream cheese which never disappointed anyone, as well as the Suan Sanuk and Roll crepe with sweet egg floss.
Opening Time : 08:00 A.M. - 09:00 P.M.
Tel. : 085-882-0859
One of our main reasons for visiting Trang on this trip is to experience “Trang’s Cake and Roasted Pork Festival,” which showcases many shops that specialise in making Trang’s signature cakes and roasted pork – it has been held for more than 20 consecutive years! Trang’s cake has been known widely for ages, especially the one from Ban Lum Phu Ra where traditional “plain bake” cake without any cream is made with several flavours.
Opening Time : The schedule for this annual festival changes every year.
Dining on cake and roasted pork made us full, so we went to a night market called Talad Chin Ta for a post-meal walk. This market is situated in the centre of Muang Trang (Trang Town) and open daily from 05:00 PM onwards. Along this walking street, which covers more than 14 rai, you can find many types of activities and performances, homemade products, food and beverage shops, photo-taking spots, and some special events, such as antique car shows, antique shows, music festivals, and more.
Opening Time : 05:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.
The later at night, the quieter the city is, but there are still a couple of cool spots to chill. We recommend a bar named “Hidden Something - A Rooftop Bar & Bistro,” a secret bar that we never expected to exist in Trang. The bar is located on the fifth floor of a local hostel called Something Hostel. Although not very high, it’s still a good spot to savour drinks and snacks while viewing the silent night scenery of Trang.
Opening Time : Open daily from 06:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Tel. : 075-820-088, 091-043-4237
After the bar closes, it is time for bed. We checked in the 24-hour service reception counter of Rimnatee Resort. This resort is built in a modern style with many colourful rooms and all facilities and amenities. It is only seven kilometres away from the Clock Tower in the centre of downtown. Restaurants, fresh coffee, an outdoor swimming pool, café, Wi-Fi, parking area, meeting rooms, and more are provided in this resort.
Opening Time : Check-in Time : 02:00 P.M. Check-out Time : 11:00 P.M.
Tel. : 090-229-9981, 084-063-4952
The next day, we’re feeling a little lazy and want to go soak in the natural springs at the Salt Hot Spring Ban Khuan Sa. The hot spring water is salty like seawater and with a temperature between 38-40 degrees Celsius. It is open for both local people and tourists to have a foot and body soak. People believe that the hot water here can help stimulate blood circulation and cure skin irritations, knee pain, and numbness of the hands and feet.
Opening Time : 24/7
After enjoying a hot water soak, we took a bath and felt relaxed. Next, it’s time to find some fresh air to clean our lungs, so we head to the Canopy Walkway at Thung Khai Botanic Garden. Close to town, the gardens cover approximately 2,000 rai in the National Reserved Forest, Thung Khai. There are many nature trails depending on each visitor’s interest. A highlight of this botanic garden is the Canopy Walkway, which boasts different levels of towers connected with 175 metres of suspension bridges that are rise 18 metres high into the sky. This path is built as a nature trail for visitors to explore the forest’s biodiversity at different levels of height for a unique point of view.
Opening Time : Open daily from 08:00 A.M. - 04:00 P.M.
It was nearly 10:00 AM when we went to Phong-O-Cha 2, an old-style morning restaurant in Trang. Having dim sum in the morning is a common part of Trang people’s way of life and this restaurant has sold dim sum and the famous local roasted pork for more than 30 years. Now there are three branches with more than 40 types of dim sum and sweetened, slow-roasted pork, which is hard to stop eating once you start! You can also choose from rice soup with fish or pork, pork ribs with Chinese herbs, roti, and many other dishes here.
Opening Time : 03:00 P.M.-12:00 P.M.
Tel. : 075-217-789
Afterwards, we’re on the hunt for tasty tea at Cha Ko Jaeng. An indies tea shop where every single cup of tea is created carefully and intentionally to serve a piece of artwork to the customers who are really impressed by its mild taste. Here you can not only pure tea but also some unique blends, such as fruit tea, which is prepared by mixing some fresh fruits in the tea kettle to create slightly sweet, sour, and even berry, scents and tastes. The down-to-earth atmosphere of this shop also makes us feel unbelievably relaxed.
Opening Time : Only 1 hour a day from noon-01:00 P.M.
Tel. : 087-700-0134
Besides the blue of the sea and green of the forest, myriad colours of art can be found on Tanon Street Art in Trang. This street showcases how much this town appreciates the importance of art. Created by the Trang Rotary Club and displayed on the walls of the buildings in Tambon Tabtieng, the paintings reflect Trang’s identity with scenes of rubber plantations, the Emerald Cave, and more. The artwork was created to blend in with the surrounding atmosphere and is a perfect way to tell the province’s past, present, and future.
We enjoyed taking photos until it became a bit hot. Then we started looking for a specific coffee shop with a local special menu, Tabtieng Old Town Café & Bistro. This old-style coffee shop in Trang’s downtown is popular to take photos at with bare cement walls in background of the shop. Pictures hung on the wall also tell stories of the old days. Some astonishing snacks we have never seen for sale anywhere else are served with tea or coffee here, and they are absolutely a perfect match. Definitely try the cold brew coffee, Chinese cake, and O-Eh, a Phuket-style dessert that impressed us the most.
Opening Time : Tuesday-Sunday 11:00 A.M. - 09:00 P.M.
Tel. : 097-343-8595
We wanted to eat more because there are so many awesome food in Trang – we really want to check-in at every single shop. Next, we went to try southern-style curries at Kha Nom Jeen Khun Pum. This restaurant has been open for more than 60 years selling rice noodles smothered in hot and spicy in southern curry, including fish curry, yellow curry, and fish innards spicy curry. Less spicy dishes are also available, including green curry, rice noodles with peanut sauce, fried snacks, and steamed fish with curry paste. Everything is served with fresh herbs and vegetables.
Opening Time : Open daily 06:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Tel. : 075-211-143, 083-522-0996
After eating, we left downtown Trang to go check-in at a hotel in Kantang, a nice town on the Trang River that is also a cool cultural attraction. Anyone who plans to visit this town should stay overnight and the hotel we recommend is At Kantang Loftel, a loft-style hotel with warm welcome from service-minded hotel staff. The hotel’s decoration looks simple but stylish and boasts a very convenient location along with many facilities.
Our breakfast for final day was a grand spread at Ran Lor Kung, a Chinese restaurant serves a wide range of expertly prepared dishes. With an open kitchen, customers can see their orders being prepared full of fresh ingredients. The most “WOW” dish here is the fried flat rice noodles with super-sized prawns soaked in the restaurant’s secret recipe thick gravy along with sweet and crispy kale, crispy squid and crispy fish maw. The price is reasonable and one plate is more than enough for three people. It’s filling!
Opening Time : Open daily 10:00 A.M. - 08:30 P.M.
Tel. : 075-251-888, 089-588-1875
One of the must-visit places when in Kantang is the Kantang Railway Station thanks to its architecture that has been preserved because of its classic beauty. The building and its platform are decorated with unique perforated wood panels from the reign of King Rama VI. They are gorgeous and have been registered under the Fine Arts Department as one of the country’s great historical places. Painted in mustard yellow and lined in dark brown, the station is a terminal along the southern line of Andaman Coast, which was used to transport cargo between Trang and Singapore or Indonesia.
From Kantang, we took the train back to Trang Railway Station then experienced another signature activity of Trang, riding in a “Frog Head Tuk Tuk Riding.” This tuk tuk is unique to Trang and offers a classic way to see the city sights. We stopped at tourist points to take photos until our memory cards were full. No matter where you want to visit – ancient buildings, churches, Phraya Ratsada’s Park, Chuan’s House, or well-known restaurants – just tell the driver and off you go!
We ended the awesome trip with a rare view from the Emerald Mine. Fifty years ago, this area was used for mining but when concession ended, the land was deserted and the deep mine hole was filled with water to becomes a large emerald green pool. Besides the pool, there is a 100-metre-high cliff that offers astonishing views.
Opening time : Daily, at 08:00 A.M. - 16:00 P.M.
Our trip to Trang – even without making it to the sea – was filled with fun and happiness. We love Trang’s delicious dishes, beautiful tourist attractions that have been well-preserved by the local community, and the kindness and friendliness of people in this province. Our three days in Trang showed us how amazing a less-visited city can be. Try visiting Trang once and you will be in love with this lovely province forever!