Phang nga Travel and information Guide

Phang-Nga is a primarily agricultural province in the south of Thailand. The chief cash crop is rubber, and rubber plantations cover a considerable area, especially noticeable along the roads. Aside from that, however, large areas are also given to food crops; considerable amounts of rice, vegetables and fruits are produced in Phang-Nga. The Phang-Nga province has and area of 4,170 sq. kms., a large part of which is forest.

Boundaries

The North Phang-Nga adjourns Ranong Province and Surat Thani Province.
The South Phang-Nga adjourns Phuket Province and the Andaman Sea.
The East Phang-Nga, Surat Thani Province and Krabi Province.
The West Phang-Nga adjourns the Andaman Sea.

Getting there and around

By plane
There is no airport here. The closest ones are in Phuket or Krabi.

By bus
Buses from Phuket, Takua Pa and Krabi pass through Phang-Nga. During daytime there are many buses from the bus station to Phuket, Krabi, Takua Pa and Surat Thani. In the evening however there are hardly buses but if you´re lucky you might catch a bus on the Phuket-Krabi road. (4 km from the city) .

From Bangkok, take Route 4, passing Prachuab Khirikan, Chumpon, and Ranong. Total distance is 788 kms. and travel time to Phang-Nga Town is approximately 12 hours.

From Phuket, use route 402, pass the parallel spans of Sarasin and Thao Thep Krasatri Bridges. You are now in Phang-Nga province. To go on to the provincial capital, go north to the town of Kok Kloy. Turn right , and follow Route 4 to Phang-Nga Town. You will pass Takua Thung along the way and cover a distance of 87 kms. Travel time is about 90 minutes

Sights and Scenes

You can use the sonthaews for travel in the city. If you want to explore the area, it is better to rent a motorbike. You can rent a motorbike at M.T. Tour (Muang Thong hotel, from the bus station; go to the exit, turn right at the main road, walk 100 meters and it´s at your left side). If you have an own car or a motorbike already you still can go to MT Tour (tel. 089 289 25 66) to get your detailed map of the area for free ! In general, everything (tours, accommodation, food) in Phang Nga is cheap, especially compared with Phuket. It´s not possible to rent a car in Phang Nga. But in Khao Lak , Krabi or Phuket you can rent a car

Activities

Phang-Nga bay is one of the most beautiful bays of the world. So it´s not a surprise that many people visit the Ao Phang Nga bay. The best way to explore Phang Nga bay is by long tail motor boats or sea canoes.
Sea canoing in Phang Nga BayTour operators organize many different tours and most of them follow the standard route around the bay passing weird rock formations, limestone outcrops, hidden lakes, tiny beaches and caves. Tours usually go to Khao Ping Gan (Leaning Rock) which was featured in the James Bond Movie, The Man With the Golden Gun, as Scaramanga´s hideaway. Koh Tapu in front of the James Bond Island is a popular rock. It is often used as a symbol of Phang Nga. Beware that on "the James Bond Island," the beach is littered with trinket vendors trying to sell you something and the experience of seeing the island may be somewhat disappointing and diluted.

The Phang Nga bay tour also takes you to, Ko Panyi, a village built on stilts. The mosque and the graveyard are the only places which are built on ground. It´s a tourist trap during the day as many tours also stop here. Some tours will give you the option to stay overnight, which is preferable to really experience the village as the tourist trap disappears in the evening. If you go inwards you can see more of the village and eat at local stalls. There are specially in the morning and late afternoon many boats to and out of the island. In Ko Panyi there are now many people living and working from outside. It is not authentic any more. Many of those people come from the poor Isaan region. (This region is by the way seen by many Thais as the supplier of prostitutes, pimps, thieves and other unwanted elements in society) If you want to see a real fishing village go to Ko Ma Paay. Just like other parts of South-Thailand, the inhabitants of Ko Panyi are of Malay descendant.

You can make the Phang-Nga bay tour with Sayan (in the bus station) or MT Tour (in the Muang Thong hotel, 100 meters from the bus station). If you arrive at the bus station there is the usual harassment. But take your time time and don´t believe everything the people tell you there because they want to force or lure you to their tour operator or hotel. So do not immediately buy a ticket when you get out of the bus. Talk with the different tour operators and see what´s the best for you. Usually there are a couple of different trips available every day. Half day tours, full day tours and tours with a night in Koh Panyi. There are also trips with sea canoing. Tours booked from Krabi or Phuket are shorter and are more expensive

Phang Nga has also a beautiful landscape with many waterfalls, mountains, islands, rivers and hot springs. You can get a good map at M.T. Tour and visit the various attractions. Phang Nga has also special temples, each one with different characteristics. Some temples are on top or inside a mountain. Attractions near the city are: The elephant mountain (temple), Sanong Manora waterfall, Dragon cave, Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park. Further away are: Namtok Lamru a 5-tiered waterfall, Khao Lak (beach), Ko Similan National Park (diving & snorkelling), Ko Surin National Park (diving & snorkelling). There are also jungle tours with rafting and temple tours.

Where to buy

Phang Nga city is not a mass tourist destination. There are many banks and ATM´s in the city. But there are no exchange boots. So if you have cash change it before 15.30 on weekdays

Dining

During daytime you can get cheap and delicious meals at the market or at the restaurant in the Muang Thong hotel. In this hotel it´s also possible to have a breakfast (eggs, toast, butter & jam). There is also a vegetarian restaurant on the main road if you walk south from the bus station. At night it is worth to try the restaurants at the riverside. Tuesdays and Thursdays there is also a night market 500 m south of the bus station (on the main road. Many guidebooks recommend Duang as a good place to eat. However as a tourist you pay more than Thais. And Malaysians have to pay even more than other tourists.