PHANG-NGA
Location : Southern, Thailand
Area : 4,170.885 sq. km
Population : 245,394
Distance from Bangkok : 788 Kilometers
Transportation
Car
1) First route: From Bangkok, take Highway No. 4, passing the provinces of Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, and Ranong, then drive straight to Phang-nga town. It is 788 kilometres from Bangkok. The trip takes around 12 hours.
2) Second route: From Bangkok, take Highway No.4 to Chumphon, from there, take Higway No. 41 to Amphoe Tha Chang, then go straight to an intersection where a right turn is made to Highway No. 401, keep driving to Amphoe Ban Ta Khun for about 50 kilometres, and then take Highway No. 415 for 30 kilometres, take a right turn to Phang-nga town. Visitors travelling from Phuket should use Highway No. 402, passing Sarasin Bridge to Ban Khok Kloi, take a right turn to Amphoe Takua Thung. It is 87 kilometres from Phuket. The journey takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Bus
There are daily bus services from Bangkok to Phang-nga. Travelling time is 12 hours. For more information call the Southern Bus Terminal.
Internet : www.transport.co.th.
Rail
There is no direct train to Phang-nga. The State Railways of Thailand operates daily train services between Bangkok and Surat Thani. A trip to Phang-nga can be made by getting off at the Surat Thani Railway Station and then ride a bus for another two hours.
Internet : www.railway.co.th.
Air
There are no direct air to pang-nga , you should fly to phuket.
From Phuket, take a bus or rent a car to Phang-nga for about 58 kilometres.
Bkk - phuket
www.airasia.com
www.nokair.com
www.thaiair.com
www.fly12go.com
www.bangkokair.com
About pang-nga
Phang-nga is a province with two characters - land and sea - and packed with national parks that guard magnificent scenery with immensely different attractions.
Place attraction
Amphoe Mueang
Tham Lot
Tham Lot is a lofty limestone cave with a giant hollow whereby boats can pass through. In a hollow, there are numerous stalactite formations on its ceiling, beyond the hollow is a beautiful sight of the mangrove forest.
Khao Phing Kan
Named so because of its nature of being split into two halves. The smaller rock slid down, with its foundation stuck under the ground and the upper parts still leaning against each other. Behind the mountain is a superb scenery. Looking into the sea one finds Khao Tapu, a nail-shaped island, a solitary pillar in the sea. It is the most remarkable attraction of Ao Phang-nga National Park.
Amphoe Takua Pa
Hat Bang Sak
Situated in Tambon Bang Muang on Phetkasem Road, on the Thai Mueang - Takua Pa section, between Km.76-77 and going down a side road for another hundred metres. The beach of Bang Sak has clean white sand and stretches along a grove of shady pines. Accommodation and restaurant are available on the beach.
Khao Lak
Opposite Khao Lak lies a stony beach with rocks and boulders of all sizes strewn all over the beach.
Amphoe Khura Buri
Mu Ko Similan National Park
Similan is a Yawi or Malay word, which means nine or a group of nine islands. This is located in Tambon Ko Phra Thong, Amphoe Khura Buri, occupying an area of 32,000 acres. Similan is a small group of islands comprising nine islands stretching from north to south, respectively, namely: Ko Bon, Ko Bayu, Ko Similan, Ko Payu, Ko Miang (two adjoining islands), Ko Payan, Ko Payang, and Ko Huyong. The National Parks office is located on Ko Miang. Similan is highly praised for its beautiful scenery, both onshore and underwater. It is situated 70 kilometres from Phang-nga town. Best time to visit is between November and April.
Interesting attractions in the National Park include
Ko Ba-ngu
Ko Ba-ngu is the ninth island of the Similan group of islands. It has a strange feature. Looking from one point, the shape of a skull can be seen. Underwater is as beautiful as a valley full of coral reefs, deep gorge, and various sizes of fish.
Ko Huyong
Ko Huyong, the island offers the whitest and longest beach of all the nine islands. During turtles' egg laying season, from November to February, there would be tracks on the beach from turtles that come onshore to lay eggs, resembling centipede tracks.
Ko Miang
Ko Miang is the second largest island among 9 islands after Similan Island. It is where the office of the National Park is located. The island offers a scenic beach which is suitable for camping.
How to Get There
Thap Lamu Pier, located 70 kilometres north of Phang-nga at Amphoe Thai Mueang, is the nearest point to Similan. A boat trip takes around 3 hours. There is no regular boat service for travellers to the island. Boats leaving from Thap Lamu are suitable for group tours and the boat rentals range from 8,000-10,000 baht, depending on various factors. It is sometimes possible for individuals to hitch a ride or pay a reasonable fraction of the rental cost on a boat chartered by a group. A boat trip from Patong Beach, Phuket takes around four hours.
Mu Ko Surin National Park
Mu Ko Surin is an archipelago of 5 islands: Ko Surin Nuea, Ko Surin Tai, Ko Ri, Ko Khai, and Ko Klang. The archipelago is located in the Andaman Sea, near the Thai-Burmese sea border, to the west coast of Thailand. There are beautiful and unspoilt coral reefs; the area is suitable for snorkelling. The best time to visit is from November to April. Ko Surin Nuea has several bays. The most well-known bay is Ao Mae Yai, the largest bay that offers calm waters. To the southeast of Ko Surin Nuea lies Ao Luek, which is so deep that the sea appears dark green, offering splendid shallow corals as well as sea weeds, sea flowers, coral lines, and various species of fish.
How to Get There
Travelling to Mu Ko Surin can be initiated from several different points:
- Khura Buri Pier is the nearest point to Mu Ko Surin. Khura Buri is some 125 kilometres north of Phang-nga. A boat trip takes around 4 hours. There is no regular boat service for travellers to Ko Surin. Boats leaving from Khura Buri are suitable for group tours.
- Amphoe Kapoe Pier is in Ranong Province. The trip takes 7 hours.
Map Of Phang-Nga Thailand
