What's it like to be an expat living in Trang town?

I was thinking about retiring in Chiang Mai, where I've been for the last few weeks. It's a pleasant city (despite the smog) but I'm uncomfortable with all the tourists and I find that I'm missing the sea. A friend told me Trang is nice, and I'd like to hear what it's like to live there day-to-day.

I'm a pretty quiet guy, and I places that are off-the-beaten track, but so far off that I can't hang out now and then with fellow expats.

All opinions and experiences appreciated.

Thanks.

Shido

What's it like to be an expat living in Trang town?

I live one province over but spend a lot of time there. It's an easy going kind of place, largely Thai-Chinese with almost no farang-oriented infrastructure (the way I like Thai towns). Good food, low prices. Some beaches nearby but they're nothing special. It rains a lot. Most farang there seem to get bored fairly quickly unless they've got a job or serious pasttime. All in all I'd say no better or worse than, say, Surat or NST.

The OP is looking for a quiet Thai town. Well, the strong Chinese influence makes it not quite so typical. There is very good available food (Thai and Chinese) but I spent a week there once that felt like a month. I found the people in general not so warm, rather ALOOF.

OK, thanks. Those were both useful views. I'd like to get away from the tourist crowds of most coastal areas and Trang seemed to offer that, but I'm leery of trying to set myself up in a town that has very few farang for the good reason that it's just too dull.

If anybody knows of better alternatives in the far South, please suggest.

Thanks.

Shido

If anybody knows of better alternatives in the far South, please suggest.

Songkhla would be an obvious choice. A relatively large farang community, mainly thanks to the oil business. But small and ultimately quite limited. Again, perhaps not a great place if you don't have a job there.

As far as aloofness goes, I think it pretty much comes with the territory in the deep South. (And if anything the Chinese-Thais down here are more forthcoming than the ethnic Thais.) I've spent many years among Southerners of all kinds and have come to like their straightforwardness, but if you come from elsewhere in Thailand they can certainly seem disinterested or even unfriendly.

Thanks for that. I'll just have to go down there, which I plan to do in a couple of weeks.

Say, how's the weather in Trang at this time of year? Hot and humid, I suppose, but how hot and how humid?

Say, how's the weather in Trang at this time of year? Hot and humid, I suppose, but how hot and how humid?

I'd say rather less hot than most other parts of Thailand, though probably just as humid. I've always felt that the deep South is the best place in the country to spend the hot season. Plenty of cloud cover and fairly frequent rain, which is a lot nicer than the death-ray sun pretty much everywhere else.

Interesting. That's different than what I had thought. Thanks.

OK, thanks. Those were both useful views. I'd like to get away from the tourist crowds of most coastal areas and Trang seemed to offer that, but I'm leery of trying to set myself up in a town that has very few farang for the good reason that it's just too dull.

If anybody knows of better alternatives in the far South, please suggest.

Thanks.

Shido

Khanom is not far South as such but on a parallel with Koh Samui. Suratthani and Nakorn Sri Thammarat with nearby airports, great infrastructure, 8Km deserted beach, a few foreigners there now, kinda cowbody country local mentality, no-one really working there, alot of black money earnt by the locals nut no hassles for anyone just wanting to relax by the sea at prices less than half that of Koh Samui. I've been going there for over 10 years on and off and recently there has been a small influx of foreigners moving there. Most say that they like the convenience of it's location, close to the islands, big towns, two hours to the West coast, airports close by and and a lovely beach.

Regards

Bojo

Great. Thanks, Bojo. You caught me just as I'm putting together my travel agenda and I'll definitely add in Khanom.

Shido

I just cam back from Trang a few hours ago, I think the place is wonderful, the people there seem to be very friendly, but its too dam_n queit for me to live there, but its a good place for a holiday

Interesting. That's different than what I had thought. Thanks.

How about Ao Luk?

Or just north of Ao Nang, Tub Kaek?

In those places you might find best of both worlds, get your little Private Idaho, but if you do get bored not too far to some western nightlife.

How about Ao Luk?

I've always liked the Ao Leuk area as a place to visit, but to live there I think it'd feel pretty scruffy and isolated.

Spent a night in Krabi Town last week and dropped in on Ao Nang . . . and as usual, after 15 minutes or so, began wondering why. Relentlessly touristy.

Thanks for that. I'll just have to go down there, which I plan to do in a couple of weeks.

Say, how's the weather in Trang at this time of year? Hot and humid, I suppose, but how hot and how humid?

Hello Shido

I chose Trang for the very reasons you mention. Farang here are mostly retired, teachers or NGO staff. This is a transit/transfer point for many of the Southern travel destinations and Islands but not a "tourist" destination and I like that. As anywhere in the world once you find your community and settle in it's what you make it. Try Sams Bar directly across from the Train station 3-11pm for a farang hangout and local info.

Mac

I agree with bojo, Khanom is a very nice place....and then you can always visit Sichon some 20 minutes south of Khanom....Sichon is somewhat more relaxed and authentic than Khanom. But both places are like Thailand before the tourism boom. Have a nice trip!

You can get more info about Khanom and Sichon here:

Sichon Info

hi shido

so how do you like trang? share your traveling experiences with us, will you? if you have time.

btw, did anyone there show you the unusual local thai restaurant which has been offering excellent

original thai food for the last twenty years or so? the owners guaranteed that if any customer is

dissatisfied with her food, she will gladly refund the money with no question asked--guaranteed. the owner's name

is par-toi who would often prepares your order fresh from scratch. so far, i was told, she never has to

refund any customer yet.

her restaurant is surrounded by caves, amazon-like trees, rushing streams, waterfalls etc. truly one

of its kind in the kingdom.

so far, it is the best kept secret in trang.

it is only 5 kilo from trang town at the intersection of liang-muang and nong-troot.

the place is called krua-tub-tieng.

did you visit this place?

My wife is from Trang and I go there a fair bit.

Yes the town is boring. There are some cheep resturants but nothing to get excited about. Nightnight is poor, couple of bars.

Nothing really to do there is the main problem for most. But housing is cheap, you can get a nice house there for next to nothing compared to the tourist towns.

I would say you need to look closer to Krabi or Khanom might be an option. Or just north of Phuket, forget the place name now.....