Nakhon Si Thammarat Province - Your Special Tips?

[henrik2000]

Hello, i will be in the area for a few weeks with a car, GPS + Thai SIM. I have three guide books and my base at first is a seaside village 30 kms north of NST town, where i will also have a bicycle. I have been to NST town and some surroundings incl. the Khanom coast before. I have noticed the recent thread about NST night life.

Are there are any "unpublished" recommendations for NST province? Some things i like:

- atmospheric villages and small towns (aware of NST town evening food market)

- walks and bicycle rides in nature, fields or atmospheric settlements

- walks in national parks and along beaches

- current Thai lifestyle and popular culture

- casual atmospheric Thai and Italian restaurants, also on beach or riverside (some good western food would be very welcome occasionally, but not roast or bbq)

- good coffee and kopi

- good Thai live music like Carabao-style, Thai pop or morlam (if available in the south)

- photography

I am less interested in historic or pre-historic things or temples with specific significance, if they are not generally impressive.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Edited January 12, 2016 by henrik2000

[Rooo]

Under tourism at the bottom of the page here:

https://www.google.co.th/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=nakhon%20si%20thammarat

[recom273]

Have you explorered the 4221 road, the reservoirs and hills.

I came over that area during the rainy season, was a horrid day but I'm aiming to go back and explore, it looked interesting.

Ban khiriwong - there are some interesting homestay places for a night.

The wife loves Khanom evening market, north of the town, next to the fishing port. Lots of interesting southern food to take away - lots of Burmese working there - we stay at a place called Stella resort in khanom, it's a cheap but very nice motel kind of affair with plates/cutlery/eating area - so you can grab some food at the market and enjoy some authentic local food at "home".

Just exploring the coastline from khanom to sichon and tha sala is a good couple of days, we found some nice restaurants and resorts. Kanpiya beach looks good but expensive but there is a homestay further along the road.

Edited January 13, 2016 by recom273

[mihalis]

Visit Kiriwong, beautiful...

[recom273]

This is a good resource for beaches

https://pleasenotanothertravelblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/khanom-beaches-and-sichon-beaches/

[facthailand]

My wife is khon 'korn so we've explored extensively in the province. She comes from Klong Chandi. The peaceful wat there next to a lovely river for swimming was home to Phra Luang Klai (Paw Than Klai) who was often consulted by the King.

And, we like the hotsprings. Let us know if you find more!

1) Nakhon Si Thammarat Province 177 Amphoe Bang Khan

NS/MD48 √ (dev) ♨ Wat Bo Nam Ron Hot Spring

บ่อน้ำร้อนวัดบ่อน้ำร้อน

In Wat Sakeao Prathum Thong, Tambon Wang Hin.

Hwy 403 S 36 km to Thung Song, 9 km NS

Six 72˚ C (160˚ F) batheable hot pools & stream

In temple's natural forest park

2) Nakhon Si Thammarat Province 178 Amphoe Phiphun

√ ♨ Ban Hu Nop Hot Spring

บ่อน้ำร้อนบ้านหูนบ

Hwy 403 S 36 km, Hwy 41 N 30 km, Hwy 4195 E 16 km, Hwy 4194 N 19 km

42˚ C (118˚ F) batheable hot pool

3) Nakhon Si Thammarat Province 179 Amphoe Chawang

♨ Ban Krod Hot Spring

บ่อนำ้ร้อนบ้านกรูด

50˚ C (122˚ F) pH 7.0 A-N

4) Nakhon Si Thammarat Province 180 Amphoe Bang Khan

♨ Ban Nam Phu Ron Hot Spring

บ่อนำ้ร้อนห้วยปริก

From Nakhon Si provincial capital, take Hwy 4015

toward Bang Khan.

Hotspring is 3 km on left side.

49.5˚ C (121˚ C pH 7.0 A-N

5) Nakhon Si Thammarat Province 181 Amphoe Nopphitam

(dev) ♨ Krung Ching Hot Spring

บ่อนำ้ร้อนกรุงชิง

In Krung China National Park, Tambon Krungching.

From Nahon Si Thammarat provincial capital, take Hwy 4016,

turn left to Nopphitam district,

and right onto Hwy 4186,

from Tha Sala to Ban Rong Lek, Ban Phitam

Tel. 084-443-6867

55˚ C (131˚ F)

Edited January 14, 2016 by facthailand

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks for very interesting tips so far! I just arrived in the area, have poured a first bucket of sweat and will soon start to test your suggestions!

Driving from NST airport to "my" village 30 kms north, i believe to have seen many more headscarves than 3 years ago. But maybe my memory is wrong.

Thanks for now!

[orpheus454]

Nakhon has excellent live music, especially in smaller bars.

Look along the main road behind the city that extends from behind the Wajirawut camp south to Homepro.

The best is FullHouse bar, the owner/musician is a genius. Be there by 9, as he generally gives way to the band by 10.30ish.

FullHouse is about a km south of the Koo Kwang intersection.

[Tom Cahill]

Thung Song's near by. They have a temple cut into the base of a mountain, so it's like a large flat room cut all from stone which comes out the other side of the mountain.
Also there, there's a load of waterfalls in a national park. One has seven tiers. In the town there's three mountains and there's a climbing school but you have to go down the road by the library and it's the shack on the mountain which is not advertised, but the royal family go there.
There are very few foreigners.

[only1]

I find NST have some special old Chinese style New cafes although the guidebook will mention Trang for it.

There is Hao in Bovorn Bazzar and the 2 very big Kopi(no English, pronounced from its Thai and Chinese names which the locals will know). One located just beside the outdoor carpark of Robinson and one somewhere near the yellow/green clock tower between the city center and War Mahathat, with it own large building. They serve more varieties of coffee compared to the other usual Thai-western cafes like JE, Amazon, Khanom and Tippy(owned by a very pretty girl).

It's a pity NST do not have a night Market like most Thai towns. There 2 night food streets but food choices are not great. I prefer the one that is 5 minutes walk further away from Big C. The other one is near the train station.

NST is also special for barber shops. At least 10 within 5 minutes walk of each other.

Is the Black Canyon Coffee in Robinson back there ? Hope someone reply.

[only1]

Sorry, it's Tichy Coffee, not Tippy.

[Rhys]

The willow tree is cool.. on facebook..