The Journey to the South

The North of Thailand seen extensively? Then head straight south. The mutual differences are huge.

While the North is a treasure trove of culture, the South can boast of amazingly beautiful nature, lots of fruits and tropical sandy beaches. It is blessed with two coastal strips, one on the Andaman, and one on the other side of the Isthmus of Kra, the Gulf of Thailand.

To be clear, Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak lie on the former, while Koh Samui and Hua Hin lie in the Gulf.

Like a magnet, they attract a growing stream of tourists. Explainable, because where else can you listen to the sound of the sea in the shade of a palm tree on a coral beach? Or enjoy a fresh fish on an almost uninhabited island? Or admire the most exceptional inhabitants of a coral reef? Or…

The very south of Thailand, the provinces along the border with Malaysia are unsettled due to Muslim separatism and are better avoided. We start our tour by car in Chumpon. The tour can also be done by bus. That's where the actual South begins and weekend tourism from Bangkok ends. Two main roads separate here.

We take the 4, the western route to Ranong. Apart from being a melting pot of different populations, that city has not much to offer. Here journey foreigners quickly to Burma to renew their visa. The 4 winds its way over the extremely green Isthmus of Kra along the border river with Burma. While life in Thailand is already quite a bit slower than the average Westerner is used to, on the other side of the light brown water time seems to have stood still. It is possible to obtain a day pass at Ranong for a visit to Burma.

From Ranong we drive due south, towards Phuket, with the Andaman Sea on the right. Remarkably enough, we find dozens of mosques along the road. Most beaches lie on the seaward side of a vast area of ​​mangroves. What a paradise it is here. Hours of walks along the beach, with some islands in the background. A more romantic setting is hard to imagine. Those looking for peace and quiet can indulge themselves here.

The coast also has a wealth of national parks. Laem Son even encompasses 100 kilometers of coastline. Here too, if desired, we can sail with a longtail to one of the islands or even to Ranong.

Those looking for a change from beach life can visit the Khao Lak Lamru National Park on the south side, with rainforest, waterfalls and mangroves. For a multi-day trip, the Khao Sok National Park is the largest jungle area in Thailand, with tigers, leopards and the rafflesia, the largest flower in the world with a diameter of 80 centimeters.

Phang Nga

Phang Nga Bay is a story in itself. An underwater world teeming with fish and picturesque limestone islands.' The real traveler can tour here for a penny, past caves with prehistoric paintings and villages on stilts, inhabited by so-called sea nomads. Their origin is unknown, but is presumably Indonesia.

This is undoubtedly the most beautiful beach in the world, between the surrealistic islands rising from the azure water, overgrown with hard green plants. A visit to the island of Koh Tapu, where the James Bond film was shot in the distant past 'The Man with the Golden Gun' is included is a bit touristy, but maybe the photo belongs in everyone's scrapbook…. Near the sleepy village of Phang Nga lies Tham Sawan Khuha, caves with ancient Buddha statues, hungry monkeys and bats, which flock at dusk.