Journey into wild Trang. The province and city of Trang - the second day of my trip with Thai guides Islands of Trang Province

Morakot Cave is one of the most beautiful places on Muk Island.

The cave is also known as Emerald Cave. This picturesque place located on Muk Island north of Had Chao Mai Park. You can get into the cave from the water by rowing a boat to the entrance at high tide. A winding rocky corridor stretches underground for a length of 70 meters. At the end of the path, a huge open cave hall opens up to visitors. In the rays of the sun groundwater, forming a small lake, appear emerald.

Morakot is a beautiful place that combines underground and beach landscapes. A visit to the cave is included in the standard program beach holiday.

O. Koh Muk

In the picturesque Thai province of Trang, the island of Koh Muk is located, which invariably attracts snow-white beaches many tourists. Despite the fact that Koh Muk is already inhabited long time, the nature of the island has been preserved intact. This is facilitated by the relative distance from the main tourist centers.

Koh Muk Island is the third largest island in the Trang Sea. Most of the island is covered with rocky formations. The island has two piers, next to each there is a beach. Two hotels have also been built on Koh Muk. Main religion practiced local population, - Islam. Best time to visit the island - from November to March.

In addition to pristine nature, crystal clear beaches and a rich underwater world, Koh Muk island has another attraction - Morakot Cave.

What attractions of Trang Province did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

O. Ko Kradan

One of the most beautiful places in Trang province is the island of Koh Kradan. If you want to get away from civilization and enjoy pristine views and relatively untouched nature, then this island is what you need. It covers an area of 240 hectares, most of which is Hat Chao Mai State Park.

The Thai government for a long time did not allow the sale of land on the island of Koh Kradan, but several years ago changed its decision. In view of this, hotels began to appear on the island, and the tourism infrastructure began to improve. Today, renting a house or hut here costs from 900 to 10,000 baht.

Koh Kradan is ideal place for amateurs aquatic species sports, and for those who prefer a relaxing holiday.

The most popular attractions in Trang Province with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places to visit famous places Trang provinces on our website.

26.09.12

Trang was once big seaport Southern Thailand. Ships entered it in the morning, hence, as they say, the name of the city. The Malay word “terang” translates to “light”.

Trang does not have any iconic temples or monuments that are definitely worth seeing, but there are many natural attractions: waterfalls, caves, national parks and islands. But these beauties are not widespread among the “farangs” and attract almost only Thais. English language Not very popular here, judging by the signs. “Something hot, good.”

Or is it " Hot water Fine". Of course it’s good, who would argue! There was also an option “Hot water wall” - a whole wall of hot water. Looks menacing!

But on this day we did not go into the jungle and sail to the islands, but decided to see the coast. The first beach we came to, Hat Yao, immediately upset us. Yes, Trang has it tourism potential. Bizarre rocks, wide beaches and all that. But garbage. Garbage is a common problem in the South and Southeast Asia. We try to write as it is, based on our personal impressions, we try not to embellish, so I don’t embellish. Thais who come for a picnic litter, and the garbage is washed ashore by the sea. And the shore does not yet shine with amenities. Some driftwood, logs, seaweed, pieces of foam plastic. It could be very beautiful here, and there would be wonderful snorkeling near the rocks, but I wouldn’t go on holiday here just yet. However, there is a store, a restaurant, there seems to be a guest house and even kayak rental.

11. The beach is not very clean.

12. Garbage on the shore.

14. But you can go kayaking.

But the next beach did not disappoint. The long and beautiful Hat Chang Lang seemed pink due to the scattering of shells. When we walked there, we were left with the feeling of something otherworldly: the waves very slowly licked a completely deserted beach, framed by a ridge of rocky islands.

There are really a huge number of shells there. Some are quite big. I think it's better not to get into the water here. But it's definitely worth a walk.

This beach is divided in two by a river.

18. For scale.

21. On the way to the beach, a monitor lizard was scared away.

On part of the beach north of the river the water is opaque and the sand is very loose. There are several large hotels here, and here we met several compatriots who are not clear how they got here. Because of the river, the water is quite muddy, but overall the beach is quite pleasant.

To our joy, on the way to the next beach we came across an automatic gas station. The places here are so poorly populated that we didn’t even come across ordinary roadside shops with bottled gasoline, so the situation developed in a completely threatening manner. The disadvantage of such stations is the greatly inflated price of gasoline. But in such a wilderness you have to take what you give.

After Hat Chang Lang we headed to Hat Pak Meng. Here, construction of an embankment decorated with dugong statues is in full swing. Trang is the only place in Thailand where you can observe this marine mammal, a relative of manatees and the extirpated sea cows. The best chance of seeing dugongs is near the Trang island of Koh Libong. For those who are looking paradise beaches With sand like starch, this island is not at all suitable, but if you want to see unknown Thailand without crowds of tourists, then this is the place for you. Only jungle and rocks, only solitude. I think these places are ideal for camping.

There is also a port from which ferries go to the islands. There are also many small travel agencies where you can buy excursions to the most picturesque islands Trang with emerald lagoons and caves hidden in the jungle.

Trang is not a place you should definitely go to. If you don't visit here, you won't miss anything. It is unlikely that you absolutely need to see a dugong, but there are plenty in other parts of Thailand. But if you are somewhere nearby, or if you are looking for an encounter with the wild and unknown secluded Thailand, then you should definitely visit Trang.

Trang Province is one of the increasingly popular tourist destinations in Thailand. The province is located south of the resort area of Krabi. Trang gained her popularity primarily due to several special famous islands: Kradan, Ngai and Muk.

The beaches of the mainland that Trang province has to offer, as well as the island territories of Ngai, Kradan and Muk, are in no way inferior to the popular resort areas the nearest provinces, and in some ways they even win. For example, there are much fewer people here, which adds to the attractiveness of the area.

Where is it located?

Trang Province is washed by waters Andaman Sea, in the south it borders the province of Krabi. Trang's other neighbors are Phatthalung, Satun, Nakhon Si Thammarat, which are not popular with foreign tourists. In terms of its landscape, as well as its climate, this region of Thailand is no different from neighboring territories. The climatic conditions are the same here, the seasons are long sandy beaches along the coast, fine golden sand, tropical jungle, etc.

Climate

Trang Province is not particularly different in terms of weather conditions from the rest of Thailand. Thus, the alternation of winter and summer monsoons is still common here.

The summer monsoon arrives in the province around the end of March. It brings with it rainy weather, high humidity, and increased cloudiness. At this time, the air temperature can reach +40 +42 degrees and even higher, and combined with high humidity, it is extremely difficult for unaccustomed tourists to endure such weather.

The rainy season begins in May and lasts almost until the end of September.

In the last ten days of September, the winter monsoon arrives in the province. The winds blow from the Asian continent and bring with them a dry and cool breeze. Starting from the beginning of December, Trang province experiences favorable and comfortable weather for a beach holiday. Thus, the air temperature at night does not fall below +20 degrees, while during the day it stays at +27 +30 degrees.

Since the islands are of the greatest interest in this part of Thailand, the optimal time for a holiday here is the period from early December to early April, when the weather is stable and the sea is calm. During the rest of the year, the sea can be rough, making navigation between Trang's island formations difficult.

Islands of Trang Province

The Trang Islands are quite diverse and numerous. Their total number almost reaches fifty. Some of them have never met a tourist on their territory, many are uninhabited, but there are also those where tourism is well established, which has been gaining momentum in recent years.

The islands of the province will not offer you fashionable accommodation in luxury hotels and great leisure opportunities. Everything here is more backpacker and simple: accommodation in small budget bungalows, power outages, food in beach cafes under open air etc.

Everything here is created for a secluded outdoor recreation, eco-tourism and exploring the wild grottoes, caves and forests of Thailand.

Three islands are considered the most popular in this province: Ngai, Muk and Kradan, but still they cannot be called spoiled by the attention of tourists, since this direction is still developing.

Ngai Island

Koh Ngai is one of the most visited islands in the province. It is located approximately 15 kilometers from, which belongs to the territory of Krabi, and is considered the northernmost of the three large islands Trang.

Ngai Island gained its popularity thanks to its two-kilometer beach with amazing views of the neighboring islands and rocky terrain.

The approximate area of the island is about 8 kilometers. Ngai is shaped like an elongated triangle.

There are no local villages on Koh Ngai, much less large ones settlements. This small island is mountainous, covered with jungle and coconut plantations. On Ngai Island, the beaches are located on the east side. In the rest of the territory (especially west coast) approach to the water is difficult due to large rocky formations on the coast. Despite the fact that the beach is only in the east, it is recognized as one of the best in the province. Tourists can choose ideal conditions for accommodation, including first class. It is on Koh Ngai that most of the holidaymakers who are not constrained by funds are concentrated, since the choice of hotels here is large, and the conditions for recreation are of a high class.

In the south of the island there are several small beach areas that offer amazing snorkeling opportunities.

The only problem on Ko Ngai, in principle as on the other islands of Trang, is frequent power outages, which can sometimes last up to several hours without lighting.

Speedboats often operate from Saladan Pier on Lanta Island. The cost of the trip will not exceed 500 baht;
from Lipe Island on ships plying the tourist route between the islands of Thailand from Lipe to Lanta. The cost of such a move will cost from 1,500 baht;
If you do not depart from the islands, but immediately plan a vacation to Ngai, then from Bangkok airport you should travel along the mainland to Pak Maeng Pier, and then transfer to a ship to Ngai Island. You can buy a ticket for the entire trip, including transfers, immediately at the airport for 600 baht.

Koh Muk Island

Koh Muk is located south of Lanta. A distinctive feature of this island among other Trang islands is its mountainous landscape. Here the cliffs rise more than 300 meters above sea level.

There are no long beach areas on Koh Muk, and indeed there are not many beaches here. The most popular and populated are Hat Farang and Hat Hua Laem. Both beaches boast good coastline and excellent views of the surrounding area.

The approximate area of the island is 12 kilometers. From Muk to the nearest point on Lanta it is about 20 kilometers, and to the main pier of Lanta it is all 50 kilometers. From Koh Muk to the mainland of the province, the distance does not exceed 3 kilometers. This proximity to the mainland affected the quality of water off the coast. It is cloudy, which makes snorkeling not as impressive as on neighboring islands.

Among the advantages of this island are a fairly large variety of inexpensive guest houses and bungalows, as well as a more authentic lifestyle.

There are several ways to get to the island:

from the island of Lanta on one of the ships departing in this direction. There are several such flights per day. The cost of the trip is from 500 baht;
There are several flights from the Phi Phi Islands to Koh Muk: with a transfer to Koh Lipe and without a transfer. A direct route will cost approximately 1,500 baht, while a trip with a transfer will cost 500 baht less;
from the mainland you can get to Koh Muk from the Kuan Tungku pier, where there are shuttles all day long with short intervals public transport from Trang Town airport.

Koh Kradan Island

Koh Kradan is considered the least developed of the three large islands that Trang province offers for recreation, but the most beautiful. This island is the smallest: its length is about 4 kilometers, while the width does not exceed 500 meters.

The distance from Kradan to Lanta is about 20 kilometers (about 50 kilometers to the pier). The distance from the mainland is approximately 12 kilometers.

The popularity of Koh Kradan came from its beach, which is about 2 kilometers long. good sand, beautiful views to the surrounding area and clear water off the coast.

The most important entertainment on the island is snorkeling in the coral reefs, which surround Kradan almost along its entire perimeter.

As for accommodation on the island, you should not count on early booking, since popular booking sites on the Internet contain very few of the actual options available. So, there is one rather expensive resort, several mid-level ones and quite a few budget guest houses and bungalows.

You can get to the island along the same routes as to neighboring Ngai and Muka.

And Satun. These places are very popular with tourists from all over the world, especially islands such as Kradan and Muk. They are located on the very border between the provinces of Krabi and Trang and are distinguished by their exotic views, which naturally makes them attractive in terms of tourism business.

Main attractions of Trang province

Peninsular Botanical Garden.

It is one of the largest in Thailand and was founded back in 1939. The total territory of the park is more than 400 hectares and includes a huge collection of plants and flowers. Tourists coming to this botanical garden plunge into the world of primitive nature.

“Are you planning to move to Moscow and get a job, then you need apply for a work visa in Moscow. Affordable prices, excellent service are waiting for you.”

Morakot Cave. Tourists also call this cave Emerald. This is a beautiful place, which is located on the island of Muk and can only be reached by water by boat at high tide. The unusual corridor stretches 70 meters underground and as a reward at the end of the path, tourists are presented with an unusual cave hall with a beautiful lake, the waters of which, thanks to the sun’s rays, appear emerald. This place is unique because it combines underground and beach landscapes.

Koh Muk Island. This island attracts tourists with its simply white beaches. Its peculiarity lies mainly in the fact that despite the fact that it has been inhabited for quite some time, it has managed to preserve its nature in its original untouched form, it seems that the destructive force of civilization spared this beautiful corner of the Earth. And it is here that the world famous Morakot Cave is located.

Khao Kob cave.

This cave is very attractive for tourists involved in extreme species sports The path to it begins along the river. Thanks to the boat, tourists find themselves in the very middle of the limestone mountain. And it is here that a beautiful picture of the grottoes opens before people’s eyes. But the most unusual and stunning place on this route is a narrow cave 350 meters long - and to get through it, you need to lie down on the very bottom of the boat and in this position swim “under the body of the dragon itself.”

Sukon Island.

This is very small island, located far from the main tourist routes, but it also has something to offer tourists - beautiful beaches, exotic nature, a leisurely but at the same time unique lifestyle local residents, and it is also interesting because it is considered the starting point to the island of Lao Liang.

Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao Temple.

This is one of the most ancient temples in Thailand. It houses a huge statue of Buddha, to which pilgrims come from all over the world to worship. The last abbot brought particular popularity to this temple, who said that various miracles have happened and are happening within the walls of this temple, and that is why many visitors to the temple come here in order to be healed of some illness or to ask Buddha for fulfillment. most cherished desire.

Koh Kradan Island.

Anyone who wants to isolate themselves from the benefits of civilization and fully enjoy the views of beautiful primeval nature will find just here the opportunity to make this dream come true. Its area is about 240 square kilometers.

Lao Liang Islands.

These are two small rocky islands that are located just opposite the central part of Trang province, not far from Sukon Island. The uniqueness of these islands lies in the fact that they are located far from the tourist routes of Thailand. Few tourists visit these two islands, but those who do get here will remember their steep cliffs, snow-white beaches, coral reefs, and diversity of flora and fauna for the rest of their lives. Broken here tent city, in which tourists will be able to fully experience the beauty of local species and experience all the hardships of the life of primitive man.

Now it’s time to talk about the second day of my trip to the south of Thailand with Thai guides. For those who haven't read the first part, please...

Early in the morning, around 6:20 , the lights on the bus were turned on and our seemingly little Thai girl guide, with a loud bass voice, woke everyone up overnight. As it turned out, we arrived at Trang province and the city of the same name Trang.

Trang city, Thailand - view from a hotel room

About 10 minutes after getting up, we arrived at the hotel, where we had to quickly change clothes and hit the road according to our tour program.

The program for that day was as follows:

Change clothes
Breakfast
Sea excursion
Free time

Surprisingly, everyone changed clothes very quickly, perhaps because they were quite hungry. Therefore, we got to our breakfast much faster than I expected.

Unusual breakfast

Since I was in the south and surrounded by Thais, I needed to be prepared for an unusual breakfast. For our meal we went to one of the local Thai cafes, about a 10 minute drive from our hotel.

Several tables were organized for our bus. Breakfast was not traditional for a European, both in terms of the menu and in terms of its organization.

It so happened that everyone was automatically divided into groups and sat down at tables, I ended up at a table with 6 Thais and one Thai. Breakfast reminded me of a family dinner. Various Thai dishes were brought to us in the center of the table, after which everyone took a little of what they wanted to try, while paying attention to whether everyone got it. There was not much food, but there was enough for everyone and, as it seemed to me, everything was fair and equal.

The Thais call this breakfast Tim-sum. Among the dishes we were offered: – grilled pork on coals according to a recipe from Trang province. It looks delicious, but the pork is actually very sweet. Several types of Tim-Sum - these are something like dumplings with various fillings, shrimp, crabs, pork, etc., there was also fried tofu, something else similar to pancakes and fried crumpets and, of course, boiled rice. Breakfast without rice is not breakfast for Thais.

Sea excursion

After breakfast we went to the port, where a ship was waiting for us and others. Since this excursion was not personal, in addition to our group, there were quite a lot of people there, so our boat was completely packed, as far as my memory serves me, in total there were about 60-70 people.

The first place we went to was. This is one of the wonders of Thailand, a lake surrounded by rocks that can only be accessed by walking through the rocks through a dark underwater cave. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it?!

According to my feelings, the length of this cave was approximately 150-200 meters, there is complete darkness inside. We set out for the cave in a little train, one after another, tightly clinging to our partner in front. The first to dive into the water was the guide of our ship, who was the main guide in this cave. Then we took turns following him into the water. We were given the command to hold tight to each other and under no circumstances break our chain, otherwise there may be losses, because the cave is dark and dangerous. This made the female sex even more scared, but there was no turning back and we all swam together into this black hole.

There was dead silence inside the cave, only sometimes the screams of women or the conversations of some comrades could be heard. It was so dark there that you couldn’t even see the tip of your nose or a finger brought close to your eyes.

As we walked through this cave, I thought about those blind people who had never seen the light in their lives. I think everyone in our group was able to feel blind and understand what a blessing it is to see the light that surrounds us. The feelings were indescribable; at such moments you begin to appreciate what you have and others don’t.

After a few minutes of our journey, we saw the light, everyone was filled with great joy, and after a couple more, we found ourselves in this amazingly beautiful and at the same time unusual place.

There were a lot of people, so appreciate all the splendor of this quiet place It was impossible, but I think everyone got a pleasant feeling.

Here we were given approximately 15 minutes for a swim and pictures, and then we headed back to the ship, the same way we got here.

Koh Chia- this is another one the most beautiful islands Thailand, where snow-white sand and a clear azure sea awaited us. Unlike other islands, there were not palm trees around us, but pine trees.

It's a pity that we were only given 30-40 minutes to enjoy this wonderful place. Unfortunately, the allotted time quickly came to an end and we had to return to our ship, where lunch was waiting for us.

By that point I was so hungry that I completely forgot to take a photo. As far as I remember, we were given fried chicken leg, rice, boiled vegetables, and for dessert coffee and banana cake.

After the meal we moved on to our sea adventures. This time we sailed to the islands Koh Ma And Koh Ngai. In these places there was no beach shore, so we swam in the open sea and looked at underwater world through the masks we were given on board our ship. To my surprise, there were so many fish here that a piece of bread thrown into the water evaporated in a matter of seconds.

People gathered to gawk at these creatures large number willing. I decided to swim in this aquarium, but in order not to scare away the fish, I bought a piece of bread from the ship’s crew and carefully plunged into the water. Having sailed a few meters from our ship, I scattered bread around me, and after a few seconds I was surrounded by a large flock of these creatures. There were so many of them that sometimes they nibbled me instead of bread, and I managed to hand-feed some of them. As soon as the bread ran out, I swam to look at the underwater world of these amazing places.

I didn’t see anything special here, but I got positive impressions, because I love swimming and looking at all sorts of underwater delights.

As soon as everyone had swam and returned to the ship, we headed back to the mainland. These sea adventures were enough for one day, so no one was disappointed.

The only thing is that not all guides could get the pleasure that we had, since some of them either looked after things or were involved in organizing our tour. And some had no desire to go out into the scorching sun at all, since almost all of them were terribly afraid of getting dark.

Back on the ground, we boarded our bus and headed to the hotel.

Hotel and dinner

Our hotel was called Thumrin Thana Hotel, as it seemed to me, it was one of the most tall buildings in Trang.

I liked the hotel, clean spacious rooms, beautiful view overlooking the city, a large bathroom with shower and bath, and, of course, TV and air conditioning. In general, everything you need is here and even more.

They gave us approximately 1 hour to rest and shower, and then we had a special New Year's Eve dinner and performances with the participation of our group.

This time there were no surprises with the food, everything was standard. Buffet, everyone serves themselves, but there were waiters in charge of drinks. To my surprise, there was no alcohol at all! 🙂 For the first time in my life, I attended a New Year’s Eve event where people didn’t drink alcohol, I was pleasantly surprised.

Although it seemed to me that the students, before starting to entertain us, knocked back a glass somewhere. They entertained the guests as best they could and sang, danced, and organized various competitions, it was fun. But I decided not to sit for a long time and leave this event in order to look at the city of Trang at night.

Walk through Trang at night

Leaving the hotel, I came across local tuk-tukers, they turned out to be very cool here, look at the photo.

I went to night market, which was almost closed by the time I arrived. At the market, like all the others I visited, they sold food, clothes and all sorts of trinkets. The market turned out to be very small, I walked around it in about five minutes, there was almost nothing to photograph.

There was nothing to do, so I just went to wander the streets of the city at night.

While wandering around Trang, I came across a busy street. It was decorated with garlands and lanterns. It was the brightest place in the city, here I saw the most people, as well as local youth. Apparently this was the most beautiful place at night, which is why people were drawn here.

Having moved away a little, there was dead silence, there were almost no cars on the roads, and all the shops and houses were closed.

Deserted night city of Trang

The only thing I came across on the way was a local pink cafe, where they sold pale orange soup with noodles, blood, herbs and some other things. 🙂

At that moment, I thought that if this place were somewhere in the forest or outside the city, I definitely would not have gone there, it was too inviting, and the hostess and owner smiled very suspiciously. Even though I'm in Thailand, it seems safe here.

The soup turned out to be edible, and the owners were really friendly and welcoming.

I have no idea where I was at that time. I left the cafe and moved further, the further I went, the quieter the streets became. There was not a single person nearby from whom I could find out the way to my hotel. What was scary and funny at the same time was that even if I met someone, I didn’t know the name of the hotel.

After walking for about 15 minutes, I remembered that I had a room key, where I found the name of the hotel. Further on my way I came across a bakery, the seller of which kindly told me that my hotel was around the corner.

I was pleasantly surprised and glad that I arrived safe and sound. After sitting in the lobby for a few minutes, I went up to my room. It's time to go to bed, because tomorrow a new day awaits me and another early rise.