The Andaman Coast city and province of Trang is not quite as well known as Phuket, Ranong, or Krabi. However, visitors who make their way to this stunning section of southern Thailand will soon find out Trang lives up to its name, which means 'dawn' or 'bright' in English. Because so many tourists have yet to discover Trang, the atmosphere is more tranquil and secluded than southern Thailand's busier beach resorts. Visitors can reach Trang from Bangkok by rapid or express train, by air at Trang Airport, or by bus or automobile along Highway 4.
Don’t MissBuddhist temples buried underground, virgin rainforests, and deserted islands await visitors who venture outside the city of Trang to the surrounding countryside. The botanical garden alone boasts approximately 12kms of rainforest trails alongside its museum and Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi former ruler's residence.
Trang is also famous for an art form called Manora which features a single puppeteer performing shadow puppetry behind a lighted screen while music plays. The local Muslim population also enjoy Li-kae Pa performances where every part is played by a cast of three people.
Chao Mai Beach National Park contains an island called Mook whose best known landmark is Morakot Cave. The entrance of this ancient cave, which is located in the middle of a white beach with rare trees and a body of emerald coloured water, can only be reached by swimming. Coral reefs surround another Chao Mai Beach National Park island, Chueak, which is actually a couple of smaller islands connected together.
Restaurants and BarsThe nightlife choices in the sleepy city of Trang include a hotel karaoke bar, a handful of discotheques, and some Chinese coffee shops called Ko-Pii which stay open late into the night and serve up breakfasts of dim sum every morning. Malay, Thai, and Chinese dishes dominate the menus of most Trang restaurants. Vegetarians and Muslims will also find restaurants which cater to their specific dietary requirements.
ShoppingThere are a surprisingly large number of places to shop in sleepy Trang thanks to the fact that several residents have followed in the footsteps of their Chinese merchant ancestors. The lively night market is the best place to meet some of these vendors who sell orange cake, seasoned roast pork, and Khoa Chong coffee among their wares. The Na Muensri cloth used to make many of the clothes for sale is named after the Nayong Village where it was woven.