Trang Thailand – A ‘Real Thai’ Town 

Trang Province lies in southern Thailand along the Andaman Sea on Thailand’s west coast. Trang is situated directly south of Krabi Province (think Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lanta) and north of Satun Province, Thailand’s southernmost province.

Like all of Thailand’s southern provinces, Trang’s interior is mountainous with waterfalls and some lush parks. The Trang coast is lined by long, lovely beaches and sporadic rock outcroppings. The idyllic sea is dotted with small, laid-back tropical islands. For more details, read my Guide to Tropical Islands of Trang Province

Trang train station

The capital town, also named Trang, is what I think of as ‘a real Thai town’. It was established and is run for its Thai residents. And compared to most other southern Thai towns, Trang has very little tourist influence. The few tourists who do pass through are inevitably en route to/from Trang’s beautiful islands. A handful of small tourist and resort offices are clustered near the train station, and that’s about it for tourism in Trang town.

Trang town is also distinctive on the Andaman coast as the only place with a train station and trains heading to other parts of the country. If you want to catch a train in southern Thailand, you have to go to Trang or else all the way across the peninsula to Thailand’s east coast cities.

train conductor at Trang Station

Trang is one of my favorite towns in Thailand. It has a lot of charm and some distinctive points of interest, which makes it an interesting place to visit for a couple days. If you’re heading to/from Trang’s lovely islands, consider staying for a night or two. I always do.

 What’s worth seeing and doing?

First off, Trang town is the capital of the province. As a result, several large, attractive and somewhat imposing government buildings are located a few blocks north of the train station. You don’t find many grand buildings like these in Thailand, so they’re quite a curiosity. A tall clock tower rises from the intersection nearby.

Secondly, an unusually extensive morning market sells the usual fresh tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats and a truly amazing variety of Thai sweets, as well as home goods and clothes. A great evening market opens about 6 pm on the road bordering the north side of the government buildings. The entire street is blocked off to traffic while vendors pop up selling a huge variety of cooked meals, snacks and more Thai sweets.

Third: Trang is famous in Thailand for its traditional coffee. It’s thick and strong, comparable to an espresso. A well-established traditional open-aired coffee shop is located just beside the train station. It’s a charming & unique shop, something like an old-fashioned soda shop. It sports a marble floor, quaint wooden tables & chairs, and old-fashioned photos on the walls. The shop also sells Chinese steamed buns in the mornings, a selection of pastries, rice porridge, and a few other dishes.

the very cute Trang tuk-tuks

Fourth: Trang is also somewhat famed for one other quirk: its unusually tiny, pale green, 3-wheeled tuk-tuks. They are very distinctive from tuk-tuks elsewheree in Thailand. And I was told by a local that the Trang drivers pride themselves on their unusual vehicles, which are all in impeccable condition. Go for a ride!

The town has a lovely park, located just beside the government buildings, to the northwest. And of course, Trang has its share of beautiful Thai temples as well.

One other reason I personally enjoy Trang town is the Koh Teng Hotel. It’s a big old rambling hotel with wood floors, wide hallways, very high ceilings and spacious rooms. It’s like a vintage 1950s hotel, slightly fading around the edges. Huge ceiling fans cool the rooms, all of which have en suite bathrooms. And the rooms still cost only 200 BT, which is getting harder and harder to come by these days.

Downstairs is a very spacious restaurant with a menu in English for western visitors, serving all the usual Thai dishes, although at somewhat high prices. Koh Teng Hotel is located on Thanon Rava V, the main N-S road running up from the train station. It’s about three blocks from the station and one block down from the clock tower. (You’ll see what I mean by ‘up’ and ‘down’ – the road actually runs slightly uphill.)

Of course the main reason visitors go to Trang (both Thais and foreigners) is to luxuriate on Trang’s beautiful tropical islands. But that’s a whole separate post in itself: Tropical Islands of Trang Province.

Getting to Trang

Bus – local and express buses run between Trang and Krabi, Phuket, Satun, Hat Yai and even Surat Thani on the east coast.

Train – trains run to Trang from Bangkok and the major cities on the East Coast, including Surat Thani and Chumpon. However, no trains run between Trang and Hat Yai. (mountains in the way)

 Boat – boats run from most of Trang’s islands to the coast. From there, minivans go to Trang town. Boats head to certain Trang islands from Koh Lanta in Krabi Province and from Koh Lipe in Satun Province.

 Air – flights run regularly between Bangkok and Trang

————————————————————————————————————————————–

For more information on Trang Province and Trang’s interesting history, check out:

TAT (Tourist Authority of Thailand) website pages for Trang

My Guide to Tropical Islands of Trang Province

 ————————————————————————————————————————————-

You might also enjoy:

Travel Tales: Round Up of My Best Day Cruises Koh Adang & the Other Islands of Koh Tarutao National Park – Thailand Guide to Tropical Islands of Trang Province – Thailand My 20 Best Adventures in 20 Years of Solo World Travels