Trang: what to do & tips | Thailand Explorer

Why Trang? An easy-going southern food town of dim sum breakfasts, crispy roast pork and strong kopi, and the gateway to the Trang islands.

Trang is one of southern Thailand's most likeable provincial towns, and one of its best food cities. Its Hokkien and Hainanese Chinese heritage shows in the morning dim sum shops, the crispy roast pork known across the country and a proper coffee-shop culture, while frog-faced tuk-tuks rattle through a relaxed, unpretentious centre. Few tourists linger, which is exactly its appeal for food lovers and travellers who like real local life.

Most people pass through on their way to Koh Mook, Koh Kradan, Koh Ngai or Koh Libong, but one or two nights here is well spent: eat breakfast the Trang way, float through a river cave and head to the islands the next morning.

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FoodDim sum breakfastSteamed baskets and buns at busy morning shophouses, a Trang ritual.
FoodMoo yang TrangThe town's famous crispy-skinned roast pork, eaten from early morning.
CoffeeTrang kopi cultureStrong Hainanese-style coffee with sweet condensed milk in old coffee shops.
FoodTrang night marketEvening stalls of southern curries, grilled skewers and sweet snacks.
FoodTrang cake (khanom khek)Soft sponge cake sold around town, the classic edible souvenir.
AuthenticTuk-tuk hua kobRide Trang's distinctive 'frog-faced' tuk-tuks around the old centre.
AdventureTham Le Khao KobGlide by small boat through a low river cave lit by stalactites.
BeachPak Meng & Hat Chao Mai beachesCasuarina-lined mainland beaches with views of limestone islands.
AdventureTham Chao Mai by kayakPaddle through mangroves into a cave of dramatic limestone formations.
NatureKoh Libong dugongsSeagrass meadows home to Thailand's largest remaining dugong population.
SnorkelingFour-island day tripEmerald Cave, Koh Kradan, Koh Ngai and coral snorkel stops in one day.
CultureKantang railway stationCharming old wooden station at the end of the Andaman branch line.
CultureVegetarian FestivalNine days of Chinese-Taoist rituals and meat-free food each autumn.
NatureHat Chao Mai National ParkCoastal park of beaches, mangroves, caves and offshore islands.

Getting there & around

Trang Airport has daily flights from Bangkok Don Mueang of about 1.5 hours, and the airport is only a few kilometres from town. An overnight train from Bangkok takes roughly 15-16 hours to Trang station, right in the centre, and long-distance buses take around 12 hours. Minivans run to Pak Meng and Kuantungku piers in about an hour, to Hat Yai in roughly 2-3 hours and to Krabi in about 2-2.5 hours. In town, flag down a tuk-tuk or use Grab; the compact centre around the clock tower and station is also pleasant to explore on foot. Renting a car or scooter makes day trips to the caves and coast much easier.

Food & coffee

Food is the reason to stop. Trang people start the day early with dim sum - baskets of dumplings, buns and steamed treats - served alongside moo yang Trang, roast pork with crackling skin and a spiced, sweet flavour. Wash it down with kopi, thick coffee sweetened with condensed milk, in old-style coffee shops where locals linger over newspapers. In the evening, the night market offers southern curries, grilled skewers and desserts, and a box of Trang cake makes the classic souvenir.

Caves, coast & dugongs

In Huai Yot district, roughly an hour north of town, Tham Le Khao Kob is a river cave you pass through lying low in a small boat, ducking under stalactites for around half an hour. West of town, Hat Chao Mai National Park protects casuarina-fringed beaches such as Pak Meng and Hat Yao, mangrove creeks and limestone caves you can reach by kayak. Offshore, Koh Libong has the largest seagrass meadows in Thailand and a small population of dugongs, best observed from responsible boats that keep their distance.

Culture & gateway to the islands

Trang is where Thailand's rubber industry began, and nearby Kantang has a pretty old wooden railway station at the end of the line. Each autumn, usually around October, the Vegetarian Festival fills Chinese shrines with processions, firecrackers and meat-free food, much like the better-known event in Phuket. From town, boats to Koh Mook, Koh Kradan and Koh Ngai leave from Pak Meng and Kuantungku, and many visitors combine a Trang food stop with several days of island hopping, returning through town for one last breakfast.

When to go

Trang town is a year-round destination, but for the islands the best months are November to April, when seas are calm and all boats run. The southwest monsoon from May to October brings heavy showers and rougher water, and some island resorts close. Rain rarely spoils a food trip, though, and the Vegetarian Festival falls in the wet season. Mornings are the best time to explore town, as the dim sum shops are busiest before about 10 am.