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An Ninh and Sang are two young people who share a passion for travel and photography. They founded OntheMars to share their travel experiences. The two friends embarked on a 13-day trip along the southern coastal provinces of Thailand and Penang Island, Malaysia.
During that journey, An Ninh and Sang traveled through the provinces of Trang, Hat Yai, Krabi, and Phang Nga, all located along the Andaman Sea in southern Thailand. Each province had its own attractive destinations and unique beauty.
If you're already too familiar with destinations like Bangkok, Pattaya, or Phuket… and want to see a more unfamiliar side of Thailand, then An Ninh and Sang's trip will give you a fresh perspective on Thailand and Penang.
Visit Trang Province
Their first destination was Trang Province, located in the southern seas of Thailand, pronounced "Tr-rang" in Thai. In Trang Province, An Ninh was most impressed with Hat Chao Mai National Park and Yong Lin Beach. Hat Chao Mai National Park is notable for its rocky island separated from the sea, where you can walk along a wooden walkway with resting areas and stunning views of the azure ocean. As for Yong Lin Beach, what fascinated him most were the solitary dried tree trunks scattered amidst the vast expanse of sea and sky.
Yong Lin Beach faces the blue sea, flanked by rocky mountains rising from the water, with a few dead, standing trees in the middle.
Hat Chao Mai National Park
An Ninh recounted her first visit to Trang province: “When they saw us arrive, the ladies there spoke Thai fluently, and we were bewildered because we didn't understand. They were surprised and called a woman to help us in English. After a while of fumbling around, we ordered crispy pork belly, spicy stir-fried clams, stir-fried vegetables with mushrooms, and a bowl of Tom Yum soup to truly feel like we were in Thailand. The food was pretty good and tasted great, except the Tom Yum soup was too sour for someone like me who can't handle sour food. After eating our fill, we planned to go sightseeing, but in Trang, people close their shops very early at night, so we didn't know where to go.”
The journey from Trang to Hat Yai takes 1 hour. From Hat Yai to Penang, the bus picks you up at Kim Yong Market at 12 noon and arrives in Penang at 5 PM.
Explore the culture in Hat Yai
From Trang, An Ninh traveled through Hat Yai to cross the border into Penang, Malaysia. Although only in Hat Yai for a short time, she was able to experience the ethnic diversity there. The markets, with their wide variety of goods reflecting Islamic, Chinese, and Thai cultures, were bustling and captivating.
Not far north is Krabi. This was his second time in Krabi, but he still hadn't had the chance to see all the sights, so he spent an entire day exploring the Hong Islands.
Penang's Old Town is quite similar to Hoi An, with its rows of closely packed Chinese houses, but it's more chaotic and smaller, and especially features more murals.
On Google, the location of each famous fresco is clearly displayed.
But over time, many of the frescoes have faded noticeably.
Explore nature in the Hong Islands
Hong Islands is not too far from the coast. Here, An Ninh had the opportunity to snorkel and admire the diverse coral reefs teeming with colorful marine life. On the island, he climbed to the top of the highest mountain, and looking down, the curves of the mountains, forests, and coastline formed the image of gentle blue eyes, which truly impressed him.
Another rather adventurous destination here is Bat Cave at Phra Nang Cave beach. Bat Cave is a cave in the rocky mountains on the coast. The climb isn't too difficult, but there are sections that require ropes and ladders. From inside the cave, you can find a small passage that overlooks the incredibly beautiful beach below.
Hong Islands – an island with long sandy beaches nestled between rocky cliffs, where the water is a distinctive turquoise color, very characteristic of Krabi and Phuket.
Leaving Krabi, An Ninh and Sang took a van to Phang Nga, a seemingly forgotten area on the Thai tourism map. Phang Nga has everything from mountains and rivers to the sea. If you like mountains, head to Samet Nangshe. From there, you can admire the entire Phang Nga bay with its majestic mountains shrouded in mist and the vast ocean below.
If you prefer pristine beaches, you can choose Khao Lak. Located not far from Phuket, it's a calmer, less crowded area, and offers easy access to the Similan Islands.
Bat Cave is a cave located in a rocky mountain on the coast. It is one of the must-see attractions at Phra Nang Beach.
From Khao Lak, it takes an hour by speedboat to reach this archipelago. The pristine white sandy beaches, the beautiful natural rock formations, and the crystal-clear turquoise waters left an unforgettable impression on him.
Thailand is a relatively easy destination for Vietnamese tourists. However, because An Ninh's itinerary included exploring relatively new destinations, researching transportation options between locations likely took the most time.
“Many destinations don't sell tickets online, so we had to contact the local bus companies or stations directly. Fortunately, we received very enthusiastic support from the locals. Another regrettable aspect of the trip was the weather. Last year, the weather in Thailand was quite unpredictable. Even though it was already November, the end of the rainy season, the rains were persistent and prolonged, forcing us to always carry raincoats as a precaution. We could see how climate change is affecting Thailand,” An Ninh shared with Travellive about the difficulties of traveling to Thailand this time.
Phang Nga town is truly a forgotten destination; there's so much to explore there, yet we mostly just skim over it on our way to Phuket or Krabi.
In addition, An Ninh also provided some tips and tricks for Vietnamese tourists when traveling to Thailand.
Always try to book train and bus tickets in advance on Thai websites to avoid the situation of tickets being sold out. Most websites have English versions, so you can easily book and pay by card. Alternatively, you can ask hotel staff directly for assistance. Thai people are especially friendly.
Having endured countless historical upheavals, Ayutthaya is now just a ruin, yet it still possesses a captivating beauty reminiscent of a majestic and ancient land.
The Buddha head, nestled neatly within the roots, has become a relic that intrigues all visitors.
Prioritize experiencing Thailand by motorbike. Many might find it tiring to constantly travel by motorbike, but for An Ninh, traveling by motorbike allows you to go deeper into destinations or stop anytime you spot a beautiful view along the way.
Furthermore, the further south or into rural areas An Ninh and Sang travel, the more difficult it becomes to communicate with locals due to the low number of English speakers. Therefore, you should equip yourself with a 3G SIM card and a translation app for use when needed. You can rest assured that despite the difficulties in understanding each other, the locals you encounter will try their best to understand and help you enthusiastically.
Bang Pu Recreation Center is a migratory bird conservation center located near Bangkok, within a mangrove forest system that stretches along the southern Bangkok coastline. The photo shows albatrosses swimming, flying, and catching prey from visitors.
“For us, travel isn’t about following beaten paths or imitating someone else. Therefore, we always try to find newer, more distant destinations and experience new things, at least for ourselves. Thailand isn’t just Bangkok, Phuket, or Pattaya; there are many other beautiful places that might give you a completely different perspective on the Thailand we’re familiar with,” An Ninh said.
Here's a detailed itinerary for An Ninh and Sang's 13-day trip to Thailand:
Day 1: Travel from Hanoi to Bangkok - Page
Day 2: Exploring Trang Province
Day 3: Travel to Trang - Hat Yai - Penang
Day 4: Exploring Penang
Day 5: Morning in Penang, afternoon travel from Penang to Hat Yai.
Day 6: Morning travel to Hat Yai - Krabi, afternoon stroll along Ao Nang beach, Krabi.
Day 7: Take a Hong Islands tour from Krabi.
Day 8: Morning: Explore Ao Nang, afternoon: Travel to Krabi - Phang Nga town.
Day 9: Morning: Exploring Phang Nga town; Afternoon: Traveling from Phang Nga town to Khao Lak.
Day 10: Take a tour of the Similan Islands from Khao Lak.
Day 11: Morning stroll around Khao Lak and Takua Pa, afternoon travel from Khao Lak to Bangkok.
Day 12: Day trip to the ancient capital of Ayuthaya from Bangkok.
Day 13: In the morning, go birdwatching at Bang Pu Recreation Center to escape the cold, and in the afternoon, travel from Bangkok to Hanoi.
