Phang-nga City, and Province

a local resident.

a scary Buddhist hell
and a heaven.

Phang-nga City, and Province

(pronounced ‘pung-naar’)

the main street.

Phang-nga is one of the quiet
provinces of southern Thailand,

the city council offices
at night. Ser-way.

the town fountain.

lying 700 or so kilometres to the south of Bangkok, on the Andaman Sea. It is a region often overlooked by travellers. This is due, it must be said, to an absence of big ticket tourist sites, and its proximity to that haven of international beach hedonism, Phuket.

local tourist site map.

Phang is the province immediately north of Phuket. Buses filled with dozing backpackers and tourists of all descriptions have only just managed to nod off when the bus pulls into Phang bus terminal (80kms and an hour and half north) on the long journey to Bangkok,

The city of Phang is similarly small, stretching 3-4 kilometres along the main road. Of note are the towering limestone hills around the town, visible as you drive into the town. Apart from that, to be frank, not much else.

There are the obligatory Buddhist wats, one or two of which are of particular importance, a provincial park to the south of the city, a water fountain—you get the idea, not very much.

The elephant and the farmer.

One local legend is of an irate farmer, who mistakenly killed a domesticated elephant, which he incorrectly believed had destroyed his crops. This deceased elephant became the Elephant Mountain, which lies to the immediate west of the town of Phang-nga. This mountain is a local tourist spot. It is to be found adjacent to the provincial hall, to the south of the town.

I took a one day tour around town. Saw the caves, park and a few sights. Also, of course, waymarking. Needless to say, this town, nor province, had previously been touched by a waymarker.

There is one tourist spot of internation note: James Bond Island. So named because the movie ‘Gold Finger’ has a scene shot here. Talk about making a long story out of a few seconds !

over looking the town.

a royal park.

While in town I stayed at the Phangnga Inn, for a pleasant few days. An aircon room, private facilities, with a pleasant demeanour costs a mere 700 baht, ~au$20 a night. This hotel is located not too far from the bus station.

My next destination is the small town of Takupa (Dark-u-ar-par) in the northern part of Phang-nga province, near where the archaeological sites I plan to visit are located.