Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [529]
Nakhon’s noteworthy shadow puppets are also worthy of exploration. Traditionally, there are two styles of puppet: nng à·lung and nng yài. At just under 1m tall, the former are similar in size to Malay-Indonesian puppets and feature movable appendages and parts (including genitalia); the latter are unique to Thailand, nearly life-sized, and lack moving parts. Both are intricately carved from buffalo-hide. Nowadays performances are rare and usually limited to festivals.
Festivals & Events
Every year during mid-October there is a southern-Thai festival called Chak Phra Pak Tai, held in Nakhon Si Thammarat (as well as Songkhla and Surat Thani). In Nakhon Si the festival is focused around Wat Phra Mahathat and includes performances of nng à·lung and lá·kon lék, as well as the parading of Buddha images around the city to collect donations for local temples.
In the third lunar month (February to March) the city holds the colourful Hae Phaa Khun That, in which a lengthy cloth jataka painting is wrapped around the main chedi at Wat Phra Mahathat.
Sleeping
Lodging options are limited to a few respectable options.
Thai Hotel (0 7534 1509; fax 0 7534 4858; 1375 Th Ratchadamnoen; fan r 220-270B, air-con r 340-450B, ste 750B; ) Thai Hotel is the most central sleeping spot in town – look for a small sign (which actually says ‘Thai Hotet’ in Thai) pointing down a busy side street. The walls are thin, but the air-con options are a good deal for the price. Each room has a TV and the higher floors have good views of the urban bustle.
Nakorn Garden Inn (0 7532 3777; 1/4 Th Pak Nakhon; r 445B; ) The motel-style Nakorn Garden Inn offers a pleasant alternative to the usual cement cube. Rooms are encased in exposed crimson brick and set around a sandy garden. Each unit is identical, sporting a TV and fridge; try to score a room that gets plenty of sunlight.
Grand Park Hotel (0 7531 7666-73; fax 0 7531 7674; 1204/79 Th Pak Nakhon; r 700-1700B; ) Grand Park offers fine, modern rooms with TV and fridge – nothing too fancy or luxurious. The rooms are on seven floors, some with sweeping vistas of the city. Guests can loiter in the spacious lobby and restaurant.
Twin Lotus Hotel (0 7532 3777; www.twinlotushotel.net; 97/8 Th Phattanakan Khukhwang; r 1100-3000B; as) Its age is starting to show, but Twin Lotus is still a nice spot for a little pampering while visiting Nakhon. The well-equipped hotel gym is very popular with the local English teachers. This 16-storey behemoth sits several kilometres southeast of the city centre.
Eating & Drinking
Nakhon is a great place to sample cuisine with a distinctive southern twist. In the evening, Muslim food stands sell delicious kôw mòk gài (chicken biryani), má·à·bà (murdabag; Indian pancake stuffed with chicken or vegetables) and roti. Several tasty options cluster around Bovorn Bazaar on Th Ratchadamnoen.
For an all-night dance fest, head south towards the Twin Lotus Hotel and you’ll find the popular Venice Pub. For a tamer evening of beers and pub grub, check out Bar 60 (known as Bar Hok Sip), near the corner of Th Ratchadamnoen and Th Phra Ngoen.
Hao Coffee (0 7534 6563; Bovorn Bazaar; dishes 30-60B; breakfast & lunch) Dishes out quick and convenient breakfasts, and the coffee is pretty darn good.
Rock 99 (0 7531 7999; 1180/807, Bavorn Bazaar; dishes 40-100B; dinner) The choice fa·ràngout (fa·ràng hang-out) in Nakhon, Rock 99 has a good selection of international fare – from taco salads and steak sandwiches, to pizzas and fried potatoes. There’s live music on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, but expect to bump into friendly expats almost all the time.
Khrua Nakhon (0 7531 7197; Bovorn Bazaar; dishes 60-200B breakfast & lunch) This joint, next to Hao Coffee, has a great selection of traditional Nakhon cuisine.