Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [533]
Royal Princess (0 7783 5240; www.royalprincess.com; r 990-2900B; ) As good as it gets in the hotel category, Royal Princess has a gym, pool and mineral water bathroom, but the trimmings are starting to look a bit tatty.
Eating & Drinking
On Th Kamlangsap, not far from Hwy 4, is a night market with several food stalls selling great Thai dishes at low prices; across the street is a modest noodle stand. The day market, on Th Ruangrat towards the southern end of town, offers inexpensive Thai and Burmese meals, as well as fresh produce, fish and meats. A cluster of decent eateries can also be found at the northern end of Th Ruangrat.
Taxi Pizzeria (0 7782 5730; Th Ruangrat; dishes 60-180B; lunch & dinner) Completed framed jigsaws provide the decoration at this spartan pizzeria. The food won’t have Mum amending her recipe book, but the chef does make an attempt at rustling up a reasonable margarita.
Sophon’s Hideaway (0 7783 2730; Th Ruangrat; dishes 60-200B; lunch & dinner) This expat fave has everything, including internet access, a free pool table, a pizza oven and rattan furnishings aplenty. The menu spans the East–West divide and cocktails are served come sundown.
Getting There & Away
AIR
Ranong airport is 20km south of town, off Hwy 4. Air Asia (www.airasia.com) has three or four flights to Bangkok (one way around 1900B) per week.
BUS
The bus terminal is on Th Phetkasem towards the southern end of town, though some buses stop in town before proceeding to the terminal. Srng·ta·ou (also spelt swngthew; pick-up truck) 2 (blue) passes the terminal. Bus services include Bangkok (220B to 700B, 10 hours), Chumphon (120B to 150B, three hours), Hat Yai (410B to 430B, five hours), Krabi (190B to 220B, six hours), Phuket (180B to 250B, 5½ hours) and Surat Thani (100B to 200B, 4½ hours).
Getting Around
Motorcycle taxis will take you almost anywhere in town for 20B, to the hotels along Th Phetkasem for 25B and to the pier for boats to Ko Chang, Ko Phayam and Myanmar for 50B. Pon’s Place (0 7782 3344; Th Ruangrat; 7.30am-midnight) can assist with motorcycle and car rentals.
KO CHANG
If you’re looking for the big Ko Chang, you’ve come to the wrong place. But if your suitcase is overflowing with novels and you’re seeking a silent stretch of sand on which to read them, then welcome! Unlike most of the Andaman’s islands, Ko Chang enjoys its back-to-basics kinda lifestyle – there are no ATMs, no internet and no rush to acquire them.
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RENEWING YOUR VISA AT VICTORIA POINT
The name Victoria Point sounds so regal, but in reality the southernmost tip of mainland Myanmar is a dusty, tumbledown hellhole. The Burmese call it Kawthoung, a corruption of the Thai name, Ko Song (Second Island).
The easiest way to renew your visa is to opt for one of the ‘visa trips’ offered by travel agencies in Ranong. You probably aren’t vacationing in Ranong, so ask about special visa runs where you are – be it Phuket, Khao Lak, Ko Phi-Phi, Ko Samui or Ko Pha-Ngan – before boarding a bus to Ranong Town. If you’re already in town you can also renew your visa on your own steam. This can be slightly cheaper and faster, although prepare to be hassled and harangued during the entire process. If you do go on your own, tobacco-smacking Burmese boatswains will try to sell you cases of Viagra (to ‘bring you up’) or Valium (to ‘bring you down’) – the trip itself will be enough of a rollercoaster ride.
All travellers need to have their passport, a photocopy of their passport and US$10. Organised visa trips will take care of the last two items for you. Boats leave from the pier (signs throughout Ranong mark it well), where there is a small Thai immigration booth (8.30am-6pm) that will stamp you out (and back in when you return). The one-hour long-tail boat ride to the Burmese checkpoint costs 200B each way. Those travelling with a visa run company will be herded onto a wooden ferry. Solo travellers are allowed to board these ferries as well for around 70B each way.