Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [607]
Wild islands, pristine beaches and azure seas provide plenty of opportunities for snorkelling and diving in remote Ko Tarutao ( Click here) and Ko Phetra ( Click here) Marine National Parks.
Language
Roughly three million citizens in Thailand’s Deep South speak Yawi. Also called Pattani Malay, the dialect is commonly spoken in the Muslim community, who make up approximately 80% of the local population.
Dangers & Annoyances
For the last few years, a continuous string of violent incidents have made travel in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces a potentially risky enterprise. For more information, see the boxed text, opposite, and consult your home country’s consular website.
Tourists have not been the targets of the insurgency; however, the oft-unfocused nature of the political unrest has made it difficult to predict where and when the next incident will occur.
Getting There & Away
Regular air, bus and train services connect Bangkok and Hat Yai ( Click here). Boats connect Ko Lipe and Ko Bulon Leh to popular Andaman destinations like Phuket, Ko Phi-Phi and Ko Lanta. Due to the tense security issues in several regional provinces, most travellers making a ‘visa run’ across the border to extend their Thai visas pass through Satun Province – the Ko Lipe–Langkawi ( Click here) route has become particularly popular.
Getting Around
Getting around Thailand’s Deep South has become quite straightforward in recent years. Land transport gets funnelled through Hat Yai ( Click here), while maritime transport along the Andaman Coast passes through the port town of Pak Bara ( Click here). The gulf waters are rather quiet, other than foreign oil-drilling prospects. Transport to the Ko Tarutao Marine National Park generally shuts down during wet season.
SATUN PROVINCE
If you only have time to visit one province in Thailand’s Deep South, make it Satun (often pronounced stoon). The Andaman Coast’s southernmost region is rather quiet compared to the tourist rush further north, and the local highlight is the dozens of deserted islands swimming in the turquoise sea. Although they lack the Andaman’s trademark limestone karsts, these jungle-clad islets have those perfect peach-coloured beaches you’ve seen in all the postcards.
Satun has experienced almost none of the political turmoil that plagues the neighbouring regions of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
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SATUN
pop 33,400
If you’re island-hopping your way up or down the coast you probably won’t stop in Satun, a town that embodies both meanings of the phrase ‘provincial capital’. Tears won’t be shed if you have to give this place a miss – Satun only has one real attraction, the Ku Den Museum (Satun National Museum; Soi 5, Th Satun Thanee; admission by donation; 8.30am-4.30pm Wed-Sun). Housed in a lovely old Sino-Portuguese mansion, this excellent museum was constructed to house King Rama V during a royal visit but the governor snagged the roost when the king failed to show up. The building has been lovingly restored and the exhibits feature dioramas with soundtracks covering every aspect of southern Muslim life.
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Sleeping & Eating
Sinkiat Thani Hotel (0 7473 0255; 50 Th Burivanich; r 663B; ) Satun’s most comfortable choice is right in the centre of town. It’s housed in a tall building and big rooms have plenty of mod cons – the best have fantastic views over the town and jungle.
On’s (48 Th Burivanich; dishes from 40B; breakfast, lunch & dinner) Popular with visiting yachties, On’s is a Western-oriented joint serving up plenty of international eats. There’s beer on tap and plenty of local insight from the friendly staff.
Chinese and Muslim bites can be scouted on Th Burivanich and Th Samanta Prasit. Try the ‘red pork’ with rice at the Chinese food stalls or the southern-style roti offered at most Muslim restaurants (around 50B each). Satun’s popular night market (off Th Satun Thanee) comes to life around 5pm and serves great Thai curries.
Getting There & Away
BOAT
Boats to Malaysia and Tarutao leave from