Satun is one of the main gateways for the Malaysian island of Langkawi as well as Koh Tarutao and the rest of the Thai islands that comprise Tarutao National Marine Park. Ferries to Langkawi and Kuala Perlis leave from Satun’s Tammalang pier while most of the ones for the Tarutao archipelago depart from Pak Bara.
In Thailand, Satun is most easily reached by first travelling to Hat Yai and then a local bus or taxi for the final leg. Hat Yai is served by both train and bus services with arrivals from the Malaysian border and Bangkok plus places in between such as Hua Hin and Surathani.
There are also a number of direct buses from Bangkok every day which depart that city’s Southern Bus Terminal. Buses take between 10 and 11 hours to cover the 950kms. It is worth investing in a seat on a 24-seat VIP bus for a trip of this length. 12GO Asia offers tickets for these routes with the added convenience of being able to book and pay online.
To Satun, Koh Tarutao, Langkawi Island and Malaysia
News in Asia
The province of Satun sits beside Thailand’s far southern border with Malaysia. Compared to other Thai provinces in this region, Satun is peaceful and also offers glimpses of the Thailand of yesteryear as mass tourism has not made it this far yet.