Nakhon Si Thammarat Thailand – Top-4 Things to Do

Nakhon Si Thammarat is home to one of the most spectacular and less visited national parks in Thailand and it has at least one very stunning beach to make the trip here for all those beach bums worthy.

1. Somdet Phra Srinagarindra 84 Park

Commonly known as Talad Park, it is a public park located in the northern part of town and it’s a great place to spend a few hours when you’re done with all the historic attractions in town. Covering an area of 490 acres, it is divided in 5 main sections; a water bird park which is the natural habitat for many species of birds, and in particular of several waterfowls that migrates every year between January and March; a bird garden featuring a big enclosure with other species of birds; an open zoo with deer, muntjacs, parrots and hornbills; a zoo by the water, with macaques and gibbons; and a health park ideal for those who need a gym during their holiday, with twelve sets of fixed sport equipment.

The park is open every day from 8:30am to 5:00pm, and to get there you can take a public songthaew or, if you rent a motorbike, drive north on Ratchadamnoen road for 2 km from the train station and turn left before the National Stadium.

2. Baan Khiri Wong

Baan Khiri Wong is a small community village where the residents are preserving ancient traditions and are living respecting the beautiful natural environment that surrounds them. Agriculture is the main occupation, but in order to economically sustain their project, almost 30 years ago they started an homestay program where tourists are welcome to join them (or just watch them) in their everyday life and to enjoy some of the outdoor activities; there are treks available, waterfalls to visit and rivers where you can swim. The village is located at the base of Khao Luang, the tallest mountain in South of Thailand (1835 mt), and it is the starting point for all the treks to the summit which can be arranged in the village with a local guide (or at Khao Luang National Park with a park ranger); the trek is quite challenging (it will take 3 days and 2 nights) and is not recommended to beginners. Baan Khiri Wong is a short 25 km drive from Nakhon Si Thammarat; if you don’t have your transportation, a public songthaew departs multiple time every day.

3. Khao Luang National Park

One of the most spectacular and less visited National Parks in Thailand (in 1998 it won the Thailand Tourism award as best natural destination), it covers an area of 600 square km of untouched rainforest, breathtaking waterfalls, a great variety of flora and countless species of animals; according to the visitor center, a small number of Indochinese tigers is still living here, but there hasn’t been any official recording for decades. Unfortunately if you don’t have your transportation, It is not easy to visit since the major attractions are quite far from each other; some of the most beautiful waterfalls are on the opposite side of the mountain, 90 km away from the visitor center, which is instead easily reachable from Nakhon with a public songthaew. Close to the visitor center, Karom Waterfall is worth a visit and a few easy hiking trails start from there. Accommodations and restaurants can be found in several parts of the park which is open from 8:00am till 5:00pm. Admission fee is THB200.

4. Khanom

If you’re searching for some of the best unexplored beaches in Thailand, Khanom should be on your list. A small village in the North of the province, it features at least ten beaches with soft sand, pristine water, no western tourism and an extremely quiet atmosphere. Na Dan is the most popular beach and it’s the only one that can be relatively ‘’crowded’’ during the weekends (which means that you will meet some Thais here and there). The whole village rely on fishing industry so if you’re happy to lay down under a palm tree on a deserted beach all day long and enjoy fantastic seafood at night, this is your place. Few wooden bungalows can be found along with some more high-end resorts. A minivan from Nakhon Si Thammarat depart multiple times every day and cost THB80; the trip takes 1,5 hour.