Ranong Travel

Best time to visit

Ranong is actually the wettest of all of Thailand’s provinces and therefore the window for visiting this region is shorter than most Thai destinations.

It is not recommended to visit during the monsoon season as Ranong can experience torrential downpours daily. The main monsoon season runs from May to October with fairly substantial rains falling during the shoulder months of April and November too. January, February and March are particularly dry months but do see most days reaching 30 degrees Celsius.

Check the below table for the general idea of Ranong weather throughout the year.

Ranong’s current weather and 7-day forecast

RANONG WEATHER

Remote, rural, and rainy, Ranong is Thailand’s most northern province along the Andaman Coast. Varied attractions and activities make this a great place for anyone wanting to experience one of Thailand’s lesser-visited Southern provinces.

1. Visit Ngao National Park

Just a short drive from the heart of Ranong Town, Ngao National Park is most famous for its large waterfall that spreads across the grey craggy rock face. You can admire the falls from afar or follow a well-marked trail to get to the base of the cascades. There are lookout points that provide sweeping vistas across the surroundings, and you’ll spot an array of local flora and fauna.

2. See the curious Bald Hills

Ranong’s Bald Hills are an unusual sight alongside a major road—a few grassy hills stand out for being almost entirely devoid of trees and shrubs, unlike the surrounding hills, mountains, and fields. Nobody knows why plants fail to flourish on these particular mounds. 

3. Soak at Pornrung Hot Springs

Relaxing at Pornrung Hot Springs, close to Ngao National Park, is a great way to combat travellers’ fatigue. There are communal baths containing naturally heated waters of varying temperatures and you can plunge into the refreshingly cool waters of the river to cool down between soaks. The springs are surrounded by nature and are popular with holiday-making Thais.

4. Discover Ranong Canyon

While it’s unlikely to be the most amazing natural sight you’ll encounter on your travels through Thailand, Ranong Canyon is a pleasant sight in the mountains. The drive to reach the water-filled canyon is scenic, and you can unwind and admire the views from a small grassy park next to the canyon. It’s a good place to spot local bird life and feed the large fish.

5. Gaze upon Punyaban Waterfall

Several kilometres outside of the town, Punyaban Waterfall is easy to reach. No hiking is required to admire the falls which sit next to the road. You can enjoy walks in nature and relax on the rocks.

6. Luxuriate at Ranong Hot Springs

In the heart of town, the mineral-rich Ranong Hot Springs are said to be among the most healing hot springs on the planet. Open until fairly late in the evening, there are communal hot springs that can be enjoyed for free. They often get crowded in the evenings, so you may want to consider paying the small entrance fee for the private springs fenced off next to the public baths. Steam rises into the air and there are both hot and cold pools, with the water temperature reaching as high as 40-42 degrees Centigrade.     

7. Take a trip to Koh Phayam

One of the most popular islands off the coast of Ranong, Koh Phayam is connected to the mainland by regular ferry and speedboat services. Rural and rustic, the way of life on the island is pretty olde worlde. There are no mass developments, letting the island retain an idyllic charm that has now been lost on many of Thailand’s more touristic islands. There are enough facilities and amenities to be comfortable, though, with a number of basic guest houses, restaurants, and chilled-out bars. There’s no public transportation on the island—many visitors opt to rent a scooter to explore the narrow paths. Alternatively, you can hitch a ride with a tractor or catch a motorbike taxi. Secluded white-sand beaches, mangroves, and nature are the island’s main draws, and you may spot majestic hornbills in the trees.

8. Explore Ranong’s rural areas

Ranong is a great place to observe traditional Thai agricultural life and roam through the countryside and mountains. Chickens peck in the dirt around rickety wooden and tin homes, while dogs wait to protect their lands from intruders. Wet laundry hangs outside, women cook over gas burners outdoors, and kids gaily play. People can be seen working in the fields and you might spot trucks loaded with coconuts and working monkeys.  

9. Enjoy up beaches and mangroves

There are several nice beaches off the coast of Ranong, though most are a short distance from the centre of town. Chan Damri Beach is one of the closest beaches to the town, and others include Praphat, Kaey, Bang Ben, and Leam Son Beaches. The coastal area also has patches of interesting mangroves that are rich in marine life.

10. Observe unusual mudskippers

Head to muddy coastal areas and you may be able to spot the unusual mudskipper—a fish that can walk on land. Watching the busy hybrid creatures scoot across the mud using their fins and returning to the water for a swim is really quite captivating. Mud crabs can often be seen too.

11. Soak up culture at Rattanarangsan Palace

Ranong’s Rattanarangsan Palace is perched atop a small hill in the town centre. It is a beautiful replica of an older throne hall that once stood at the same spot. Built in 2015, the elegant wooden building shows how Siamese royalty of old once lived. Open to the public as a museum, it features reconstructions of bedrooms and recreational areas, a main hall, and information boards.

12. Experience the local night scene

Ranong Town has a decent selection of places to eat and drink in the evening. While you won’t find any pumping party places, you can enjoy a low-key drink in bars that are perhaps fancier than you would expect for a lesser-visited province. You’ll also find a good range of both foreign and Thai food to satisfy your hunger.

Budget options

Sabai Sabai Beach Bungalows 

Add: 1/2 Koh Phayam, 85000 Ko Phayam, Thailand

With a peaceful beachfront location on Ko Phayam, Sabai Sabai offers private bungalows and free WiFi access.
Some bungalows have air conditioning, while others are equipped with a fan, a mosquito net and a private bathroom with a shower. Towels are also provided. Electricity is available 24 hours everyday.

At Sabai Sabai you will find a natural garden, cushioned decks and hammocks to unwind on. The shared lounge area has a selection of books, as well as an outdoor movie cinema. Activities in the surrounding area include hiking, canoeing, and surfing.

Meals are served at the restaurant and cocktails can be enjoyed at the on-site bar

Jirasin Hotel & Apartment 

Add: 15/215 Soi15 Rattanakosin 200 years Rd, T.Bangrin, Muang, 85000 Ranong, Thailand

Set in Ranong in the Ranong Province region, Jirasin Hotel & Apartment offers accommodation with free WiFi and free private parking.

All units feature air conditioning and a cable flat-screen TV.

A terrace can be found at the aparthotel, along with a shared lounge.

Cede Boutique Beach Resort 

Add: 60 Moo5, A.Muang, Ranong, 85000 Ko Phayam, Thailand

Cede Boutique Beach Resort is located on Aow Yai Beach on Koh Phayam. It features bright and airy bungalows with modern interiors. Other facilities include billiards and a restaurant. Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas.

Resort Cede Boutique Beach is 4 km from Ao Kao Kwai and 7 km from Ao Mae Mai. This property offers free parking.
Boasting a private terrace, comfortable bungalows are equipped with air conditioning, a sofa seating area and a flat-screen TV. They also come with a safety deposit box and DVD player. Their en site bathroom comes with free toiletries and shower facilities.

For meals, enjoy Thai and European cuisines, as well as refreshing beverages at Cede Restaurant from 07:00-22:00 hrs.

TOBEDzZ HOTEL 

Add: 109/1 TO BED Z หมู่ 1 ถนนเพชรเกษม ตำบลบางริ้น อำเภอเมืองระนอง, 85000 Ranong, Thailand

Located in Ranong, 2.4 km from Raksa Warin Hot Spring, TOBEDzZ HOTEL provides accommodation with free WiFi and free private parking. This 2-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage space. The hotel features family rooms.

Guest rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a fridge, a kettle, a bidet, a hairdryer and a desk. Each room is equipped with a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries.

Bamboo Bungalows 

Add: 56 หมู่ 1 ตำบลเกาะพยาม อำเภอเมืองระนอง, 85000 Ko Phayam, Thailand

Located in Ko Phayam, 500 m from Aow Yai Beach, Bamboo Bungalows provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a bar and a garden. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. Guests can have a drink at the snack bar.

At the resort, each room has a balcony. With a private bathroom, rooms at Bamboo Bungalows also offer free WiFi.

Rabbit Bungalow 

Add: 1/69 Ao Khao Kwai Rd. Ko Phayam, Amper Muang, Ranong, 85000 Ko Phayam, Thailand

Located in Koh Phayam, Rabbit Bungalow offers cosy bungalows with a private balcony. Situated 200 m from Ao Khao Kwai, it features on-site parking and a 24-hour front desk. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout. Guests can borrow a boat to cruise in the water lily lake for free.

Rabbit Bungalow is 50 m from Koh Phayam Natural Lake and 1.5 km from Koh Phayam Pier.

Each bungalow here is provided with a fan and an en suite bathroom with shower facilities.

The residence is 200 m from local restaurants and shops.

Mid-range options

The Farm House Hotel Ranong 

Add: 311/1 Ruengraj Road, Kaoniwet, Muang Ranong, 85000 Ranong, Thailand

The Farm House Hotel Ranong is a 5-minute drive from Ranong Bus Terminal. It offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi. This property features a 24-hour front desk, shuttle and laundry services.

The hotel is a 10-minute drive to Raksawarin Hot Spring. It is a 20-minute drive from Ranong Airport.

Rooms come with a TV and refrigerator. Shower facilities are included in an en suite bathroom.

Guests can enjoy dining at its on-site restaurant serving from 11:30 to 21:00 hrs.

Local dining outlets can also be found around the property.

The Galla Hotel 

Add: Ruangrat, 85000 Ranong, Thailand

Situated in Ranong, 1.3 km from Rattanarangsan Palace, The Galla Hotel features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. With free WiFi, this 3-star hotel has a bar and a garden. The accommodation offers room service, a business centre and luggage storage for guests.

All rooms are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a fridge, a kettle, a bidet, a hairdryer and a desk. At the hotel the rooms are fitted with a wardrobe and a private bathroom.

A à la carte breakfast is available each morning at The Galla Hotel.

The accommodation offers a terrace.

PP Land Beach Eco Resort 

Add: 7/20 m1 Koh Phayam , 85000 Ko Phayam, Thailand

PP Land Beach Eco Resort is located on Ao Hin Khao Beach. It offers sea view bungalows with fan and free Wi-Fi. The property is equipped with a swimming pool, laundry service and free public parking.

The resort is a 5-minute drive from Koh Payam Temple. It is a 10-minute to Koh Payam Pier and a local market.

Each bungalow at PP Land Beach Eco Resort is fitted with a balcony, a seating area and a mosquito net. Shower facilities are included in a private bathroom.

Guests can enjoy Thai and western dishes at the resort’s restaurant.

Hornbill Bungalow 

Add: 1/44, Moo. 5, Koh Phayam, Mueang, Ranong, 85000 Koh Chang Ranong, Thailand 

Facing the beachfront in Koh Chang Ranong, Hornbill Bungalow features a restaurant and a garden. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. The guest house has a private beach area.

At the guest house, each room includes a balcony. With a private bathroom, rooms at Hornbill Bungalow also offer free WiFi.

Guests at the accommodation will be able to enjoy activities in and around Koh Chang Ranong, like hiking, snorkelling and diving.

The Hidden Resort 

Add: 145/94 Moo 4, T.Bang-Norn A.Muang, 85000 Ranong, Thailand

Nestled amidst lush gardens, The Hidden Resort is located in Ranong city centre. It is a 25-minute drive to Ranong Airport. Offering free Wi-Fi throughout the property, the hotel provides free private parking on site.

Fitted with a terrace, each air-conditioned room features a flat-screen TV, fridge, coffee machine and minibar. A sofa and safe are provided. Shower facilities and bathtub are included in an en suite bathroom.

The hotel offers meeting facilities and laundry services. For leisure, guests can take a stroll in the garden, or simply relax in the stylish room.

A wide range of Thai and International cuisine can be sampled at The Hidden Café. A selection of bakery is also available. Guests can enjoy refreshing drinks at the bar.

Rattana Bungalow Koh Chang 

Add: 1/101 Moo 1 Koh Phayam, 85000 Koh Chang Ranong, Thailand

Set in Koh Chang Ranong, Rattana Bungalow Koh Chang offers a restaurant. The guest house has family rooms.
All guest rooms at the guest house come with a seating area. Featuring a private bathroom, rooms at Rattana Bungalow Koh Chang also have a garden view.

Deluxe options

Numsai Khaosuay Resort 

Add: 14/19 Permpol Rd, Khaoniwes, Muang, Ranong, 85000 Ranong, Thailand 

Namsai Khaosuay Resort is a 10-minute drive from Suan Rukka Thammachat. It offers modern air-conditioned rooms with a balcony and free Wi-Fi. Guests can relax by the pool or arrange massage treatments at the 24-hour front desk.
The resort is 500 m from Ranong Bus Terminal. It is a 15-minute drive from the airport.

Rooms at Namsai Khaosuay are fitted with a flat-screen TV, a minibar and a wardrobe. Shower facilities are included in an en suite bathroom. Some rooms come with a DVD player and a bathtub.

For guests’ convenience, the resort is equipped with meeting facilities and laundry services. Free private parking is possible on site.

Lela Restaurant serves Thai and European cuisines. Drinks and light snacks can be enjoyed at Ka Yu Bar.

The Blue Sky Resort @ Ranong 

Add: 170 Moo 5, Tambol Paknam, Amphur Muang, 85000 Ranong, Thailand 

Overlooking the sea, the 4-star Blue Sky Resort is located in Ranong. It features a swimming pool, beachfront restaurant and luxurious accommodation with a balcony. Free Wi-Fi and parking are provided.

Spacious suites feature elegant modern interiors and neutral colour tones. Each well-appointed room has a cable TV, minibar and personal safe. Shower facilities are in the en suite bathroom.

Guests can enjoy a relaxing body massage at Lemon Spa, or relax on the beach. Staff at the tour desk can assist with travel and sightseeing bookings.

Available for all-day dining, Sorrento beachside restaurant serves a variety of Thai and international dishes. Room service is also available upon request.

There are plenty of restaurants along the main city road (Ruengrat Road). Many of these are foreigner oriented, but there are also Thai ones.

Tha Mueng Food Court, Tha Mueng Rd 

Several Thai dishes to choose from in a compact area. Drinks and tables to sit down are available as well. If you like Som Tam, you will love the mangosteen salat at the stall on the left called nam mangosteen. The owner speaks good english, so it is no problem tell her how spicy you like it.  

Ranong Hideaway

This restaurant has been established since 2004 and has a good reputation. Popular with affluent Thais, and the locals appear to enjoy mixing with foreigners. Serves both Western and Thai food. 

J&T restaurant

Lovely small air conditioned restaurant which is very popular among Thais. They now a have menu in English and serve some European dishes. Prices are anything between 40 and 70 baht per dish.  

Get in

By plane

Nok Air flies daily from Bangkok Don Muang (DMK) to Ranong at (generally) 0600 and 1600 (times are variable depending on the day of the week so check the airline timetable (as at July 2016). Air Asia Thailand has flights from around 100 USD (including 20 kg of luggage) around noon in the peak season.

The airport is 23km south of town and is well-served by taxis.

Contact us for the latest flight schedule and price. Or you can check via some online platform such as SkyScanner.com or Kayak.com

Here you can find some tips to book the cheapest flight

By train

The nearest train station is at Chumphon.

Mini-bus

Mini-buses from Chumphon depart roughly hour from 6am to 5pm from Thatapoa (actually Thatapao) Rd in Chumphon, close to the Suriwong Hotel. Cost 150 THB and take around 2 hours. They stop at the out of town bus station just off Highway 4.

By bus

The bus from Chumphon's central bus terminal stops at a place some 2km out of town at the booking agency for this particular bus company (Rangsit Tours), and just to the left of Highway 4, the main road north/south. A couple of hundred metres distant is the main bus station.

Numerous and relatively frequent full-size buses of various classes connect with Chumphon and Bangkok and all major points in between; with Phuket and Krabi via Takua Pa and Khao Lak and other key points in Phang Nga Province (most direct route to Trang and Satun is via Krabi); and with Surat Thani which acts as the gateway to just about everywhere else.

As of March 2013, travel from Takua Pa to Ranong by air-con VIP bus cost 160 baht and took 3 hr.

Travel from Krabi bus terminal to Ranong costs 210 baht and takes about 6 hours (buses leaving at 8:30 am, and 12 am). Or there is a minibus at 1.30pm to Takau pa for 200 baht and you change to a bus from there for 140 baht at 5pm or 6:40pm (March 2017).

From Bangkok's Southern Bus Station (Sai Dtai Mai) on Boromrachachonanni Rd. there are several options for direct connections, for example by Chohk Anand and New Mitr. They take 10 hours and cost ~ 400 to 650 Baht. When these companies stop at a highway restaurant to break the journey, they may throw in free of charge light meals (April 2019).
For any travel information you can stop at Ranong Coffee and Information, located on your left just as you walk out from the bus station to the main road. The Thai owner, Nong, is very helpful and speaks fluent English. They also offer free luggage storage.

If coming from Prachuap, the bus will cost 370 baht and takes 6 hours.

By boat

Hundreds of longtail boats connect Ranong with Kawthoung in Myanmar, and take about 20 minutes to cross. They can be chartered individually or shared with other travellers and/or locals.

Get around

There are motorcycle taxis from the bus station which will take you wherever for a price. You can also jump into a Songtheaw to take you into town for about 15 baht.

With the Songteow (2 bench pick up truck), there are three different ones within the City. A green one goes goes to and from the bus station, but only about every half hour. There were also brown and blue ones seen at the bus station (June 2017), and a red one went to the in-town market, which is on the main hotel road, about a kilometre distant from the hotels.

To get back to the bus station, a red songteow was stopped before the market on the hotel road,and went within 300 metres of the bus station, still for the usual B15.

This small city is easily walked around, but if you want to go further, then you will need to use a songteow. There are different coloured ones, each taking a different route. If you are unsure, stop one and ask. It does appear that each can be different, as red ones were noticed with number 3 and number 4 (etc) written on the side.

Hourly boats (a little larger, also taking about 20 minutes) ferry gamblers to and from Thahtay Kyun, a small island adjacent to Kawthoung where the Andaman Club casino and golf resort has its own immigration facilities.

We recommend you check the latest bus schedule and price via rome2rio.com