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Surat Thani to Satun

The road in South Thailand via Krabi

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The road from Surat Thani to Satun via Krabi is almost 500 km. It's a quite pleasant road to cycle of the most of it. If you come from Koh Samui, Koh Panghan or Koh Tao, you may want to stay in Surat Thani town. It's a pleasant overnight stop with some nice night markets. There's not much further to do and most travelers do not even stay here but there's hotels in almost all price ranges available.

If Krabi is your next destination when you come from the island, you may also stay near the railway station. Not that it's a better place but at least you have already cycled 15 km. The Surat Thani railway station is in Phunpin.

The road to Krabi

In fact it's a very simple bike ride from Surat Thani with a few possible stop on this 197 km long journey (I know, the board in Surat Thani says 211 km). It's a mostly flat journey through the paddy fields over a not too busy road.

The first stop you may like to have at Khao Sok, one of the many National Parks in this region. You can stay in one of the bungalows at the lake site. You can kayaking on the lake and relax at the lake side.

After Khao Sok there other options to cycle to. Your first stop after Khao Sok, if you are intended to go to Krabi at least will be Ao Luk or if you can't make it, Thap Put, 16 km north of Ao Luk. Thap Put is a small town, nothing much to stay here. Ao Luk is much nicer. It is located in the middle of a small limestone mountain area.

If you are intended to go to Phuket, take the junction at Thap Put. You can stay there or in Phang Nga (it's another 100 km to Phuket from Phang Nga).

Check our hotels in Phuket for accommodation there

The Krabi area

Krabi is a major tourist destination in Thailand. Although the major attraction of Krabi is not the town, it is quite a pleasant place. There's plenty of western styled restaurants and good and cheap hotels. At the riverside at night there's a good food night market (try some of the fish dishes and sate).

The main attraction of Krabi are of course the beaches and the diving possibilities (though I think it's cheaper to dive from Koh Phi Phi or even Phuket). Popular destinations are Fossil Beach and Ao Nang. If beaches is what you enjoy most, this is your place. It's very touristy, a bit of Kao San Road but pleasant enough. From Krabi town you have to take the main road to Surat Thani/Phuket for a few kilometers and take the junction Ao Nang, it's around 16 km.

You may want to go to some other islands in this area, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, to name a few. There's plenty of boats available for an enjoyable ride to the islands in front of you. You can arrange that from either Krabi town, Ao Nang or Fossil Beach. You can also take a boat to Phuket (yes, with your bicycle).

Stay in Krabi, check out Hotels in Krabi page

The road to Trang and Pak Meng

Most backpackers give Trang a miss. It's not for nothing. There's really not much to keep you there for more then a night. However, the night market has good food and drinks. It is however a necessary stopover either for cycling further to Hat Yai or Satun.

Koh Lanta may be another destination. You can take a boat in Krabi but you can also cycle to Ban Khlong Phon (see the section about the road to Trang) or follow the direction to the Bo Muang pier.

From Krabi it's just over 100 km to Pak Meng, a local tourist destination. Thais from Hat Yai, Trang and even Bangkok come here to enjoy the beautiful beach. It's a good stopover with some small resorts near the beach. During the weekends it can be a bit busy but during the week, you will have the beach for yourself.

To get there, cycle only as far as Sikao which is about 75 km away from Krabi. Take now the junction to Sikao (going straight leads to Trang) and follow the direction further to Pak Meng.

Just north of Pak Meng there's an aquarium to be visited. Many rare species can be seen here. It's a centre for study of marine wildlife.

The road to Satun

If you stay in Trang, follow the direction to the airport in the town. Just outside the town you will directions to Satun which is 145 km south. Fortunately you don't have to cycle the whole distance at once. There are hotels in Thung Wa and Pak Bara.

Coming from Pak Meng, you may want to visit the Had Yao national park, 35 kilometer south of Pak Meng. There's a guesthouse available. Recommended! A bit further on the way is a ferry service to Kantang.

There is no sign for Kantang, only a sign for the ferry which is 2 km from the main road. It's the only place to cross the river other then cycling through Trang. If you cross to Kantang, you can stay here at the Park Hotel. It's near the railway station hidden in a site street.

In case you miss the ferry marker, it's another 25 km to Trang.

There's only one road out of Kantang which leads to Trang. Just before the bridge that crosses the railway (only a kilometer or so out of Kantang), there's a junction to Yan Ta Kao. It's a small very quiet road that will end on road number 4. Go right to Yan Ta Kao (left leads back to Trang), it's another 12 km. Yan Ta Kao is about 28 km away and on the main road to Satun.

There's no hotel in Yan Ta Kao to my knowledge but there is one in Thung Wa, the next town, another 30 km further. The Green Hotel and Resort seems to be a meeting place for young locals so it may be busy in the late afternoon. The name suggest a "hotel and resort", which is a bit too enthusiastic. However, the rooms are clean and spacious and costs B260. In the night the place shows its real face: a karaoke bar. If you have to stay here, make sure you get one of the furthest away rooms to avoid the noise. Thung Wa is in fact no more then a junction with a small market a few shops and a hospital. (Pak Meng to Thung Wa via Kan Tang, 120 km)

Your next destination could be Pak Barra (also spelled as Pak Bara), another 40 km or so further. Just follow the main road to La Ngu, another 28 km and then 11 km to Pak Barra. Although I was informed it was a nice little beach village, I couldn't see the beauty of it. I may have been there in the wrong season, with a long day and heavy rains. There are however boats to Ko Ta Ru Tao, one of the islands a stone throw away and National Park.

From Pak Barra to Satun is another 60 km (La Ngu to Satun 45). Satun is a sleepy little town that comes a bit to life in the evening. The central focus is the night market near the 7 Eleven. There's a few hotels in town.

From Satun to Tammalang is just 8 kilometer. There's nothing to do at the ferry dock. The nearby village however give you a glimpse of the busy fishermen life. Small fishing boats dock here and the fish is partly sold here too for local consumption. Have a seat in one of the small coffee shops and watch life passing by if you have time to kill.

The boats to Langkawi leave at 9.00, 13.00 and 16.00 while boats from Langkawi do the trip back at 8.30, 12.30 and 15.30. The trip takes about one and a half hour. The boats can carry your bicycle. Tickets from Thailand to Langkawi cost B250. You may get charged for your bicycle.

If it had been raining in Pak Barra and you missed Ko Ta Ru Tao, here's your second chance. From the same pier as the boats to Langkawi you can arrange boats to Ko Ta Ru Tao.

Trang to Hat Yai

You may want to continue to Hat Yai. From Trang on you first will find cross a section of hills. Take the road to Phatalung, 63 km from Trang. From there you can cycle direct south to Hat Yai.

If you are ready for a serious long day, you may want to try your luck to follow the direction to the Phraisawan Falls. I haven't found any hotel in this area so you may have to cycle all the way to Hat Yai in one day. Of course you can first visit Phatalung and then take the direction to the falls. This little road is very quiet and flat.

In Ban Mae Khri you will be back at Road number 4, it's another 65 km to Hat Yai.

Back to the top of Krabi to Satun

Back to Cycling in south Thailand

Check out other hotel recommendation for Krabi, Hua Hin, Phuket, Koh Tao and Hat Yai

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