|
The
Southern Thailand
Southern
Thailand extends through the Kra Isthmus from Chumphon, 460 kilometres
south of Bangkok, to the Thai-Malaysian border, and is bordered
to the east by the Gulf of Thailand, to the west by the Indian Ocean.
Major places
of interest include Chumphon which has several lovely beaches, birds'
nest islands and excellent scuba-diving waters; Ranong, 564 kilometres
from Bangkok, which has a Hot Spa Health Resort; Surat Thani's Samui
Island, Thailand's second largest island and jewel of a sparkling
archipelago that contains the lovely Angthong Marine National Park;
Nakhon Si Thammarat, 774 kilometres from Bangkok, and major centre
of southern Thai handicrafts;Songkhla 974 kilometres from Bangkok,
where the Great Songkhla Lake hosts the 520-square-kilometre Khu
Khut Waterfowl Park; Pattani and Narathiwat where numrous fishing
communities have hand-painted, lavishly decorated boats; Tarutao
Marine National Park, a 51 -island cluster covering some 1400 square
kilometres near the Thai-Malaysian Indian Ocean maritime border;
Hat Yai, 947 kilometres from Bangkok, southern Thailand's principal
commercial, communications and entertainment centre; Phatthalung
with its Thale Noi Nok Nam bird sanctuary; Krabi's outstanding beautiful
Phi Phi islands, and the 75-million-year-old Susan Hoi shell graveyard;
Phang Nga's eerily beautiful Phang Nga Bay where verdant limestone
islands, honeycombed with caves and aquatic grottoes, soar perpendicularly
to heights of 300 metres from almost perpetually calm waters; and
Phuket, 867 kilometres from Bangkok, Thailand's largest island (the
approximate size of Singapore), which has magnificent beaches and
bays, and probably the best seafood in Thailand.
Major
Regional Events
MAY
Lak Muang Fair..................................................
Yala
Thai Products & Fruits Fair.......................... Songkhla
SEPTEMBER
Tenth Lunar Month Festival....... Nakhon Si Thammarat
Boat Races.............................................. Narathiwat
OCTOBER
Chak Phra Festival Et Boat Races............. Surat Thani
Vegetarian Festival......................................... Phuket
|
