T.I.C.D.: Trang coast & offshore islands
The coastal shores of Trang province, condensed.
Welcome back to the Thai Island & Coastal Directory, a book-in-progress that promises to be the most complete guide to coastal Thailand ever written in English, covering more than 800 islands. For info on how to use the T.I.C.D. and a working Table of Contents, paddle over here. Thank you for reading!
Re-entering Trang province…
Trang provincial coast, offshore islands and inland reaches
The easily overlooked coast of Trang province extends for some 100 km between Krabi in the north and Satun in the south. Most travelers spare little time for it, visiting the province instead for its stellar islands. But for a coastal excursion or simply as a place to pass through between islands, mainland Trang is a pleasure.
Directly off its shores are 34 obscure islands, some of which may be of interest for a paddle or perhaps a casual longtail boat trip if you’re hitting the coast anyway. These islands join Mu Ko Libong along with Ko Sukorn and Ko Lao Liang to give Trang province 47 islands in total — or 30 if not including estuary islands.
Trang’s coastal geography is wonderfully varied. Beaches, capes, cliffs and villages join a bunch of river estuaries supporting extensive mangrove forests. The coast is very quiet from start to finish, with minimal urban areas and no major fishing hubs or industrial zones interrupting the natural scenery.
Near some of the long and empty beaches, 4 notable piers service ferries to terrific islands like Ko Ngai, Ko Mook and Ko Libong. Reaching the piers from the provincial capital, Mueang Trang, is easy, and I’ve long appreciated the easygoing vibes that pervade this provincial capital. Food enthusiasts might spend a couple of nights in the city, a prospect that is backed by a strong selection of lodgings.
The 4,918-sq.-km province also hosts the entirety of one small national park, Hat Chao Mai, encompassing its namesake mainland beach to go with a bit of Ko Mook and Ko Kradan. Much of the mountainous jungle in Trang’s east is shared with Phatthalung province as part of Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary and Khao Pu - Khao Ya National Park. Out there, many waterfalls draw few travelers.
