Things to do in Surat Thani
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Surat Thani
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best window: driest and most comfortable, with January to March safest, and December still wet in its first half.
Hot season: mid thirties heat and rising rain in May, with Songkran on 13 to 15 April and a morning and evening sightseeing rhythm.
Rainy season: heavy bursts, lush country, full waterfalls, rambutan season in August, and boat and trail closures in flood weather.
Wettest Gulf months: flooding and ferry disruption possible, with Chak Phra in October and Loy Krathong in November as the rewards.
What's on
- Chak Phra, Thot Phapa and Long Boat Races October, nine days around Ok Phansa
The city's great festival on the Tapi at Naris Bridge and Ko Lamphu, with Buddha processions on land and water and long boat races.
- Songkran 13 to 15 April
Thai New Year water festival, lively in the city and a nationwide transport crunch.
- Loy Krathong November, full moon night
A beautiful local evening on the Tapi and Ko Lamphu, inside the wettest month, so keep plans flexible.
Best things to do in Surat Thani
Surat Thani City Pillar Shrine
A white Srivijaya style shrine on the river road, the spiritual centre of the city and its most distinctive landmark.
Wat Sai
A small atmospheric old town temple with a carved wooden hall, best as part of a slow old town walk.
San Chao Market
The old shrine market by Wat Sai, lined with southern curry, seafood and dessert stalls run for decades.
Surat Thani Night Market
The Soi Tonpo nightly food market, with two dozen curries at once, grilled seafood, noodle soups and desserts.
Ko Lamphu
A car free island park in the Tapi by the pillar shrine bridge, built for sunset walks, picnics and exercise.
Bandon Pier
The working riverfront and night boat pier, with shrines, food stalls and views across to Ko Lamphu at dusk.
Pracha Rat Floating Market, Bang Bai Mai
A Sunday only canal market west of the centre, with bankside food stalls and short boat rides through palm tunnels.
Tapi River
An evening longtail boat from Bandon Pier into mangrove canals where fireflies pulse in the trees after dark.
Where to stay in Surat Thani
Old Town and Riverfront
markets, temples and walkable dinners
Walk to San Chao Market, Wat Sai, the pillar shrine, Ko Lamphu, Bandon Pier and both night markets.
Sriwichai Road
drivers, families and a pool
Full service facilities, parking and shopping centres, a short drive from the old town food grid.
Talad Mai Road centre
early buses and a full service base
Central grid with the Wang Tai, bus stations and transfer offices close, markets a ride or longer walk away.
Think twice about
- Phunphin station area
Fine for a train, poor as a city base: 15 to 16 km from every city pick, with nothing to walk to at night.
- Donsak pier area
Fine for an early ferry, poor as a city base: about 60 to 65 km east of the city and its markets and restaurants.
- Airport road
Fine for a flight, poor as a city base: west of the city with no walkable food or sights around the hotels.
Best restaurants in Surat Thani
Lamphu 2 Restaurant
The riverbank seafood splurge, famous for giant fresh oysters, river prawns and fierce southern seafood sauces.
Crossroads Riverside
A big open air deck across the bridge serving raw and grilled oysters, crab, prawns and whole steamed fish.
Day & Night of Surat Thani
An acclaimed cafe bar restaurant with international cooking, cocktails and live music, open late daily.
Yok Kheng
A great-value noodle shop of decades standing, famous for morning glory with crispy shrimp over rice noodles.
Tip Pa Rod
An old wok shop with no English sign, frying pad see ew over charcoal so the smoke works into the noodles.
Khao Gaeng Nok Khun Tong
A southern rice and curry stall for breakfast, with catfish curry, turmeric soup and sour curry over rice.
Outdoor things to do in Surat Thani
Wat Suan Mokkh
A forest monastery founded by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu near Chaiya, for a quiet walk or a 10 day silent retreat.
Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya
The finest Srivijaya chedi left in Thailand, a Javanese style stupa ringed by Buddha images in Chaiya town.
Ban Phumriang
A coastal village near Chaiya where weavers still make gold thread silk brocade on old wooden looms at home.
Sinmana Farmstay
An oyster farm stay in Kanchanadit where you boat out to the rafts and eat oysters where they were lifted.
Khao Sok National Park
Ancient rainforest and limestone karsts 119 km west of the city, worth its own nights, not a city day trip.
Cheow Lan Lake
A full lake day by longtail among limestone cliffs from a Khao Sok base, with swimming, kayaking and raft houses.
Best hotels in Surat Thani
Wang Tai Hotel
One of the city's two full service hotels, with a pool and proper restaurants, the local top end in Surat terms.
Diamond Plaza Hotel
The city's landmark full service hotel with two pools and parking, best for families and drivers at fair rates.
CBD Hotel Suratthani
A spacious, good value mid range hotel in the centre, a short walk from San Chao Market and the food lanes.
My Place @ Surat Hotel
The backpacker favourite budget hotel by the riverfront, two blocks from the night market, clean and friendly.
Rajthani Hotel
A clean, central budget hotel steps from both markets and the transfer offices, praised for value and staff.
Is Surat Thani expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | THB 1,200 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | THB 2,500 a person |
| Splurge | THB 5,500 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Sinmana Farmstay: a few days ahead
- Khao Sok National Park: a few days ahead
- Cheow Lan Lake: a few days ahead
- Book city rooms in Full Moon Party weeks and at Chak Phra, and Khao Sok stays and lake boats ahead in peak season.
- Book a Suan Mokkh retreat as a monthly commitment from the 1st, and arrange an oyster farm visit in advance for tides.
- Buy joint bus plus ferry tickets from Phantip or the ferry companies, with the road leg to Donsak built in.
Is Surat Thani safe?
- The main risks are road traffic, heat, and heavy rain with local flooding in October and November.
- Watch your drink in nightlife areas, keep valuables secure at markets and piers, and never leave a passport as a deposit.
Surat Thani travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Agree the weight and total before any seafood sold by weight is cooked at riverside restaurants.
- Confirm whether a tuk tuk or boat price is per person or per vehicle before you board.
- Do not plan a same hour plane to ferry hop, because the airport to Donsak road leg alone is about 90 km.
Getting around Surat Thani: public transport and more
- Walk the old town and riverfront grid, and use songthaews in the city and Grab or taxis for longer hops.
- The airport is about 30 minutes west of the centre, the station at Phunphin is 15 to 16 km west, and Donsak is 1 to 1.5 hours east.
- For Chaiya use the train, a bus or a chartered car, and for Khao Sok use the minivan or a car and sleep there.
Who Surat Thani suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Surat Thani your trip
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