A thousand-year-old stupa, Ai Khai of Wat Chedi, shadow-puppet cafes, and waterfalls plus the Gulf coast
Nakhon Si Thammarat, which southerners just call Mueang Khon, is an old city built around the Phra Borommathat stupa since ancient times. People come to pray at the stupa, to visit Ai Khai of Wat Chedi who is famous across the country, and to walk the cultural street where the ol
Start with stays →Mueang Khon khanom jeen — The city's signature breakfast, fresh noodles
Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan — The great Phra Borommathat stupa that is the h
Khanom district — The province's northern seaside, where you
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7.3Highlights and sights around Nakhon Si Thammarat — nature, city and culture
The great Phra Borommathat stupa that is the heart of the city. Locals hold it in deep respect and come to pray and view the relics in the hall. It is the first thing that comes to mind when you mention this province.
An image of a temple boy that people believe grants wishes. Crowds come from all over the country to ask for luck in fortune and work, and the stalls around the temple sell offerings like roosters, firecrackers, and toy soldier outfits.
The province's northern coast, where you can take a boat out to see pink dolphins. There are quiet beaches, Koh Nui Nok, and the Khao Phlai Dam viewpoint. This is the seaside people like to stay on.
The Tha Mon quarter and the area around the old city wall still show old buildings, the city pillar shrine, and shops selling Nakhon nielloware. It is the part of town for strolling, eating, and soaking up the Mueang Khon mood.
Nakhon is the home of nang talung shadow puppets and the manora dance. The Suchart shadow-puppet house lets you watch puppets being made, while Nakhon nielloware is the province's renowned black-inlaid silverwork.
The western side of the province is the Khao Luang forest, with several waterfalls like Krung Ching, Phrom Lok, and Ai Khiao, good for a swim and a hike on days when you want to skip the sea.
Nakhon Si Thammarat's signature food — real local spots, rounded up and ranked
The city's signature breakfast, fresh noodles eaten with nam ya, nam prik, taipla curry, and green curry, with a big pile of fresh veg on the side. The famous shops open early and people line up.
Curry shops line up a dozen dishes in trays, taipla curry, kaeng lueang, khua kling, stir-fried chili, properly bold southern flavors, ladled over one plate of rice to fill you up. You find it all over town.
Bold local southern dishes, taipla curry rich and salty-spicy, while khua kling pork or beef is fragrant with curry paste. Eaten with hot steamed rice and fresh vegetables.
Both coasts sit on the Gulf, so fish, squid, shrimp, and blue crab come in fresh. The seaside shops around Khanom and Pak Phanang cook it many ways, and there are shrimp paste and dried seafood to take home.
The southern tea-shop culture, roti crisp outside and soft inside with hot pulled tea, a breakfast and snack the locals sit over and chat at their leisure.
Mueang Khon has a lot of new cafes, both shops in old buildings in the old quarter and cafes with mountain views. Coffee lovers can drop in to relax and find plenty of angles for photos.
Khanom la, crisp-fried lacy threads, is a famous treat, in both crisp and soft versions, sold as gifts alongside other southern local sweets at markets and souvenir shops.
Khiriwong mangosteen, pomelo, and lime are the local fruits, while the popular souvenirs are khanom la, Nakhon nielloware, and shrimp paste from Pak Phanang.
Ready-made plans — from a day trip to 2–3 days, plus routes to neighbouring provinces
Best time to go, getting around, and what to know before visiting Nakhon Si Thammarat
December–April for clear skies, easy beach and waterfall trips; the heavy rains run October–December, best avoided
The great Phra Borommathat stupa that is the heart of the city.
An image of a temple boy that people believe grants wishes. Crow
The province's northern coast, where you can take a boat out to
The Tha Mon quarter and the area around the old city wall still
Nakhon is the home of nang talung shadow puppets and the manora
The western side of the province is the Khao Luang forest, with
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🛶The 'town of a hundred islands' on the Gulf of Thailand — gateway to Samui, Cheow Lan Lake, and the old temple town of Chaiya
Explore Surat Thani →
🏝️Andaman limestone cliffs, white-sand beaches, clear islands, rock climbing at Railay, and emerald-green water
Explore Krabi →
🐷The Andaman coast's food town — morning roast pork, hot dim sum, the Emerald Cave, and quiet islands made for slow nights
Explore Trang →
🌾A lakeside town on Songkhla Lake — Khao Ok Thalu mountain, red lotus blooms at Thale Noi, rice fields with water buffalo, and the home of shadow puppetry and Manora dance
Explore Phatthalung →Nakhon Si Thammarat, which southerners just call Mueang Khon, is an old city built around the Phra Borommathat stupa since ancient times. People come to pray at the stupa, to visit Ai Khai of Wat Chedi who is famous across the country, and to walk the cultural street where the old-town feel lingers alongside shadow-puppet craft and nielloware.
The province is large and has it all, mountains and sea. There are waterfalls and the Khao Luang forest to the west, and beaches plus Khanom with its pink dolphins on the Gulf side. The food is bold southern Thai all over town, from morning khanom jeen to southern curry-and-rice shops with a dozen dishes to choose from.
Best time: December–April for clear skies, easy beach and waterfall trips; the heavy rains run October–December, best avoided
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