🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Most people picture Nakhon Si Thammarat as the city of Wat Phra Mahathat and Wat Chedi Ai Khai, but the coastline here is long and the seafood is seriously fresh. The Gulf shore stretches from Khanom district, home to the pink dolphins, through Sichon with its fishing villages, down to Pak Phanang and Laem Talumphuk where the river meets the sea. Each area has its own style of seafood spot, so we've picked both the scenic places right on the beach and the no-frills local joints where the catch is fresh and the prices are kind.
Nakhon seafood you have to order
Before you pick a restaurant, get to know what this coast does best — these are the dishes the local catch nails and that come in cheaper here than elsewhere. Order this whole spread and you've pretty much covered the Gulf flavours of Nakhon.
- Steamed blue crab — the star around Pak Phanang and Sichon. Live blue crab, steamed so the meat is sweet and firm, dipped in a sharp seafood sauce. In some seasons you get crab with a shell full of roe. Prices move with the daily catch.
- Fresh squid — banana squid and bigfin squid straight off the boat, done as squid stir-fried with salted egg, steamed with lime, sweet stir-fried squid roe, or grilled. The flesh has a clean bite and isn't rubbery because it's genuinely fresh.
- Sea bass & mullet — sea bass fried with fish sauce or steamed with lime is the standard go-to, while the sour curry with mullet roe is a southern flavour the seaside spots around Khanom do really well.
- Blood cockles & oysters — cockles blanched just enough to stay juicy, plus fresh oysters from the Pak Phanang area, raised in the brackish water of the river mouth, so they come out plump.
- Shrimp & stink beans with shrimp — grilled tiger prawns or grilled shrimp, and shrimp-paste stir-fried with stink beans (sator) and fresh shrimp, a homestyle southern dish. Seafood meets southern curry paste and it just works.
Order smart
Seafood is priced by weight and by the day's catch. Before you order, ask the price per kilo and ask to see the catch first — especially for crab and shrimp — so there are no surprises when the bill comes. Most beachside places are happy to let you pick your own.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Nakhon Si Thammarat food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Khanom–Sichon–Pak Phanang seafood spots locals go to
These are the places reviews consistently agree on for fresh seafood and a good setting, ordered by how well they suit visitors who want a seaside seafood meal without misses. You'll find both million-baht-view restaurants and easy-on-the-wallet fishing-village joints. Hours and prices are rough estimates that can shift with the season and the catch, so check the restaurant's page or call ahead.
Khanom Seafood (Branch 1, Nai Plao Beach)
The most famous spot in Khanom, set on a small rise above Nai Plao Beach with a full view of the curving Khanom bay. The two-storey dining room is spacious and every plate of seafood is fresh. Regulars go for the sweet stir-fried squid roe, sour curry with mullet roe, and blanched cockles. Great for a big group that wants the view too.
Krua Phuthon Khanom
A small roadside spot on the Khanom road near Nai Plao Beach, serving local Khanom food with full, properly southern flavours. The signature is shrimp-paste stir-fried with stink beans and fresh shrimp, plus seafood stir-fried in curry paste. Cheaper than the view restaurants and good for anyone after the real homestyle taste.
Ao Khanom Seafood
A newer place right on the Sichon–Khanom coastal road, set on a small hill with open sea views, split into seafood, cafe and accommodation zones. There's a candlelit dinner area in the evening, so it suits couples or photo-takers who want the setting alongside fresh seafood.
Sichon Seafood (Laem Thong Fishing Village)
A homestyle seafood spot on the canal in Sichon's fishing village, with the catch coming straight off the boats — big shrimp, springy crab meat, firm shellfish. The low prices are the draw, and it's where Sichon locals take guests for the real thing.
Lae Le Sichon
A waterfront seafood restaurant in Sichon with views over the water and greenery. Standouts are blue crab baked with glass noodles, steamed blue crab meat, grilled tiger prawns, mixed seafood sour curry, and sea bass fried with fish sauce — all done the traditional way. Good for a family meal.
Yok Le Seafood Sichon (Bang Di Beach)
A beachside spot on Bang Di Beach with tables right on the sand where you can dig your feet in. The catch is fresh and good — live blue crab, springy shrimp, cockles blanched just right. Made for settling in for a long evening with the sea breeze.
Krua Cha Run, Laem Talumphuk
A seafood spot out at the tip of Laem Talumphuk in Pak Phanang. The signatures are spicy crab roe and sweet steamed blue crab, eaten at the very end of the cape with a view of the river mouth opening onto the Gulf. Pairs well with a trip to Laem Talumphuk itself.
Krua Mueang Nang Seafood (Pak Phanang Hotel)
A seafood spot in central Pak Phanang town near the Pak Phanang Hotel, with seafood fresh from the river mouth. The stir-fried seafood in curry paste and the sour curry come out properly southern. A solid in-town Pak Phanang meal that saves you the drive out to the cape.
Khanom Yim Seafood, Pak Phanang
A seaside seafood spot around Pak Phanang that people stumble on and end up loving. The catch comes off the local boats, the seaside setting is relaxed, and the prices are local. A quiet stop that the crowds haven't fully found yet.
Beachside seafood stalls, Laem Talumphuk (local row)
Along the Laem Talumphuk shore there's a row of local seafood stalls. Steamed blue crab and fresh sea bass come straight off the local fishing boats, the vibe is rustic and the sea breeze is strong. Just pick the stall with the heaviest catch that day.
Straight talk
The catch at these seaside spots isn't the same every day. On rough-sea days fewer boats go out, so crab and squid can be scarce or pricier. If you've got your eye on a particular dish, call ahead. And for the spots out at the tip of Laem Talumphuk and in the Sichon fishing village, you'll really want your own vehicle — public transport struggles to reach them.
Which area to pick for your itinerary
- Khanom — best for anyone coming to see the pink dolphins and settle in by the sea for a few days. Plenty of scenic restaurants, mid to slightly higher prices in exchange for the setting, centred on Nai Plao Beach.
- Sichon — halfway between the city and Khanom, with a fresh catch at good prices since it's a fishing village. Great for a meal before or after visiting Wat Chedi Ai Khai nearby.
- Pak Phanang & Laem Talumphuk — for fresh catch at local prices and a genuine fishing-village feel, strong on blue crab and oysters. It's the furthest from the city, though, so plan to drive and leave extra time.
How to eat Nakhon seafood and get value
- Ask the price per kilo before ordering — crab and shrimp are by weight, so ask them to weigh it and quote the price first, and the bill won't catch you out.
- Go when a fresh catch comes in — boats land from morning into the late morning, so the freshest seafood is usually a lunch-to-afternoon meal. Dinner gets you the atmosphere, but some things may have sold out.
- Bigger groups get better value — seafood comes as sharing plates, so more people means you try more and split it cheaper.
- Allow time for the drive — Khanom is about an hour and a half from the city, Sichon about an hour, Pak Phanang about an hour. Plan to arrive before the catch runs out.
Want a well-placed base for circling around Nakhon's seafood coast?
See the Top 10 hotels in Nakhon Si Thammarat →