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Phatthalung–Trang 3 Days 2 Nights
Banthat Mountains to the Andaman Sea

Phatthalung and Trang are neighbours sitting just about an hour's drive apart, with the Banthat mountain range running between them. So this trip starts on the Phatthalung side — swimming at a waterfall in the Banthat forest in the middle of the day — then slowly climbs Highway 4 over the ridge to sleep on the Andaman coast in Trang, picking up Pak Meng and Koh Mook with its Emerald Cave before you head home. The route flows one way, so there's no doubling back, and it's an easy self-drive.

🚗 Cross-province self-drive⛰️ Mountains + 🌊 sea in one trip🗓️ 3 days 2 nights
Phatthalung–Trang 3 Days 2 Nights Banthat Mountains to the Andaman Sea

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Why pair Phatthalung with Trang? Because the two towns sit on opposite sides of the Banthat range — Phatthalung is the lake-and-mountains side, Trang is the Andaman Sea side. Town to town is only about 60 km on a single road, Highway 4 (Phetkasem), and the drive takes a little over an hour. That makes it easy to roll them into one trip and get waterfalls, mountain forest and clear sea all within three days.

Route Overview: One-Way, No Backtracking

The heart of this plan is to start in Phatthalung town → climb into the Banthat Mountains on the Kong Ra / Si Nakharin side → head out on Highway 4 over to Trang → drop down to the sea at Pak Meng / Kantang. Every leg moves forward, so you never have to loop back to where you started. On the last day, whether you're heading north again or making for Trang Airport, you're already on the right route.

  • Day 1 — Phatthalung town + Phraiwan Waterfall in the Banthat Mountains, then sleep in Phatthalung town or Kong Ra.
  • Day 2 — Cross the Banthat range into Trang, stop at the Khao Kob Cave, head into Trang town for grilled pork and dim sum, then sleep by the sea at Pak Meng.
  • Day 3 — Take a boat to Koh Mook and the Emerald Cave on the Trang sea before you travel home.

Best time to go

The Emerald Cave and the Trang sea are at their best and safest from November to April (calm winds, clear water). The Emerald Cave itself can only be entered at low tide, roughly 10:00–14:00. In the Andaman rainy season (May–October) the swell picks up and boats are cancelled on some days, so check ahead. On the Phatthalung side the waterfalls run full in the rainy season, but watch for flash floods.

🎟️

Book the activities in your Phatthalung trip ahead

Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.

🎟️ Top tours in PhatthalungHighlights, guided Klook 🎟️ Phatthalung attractions & ticketsSkip-the-line entry tickets Klook 🚐 Day trips from PhatthalungOut and back in a day Klook 🌎 Phatthalung activities (GetYourGuide)Global tour marketplace GetYourGuide
🎟️ See all Phatthalung tours & activities (Klook)

Day 1 — Phatthalung Town + Banthat Waterfall

Day 1

Lake and Banthat Mountains, Phatthalung Side

08:00
Start the morning with khao yam or kopi in Phatthalung townBreakfast in Phatthalung is easy on the wallet — fuel up before heading into the forest.
09:30
Stop at Khao Ok Thalu, the photo landmark of PhatthalungA mountain with a hole punched clean through the middle. You can walk up to the viewpoint if you're up for it, or it photographs well from the bottom too.
11:00
Drive into the Banthat Mountains to Phraiwan Waterfall, Kong Ra districtThe biggest waterfall in Phatthalung, inside the Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary. It's about 40-odd km from town and open 08:00–16:00.
12:30
Swim at the lower tiers + lunch at a waterfall-side spotThe first tier is easy to reach, with cool clear water, and there are made-to-order food shops near the entrance.
15:30
Head back to town, stop at a rice-field café or a local coffee shopPhatthalung has plenty of cafés with paddy-field views — a good place to rest your legs before evening.
18:30
Lakeside seafood dinner + sleep in Phatthalung town or Kong RaPick a place to stay near the Highway 4 exit so you can set off easily the next morning.

Day one is all about soaking up the best of the Phatthalung side — the town's signature mountain at Khao Ok Thalu and a waterfall deep in the Banthat forest. There's no need to rush tonight; get a full rest, because tomorrow is the day you cross the mountains.

Day 2 — Over the Banthat Range into Trang

Day 2

Cross the Ridge, Eat Trang's Food, Hit the Sea at Pak Meng

08:30
Leave Phatthalung, take Highway 4 over the Banthat ridgeThis stretch is a winding mountain climb with forest on both sides — drive it slow and enjoy it, but watch for trucks. You'll pass the Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary checkpoint that straddles the two provinces.
10:00
Stop at the Khao Kob Cave, Huai Yot district, TrangYou take a boat through a cave that runs under the mountain, looking at the stalactites and stalagmites — a quirky Trang highlight. In a few spots you have to lie flat in the boat to slip under the low cave ceiling.
12:00
Into Trang town for the local grilled porkCrispy-skinned grilled pork is Trang's signature dish. Several long-running shops in town open from morning to afternoon, with a small plate starting around 120 THB.
14:00
Walk Trang's old town + the Phraya Ratsadanupradit MuseumThe old home of Trang's governor from the reign of King Rama V — look around the collection and the story of the man who planted Thailand's first rubber tree.
16:30
Drive to Pak Meng Beach, Sikao districtIt's about 40 km from Trang town to Pak Meng — a long beach lined with casuarina pines, with islands large and small dotting the sea offshore.
18:00
Watch the sunset at Pak Meng + beachside seafood dinner, then check inChoose a place to stay around Pak Meng or Hat Yao so you're ready to catch the morning boat the next day.

About the mountain-crossing road

Highway 4 on the Phatthalung–Trang stretch is a well-maintained main road, but it climbs and descends the mountains with plenty of curves. Fill up the tank before you leave town, because petrol stations are sparse in the middle of the mountains and the phone signal is weak in spots.

Day 3 — The Trang Sea, Koh Mook and the Emerald Cave

Day 3

Andaman Boat Trip, Emerald Cave, Heading Home

08:00
Morning dim sum before the boatIf you stayed near town there's still time to grab dim sum at around 20 THB a basket — it's the breakfast culture of Trang locals.
09:30
Take a boat from the Trang pier to Koh MookIt's about a 30-minute boat ride to Koh Mook, the island whose Emerald Cave is the headline draw, with white-sand beaches to relax on too.
11:00
Swim into the Emerald Cave at low tideYou float-swim through a dark tunnel about 80 metres long to come out at a hidden beach in the middle of the island, where the light turns the water emerald green. It can only be entered at low tide, roughly 10:00–14:00.
13:00
Snorkel around the island + lunch on the beachThe Trang sea is clear and the coral is still in good shape. Some tours bundle in Koh Kradan or Koh Cheuk on the same outing.
15:30
Back to the mainland, pack up and travel homeIf you're flying out, Trang Airport is in town and not far to drive from the pier. Or you can loop back to Phatthalung the same way you came.

The last day is the trip's reward. From starting out at a waterfall in the mountain forest, you finish in the clear emerald water of the Andaman — mountains and sea in one trip, for real.

Food You Shouldn't Miss in Both Towns

1

Trang grilled pork

Trang town · open morning–afternoon

Crispy skin, tender meat and the scent of the marinade. Trang locals eat it with coffee in the morning, and it's the dish you have to try when you're in Trang. There are several long-running shops in town.

TrangLocal signature
small plate from ฿120
2

Trang dim sum

Trang town · breakfast

The breakfast culture of Trang locals — sit and sip tea or coffee while small steamer baskets of dim sum pile up across the table. The prices are easy, and the popular shops are spread all over town.

TrangBreakfast
~฿20 per basket
3

Pak Meng beachside seafood

Pak Meng, Sikao · dinner

Fish, prawns and crab straight from the Andaman, at the shops lined up along Pak Meng beach. Eat while you watch the sun go down.

TrangSeafood
4

Phatthalung khao yam

Phatthalung town · breakfast

Southern Thai rice salad tossed with budu sauce for a well-rounded flavour, loaded with fresh herbs — a light breakfast before heading into the Banthat Mountains.

PhatthalungBreakfast
5

Songkhla Lake seafood, Phatthalung side

Lampam, Phatthalung · dinner

Giant freshwater prawns, sea bass and brackish-lake catch, at the lakeside shops around Lampam — a relaxed setting.

PhatthalungSeafood
6

Kaeng tai pla haeng

Both towns

A punchy local curry found in both Phatthalung and Trang, eaten with fresh vegetables and hot steamed rice — fiery in the true southern style.

Southern Thai foodBold flavour

How to Plan Where You Sleep

Night 1

First night: Phatthalung town or Kong Ra

Sleep near the Highway 4 exit so you can set off over the mountains easily the next morning. Phatthalung town has hotels and paddy-view stays to choose from.

Night 2

Second night: Pak Meng or Hat Yao

Sleep right by the sea on the Trang side — walk to the beach, and wake up in time to catch the morning boat to Koh Mook. Options range from beachfront resorts to small guesthouses.

Extend the trip

Option: a night on Koh Mook

If you have more than three days, a night on Koh Mook gets you the sea in the evening and early morning all quiet, before the day-trip crowds arrive.

Tips for a cross-province trip

If you're not driving your own car, renting one in Phatthalung or Trang is the smoothest option, because the sights are spread out and there's little public transport between districts. For the Trang sea boat tours, you can book ahead at Pak Meng or through your accommodation — the price depends on how many islands you stop at.

Want a full Phatthalung plan before you cross over to Trang

See the Phatthalung Travel Guide →

FAQ

Is the drive from Phatthalung to Trang long?

Town to town is about 60 km on a single road, Highway 4 (Phetkasem), taking a little over an hour to drive. It climbs and descends the Banthat Mountains with some curves, but the road is in good condition.

How many days should a Phatthalung–Trang trip take?

Three days and two nights is just about right. Day one covers the mountains and a waterfall on the Phatthalung side, day two crosses into Trang town and down to the sea at Pak Meng, and day three is a boat out to Koh Mook and the Emerald Cave. If you want to take it slower, add a fourth day and spend a night on the island.

When can you visit the Emerald Cave?

Only at low tide, generally around 10:00–14:00. You have to float-swim through a dark tunnel about 80 metres long to get inside. The sea is at its prettiest and safest from November to April; in the rainy season boats are cancelled on some days, so check ahead.

What is there to see on the Phatthalung side before crossing to Trang?

The highlights are Khao Ok Thalu, the town's signature mountain, and Phraiwan Waterfall in the Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary — the biggest waterfall in the province, open 08:00–16:00, where you can easily swim at the lower tiers.

Can you do this route without a private car?

You can, but it's less convenient, because sights like the waterfall and Pak Meng are out of town and public transport between districts is limited. We'd suggest renting a car in Phatthalung or Trang, then booking a Trang sea boat tour at Pak Meng or through your accommodation.

Related

🗺️ Phatthalung Travel Guide🏨 Top 10 Phatthalung Hotels🚗 Phatthalung–Songkhla Trip Plan

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