🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Ranong is a small town that stretches along the Andaman coast. Most people think of Koh Phayam first, but with only 2 days and 1 night, an island run eats up so much travel time you'll barely have room for anything else. So this plan cuts the boats out and focuses on what you can do comfortably within the town and the river mouth. Everything sits within about 15 kilometres, easy to cover by car or rented motorbike.
Who this plan is for
- First-timers in Ranong who want to tick off the town's highlights without tiring themselves out on a boat
- Travellers short on time with a single weekend, or stopping over on the way up to Chumphon or down to Phang Nga
- The relaxed crowd who'd rather soak in mineral water, stroll the old town and eat well than go all-in on the sea
- Families or anyone travelling with older relatives who find long boat rides uncomfortable
Before you set off
Ranong gets the heaviest rainfall in Thailand. The clear-sky window for easy travel is December through April, but the upside of this plan is that almost everything is in town, so you can still do most of it in the rainy season without much trouble. Just pack an umbrella and shoes you don't mind getting wet.
Book the activities in your Ranong 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.
Day 1 — Old Town + Raksawarin Hot Springs
The first day starts with a breakfast Ranong is known for, then a walk through the old town while the sun is still gentle. In the afternoon you head up to a viewpoint in the middle of town, then finish by soaking in the hot mineral water to ease your legs before dinner.
Old town + a mineral-water soak
About the Raksawarin mineral water
Raksawarin mineral water is known for being clean enough to bottle and drink, with no sulphur smell. There are the Father, Mother and Daughter springs, and you can't get into the source pools themselves because they're scalding hot — only the foot-soaking pool or the bath rooms, where the temperature has already been mixed down, are open for soaking.
Day 2 — Grass Mountain + Pak Nam Ranong
Day two takes you a little out of town to the south and west, catching the viewpoint and waterfall in the morning while the weather is still good, then closing the trip at Pak Nam Ranong — where the Kraburi River flows out to sea and forms the Thai-Myanmar border — before heading home in the afternoon.
Viewpoint + border river mouth
About the river mouth and crossing the border
You can take a longtail boat around Pak Nam Ranong for the views even without crossing the border. Agree the price with the boat operator either per boat or per head. If you actually want to set foot on Myanmar soil at Kawthaung, you'll need documents and a border-crossing fee. The rules change often, so check the latest status of the checkpoint before you go.
Where to eat on this trip
Ranong is a genuine food town — Chinese-style morning dim sum, bold southern Thai food, fresh seafood, and Burmese dishes from the migrant community. Here are the spots and dishes people mention most often; slot them into the plan by mealtime.
Ranong Ocha (dim sum)
The town's well-known morning dim sum shop, with a menu of more than 40 items — shrimp dumplings, pork-and-shrimp dumplings, red-pork buns, congee, and hot Ovaltine. It's the breakfast locals in Ranong grew up with.
Pee Ton Ranong Breakfast
A full Chinese-style breakfast — red pork, crispy pork, pork-blood soup, dim sum — open from early morning to noon. Good for anyone who wakes up hungry and wants a hearty meal before heading out.
Bold southern Thai food in town
Sour yellow fish curry, stir-fried stink beans with shrimp, khua kling (dry spicy curry), and pak liang stir-fried with egg — proper bold southern flavours. Several shops around town serve it, and it makes a lunch or dinner you shouldn't skip.
Fresh seafood near town
Ranong sits on the sea, so the shrimp, shellfish, crab and fish are fresh and better priced than in many tourist towns. Try the big oysters the town is known for, and steamed blue swimmer crab with seafood dipping sauce.
Burmese food and Burmese iced tea
Ranong has a large Burmese community, so there are authentic Burmese restaurants — Burmese curries, tea-leaf salad, and strong Burmese milk tea. These are flavours that are hard to find in other towns.
Baan Rai I Arun (garden cafe)
A farm-stay cafe set in green forest, with a stream, little boats to paddle and plenty of photo corners. A nice place to sit and chill if you have time to spare — but it's in Kapoe district, fairly far from town.
Old-town cafes
Small coffee shops tucked into the old buildings in the old-town area, perfect for ducking out of the afternoon sun while you're walking around. Sip a coffee and carry on with the stroll.
Souvenirs — cashew nuts and processed seafood
Roasted cashew nuts, shrimp paste, dried shrimp, and chilli paste with crispy shrimp are the town's standout souvenirs. You'll find them at souvenir shops in town and around the river mouth.
Where to base yourself
For this plan, staying in central Ranong is the easiest, since it's close to the old town, the restaurants and the hot springs. Driving out to the river mouth or Grass Mountain is only about 10–15 minutes.
Stays with piped-in hot mineral water
Many hotels and resorts in Ranong pipe natural hot mineral water into private soaking tubs in the rooms, so you can soak in your room without going to the public pool. Good for anyone here mainly to relax.
Hotels in town
Within walking distance of the old town and restaurants, easy to rent a car or motorbike, and good value. Good for budget travellers who want convenient access.
Suburban resorts
A shadier, quieter atmosphere, with some places offering mineral pools and garden views. Good for couples or families who want to chill and have their own transport.
Rough budget per person
- 1 night's stay — a twin room split two ways is about ฿400–900 per person, depending on the hotel level
- Food for 2 days — about ฿500–900 if you eat at local spots with some seafood for a few meals
- Mineral-water soak — free foot-soaking pool · private mineral-bath room about ฿50–200
- Car/motorbike rental — motorbike ~฿250–300 per day · car ~฿900–1,300 per day
- River-mouth boat trip — whole boat or per head, as agreed, around ฿100–300 per person
- Souvenirs — up to you, starting in the low hundreds
Getting around Ranong
The sights in this plan are spread out and public transport is sparse. In town there are motorbike taxis and songthaews, but to reach Grass Mountain, Ngao Waterfall and the river mouth smoothly, it's best to rent a car or motorbike from day one. It saves time and you won't be waiting around for a ride.
Want a fuller Ranong trip? See the longer plan and all the things to do
See all things to do in Ranong →