🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The charm of this trip is getting two worlds in one. The Trang side is the calm Andaman — long sandy beaches, Koh Mook, and the Emerald Cave, where you swim through a passage into a hidden lagoon — plus an old town of Sino-Portuguese shophouses and famous food like roast pork and dim sum. Cross the Banthat range to the Nakhon side and the tone shifts to a city of faith: the great Phra Borommathat stupa, Khiriwong village tucked in a valley, and Wat Ai Khai, where Southern Thais come to ask for blessings all year round. The main road that ties the two provinces together is Highway 403, which skirts the foothills before dropping you into Mueang Khon.
Before you set off
Self-driving or a rental car is by far the easiest way to do this trip, because the Nakhon-side sights like Khiriwong and Wat Ai Khai are in different districts, tens of kilometres from town, and public transport between them is hard to string together. The Trang coast also means a boat ride out to Koh Mook, which depends on the weather — so it's smart to keep the sea day near the start in case you need to push it back. If you don't have a car, renting one by the day from Trang or Nakhon airport gives you far better control over your time.
Day 1 — Trang's coast and the Emerald Cave
Day one starts in Trang, and you tackle the sea highlight first because it's the part most at the mercy of the weather. Boats to Koh Mook and the Emerald Cave leave from Pak Meng pier in Sikao district, and the crossing takes around 40 minutes. To reach the cave itself you swim through a passage roughly 80 m long; inside there's a small sandy beach ringed by cliffs, with light reflecting off the water in an emerald green. Go in the morning, when the swell is gentler and the crowds are thinner.
Trang · the coast and the Emerald Cave
A backup plan, just in case
If the weather closes in and the boats can't run, Trang still has Tham Le Khao Kob, where you take a paddle boat through caves on the mainland. The mood is different from the Emerald Cave, but you still get to glide through cave passages — or you can spend the day in Trang's old town and its temples instead, without writing off the whole day.
Book the activities in your Trang 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 2 — Crossing the range into Mueang Khon
The morning of day two is the cross-province leg. Leave Trang town on Highway 403 heading for Nakhon Si Thammarat — about 120 km, roughly two hours. The road runs along green foothills, past rubber plantations and fruit orchards, and once you reach Mueang Khon the tone shifts straight into an old merit-making town. The first stop should be the Phra Borommathat stupa, the heart of Southern Thai faith.
Trang → Nakhon Si Thammarat
Day 3 — Khiriwong and Wat Ai Khai
The last day gives you two directions to choose from. For nature, head to Khiriwong village in its valley, known for fresh, cool air, in Lan Saka district about 25 km from town. For merit-making and luck-seeking, head to Wat Ai Khai in Sichon district, about 64 km from town, roughly an hour's drive. With a full day you can do both, but you have to decide which to start with, since they're on opposite sides of the town.
Khiriwong · Wat Ai Khai · heading home
If you love Gulf-side beaches too
A little past Sichon is Khanom district, a Gulf-of-Thailand coast where you can take a boat out to see pink dolphins. The Khanom–Sichon coastal road is one many people call among the prettiest in the South. If you can add one more night, carrying on to Khanom is easy — and your trip ends up covering both coasts.
Don't-miss stops along the route
The Emerald Cave, Koh Mook (Trang)
You swim through a passage roughly 80 m long to reach a sandy beach inside the cave, where the water glows emerald green. It's a hidden corner in the middle of the sea that you can only reach by boat — the highlight of the Trang coast that many people come for.
Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan (Nakhon)
A white, gold-tipped Phra Borommathat stupa over a thousand years old, at the heart of Southern Thai faith and on the tentative list for World Heritage status. People walk three times around it to ask for blessings.
Khiriwong village (Nakhon)
A village set in a valley beside a stream, known for its fresh air, with a bridge over the river as the check-in spot, riverside cafés, and local products like durian paste and tie-dye fabric.
Wat Chedi, Ai Khai (Nakhon)
A luck-seeking temple Southern Thais visit all year for blessings on trade and good fortune. People offer firecrackers, toy soldier outfits, and red soda, and the temple grounds are packed with offerings and food stalls.
Tham Le Khao Kob (Trang)
Take a paddle boat through caves on the mainland, passing stalactites and low passages where you have to lie flat in the boat. A solid backup for the sea day if the weather closes in and the boats can't run.
Trang roast pork
Crispy-skinned roast pork, a Trang signature. Locals eat it with kopi in the morning or buy it to take home as a gift; you'll find it at several long-running shops around town.
Nakhon-style khanom jeen
Rice noodles with a bold Southern curry sauce, eaten with all the fresh side vegetables you want. Phan Yom Road is the place for the best shops, where people drive in specifically to eat.
Pak Meng–Chao Mai beaches (Trang)
Long Andaman beaches that double as the boat launch for the islands and a relaxed spot by the sea, with pretty island views in the evening — good for a photo stop before or after the boat.
Trang dim sum
The local custom of dim sum with morning tea, Trang-style. Plenty of dishes steamed fresh and eaten with kopi — a breakfast worth trying at least once before you head out.
Krung Ching Waterfall (Nakhon)
A big waterfall in the Khao Luang forest, dropping in several tiers, reached on foot through the woods. Good for nature lovers who want to add a hike to the Nakhon side of the trip.
Routes and getting around
- Trang town → Pak Meng pier — about 40 km, roughly a 45-minute drive towards Sikao district, then about a 40-minute boat ride out to Koh Mook, depending on the weather
- Trang town → Nakhon Si Thammarat town — about 120 km on Highway 403 as the main route, roughly 2 hours, skirting the foothills of the Banthat range
- Nakhon town → Khiriwong — about 25 km towards Lan Saka district, roughly a 40-minute drive; the village access road is a small lane along the stream
- Nakhon town → Wat Ai Khai (Sichon) — about 64 km, roughly an hour's drive north, near the road up to Khanom if you want to carry on to the Gulf coast
- Heading home — flying out of Nakhon Si Thammarat airport is easiest, or if you drove a rental from Trang, allow around 2 hours for the drive back
Pace your days right
Don't cram the sea day and the cross-range day into one — the boat trip eats up half a day and is tiring. On the last day, if you want to fit in both Khiriwong and Wat Ai Khai, leave early, because the two are on opposite sides of the town. If you're short on time, pick one and you'll enjoy it more.
Adapt the plan to your style
All about the sea
Add more Trang sea days for an island-hopping trip — Koh Kradan, Koh Chueak — then cross over to carry on to Khanom on the Gulf side, finishing with pink dolphins.
Merit and luck
Cut back the sea and focus on Nakhon's Phra Borommathat and Wat Ai Khai, adding several more well-known Nakhon temples in one run.
Food and cafés
Catch dim sum and Trang roast pork in the morning, cross over for Nakhon-style khanom jeen, then settle into a riverside café in Khiriwong and soak up the mountain air.
Plan a full Trang trip — see all the places to stay and visit.
See the Trang travel guide →