Surat Thani is one of our FAVOURITE places in Thailand and we hope to inspire you to head there too and find some hidden gems.

Firstly you need to know how to get there! There are three main options unless you are driving with your own vehicle.

Train – you can catch a train from Bangkok. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Train Station, the main train station in Bangkok.  You can book tickets online through various platforms like BusOnlineTicket.co.th and 12Go

Our first trip to Surat Thani we took the sleeper train down which is a convenient option to not lose any of your actual travel time as the trip down is 9-12 hours. Whilst we actually loved the experience of this – in a private cabin as we were travelling with an 18 month old and 4 year old at the time, we kinda feel like maybe we missed out on some sights. So if you’re not short on time and don’t mind being sat for a long while perhaps try a day trip as I’ve seen it’s absolutely beautiful on the way down and I will definitely be doing it by day next time!

You can also bus it down which takes a similar amount of time and whilst we have never done this I have heard a lot of people say the buses are pretty stuffy and it’s just not an enjoyable experience day or night BUT it tends to be the cheapest option so if you’re not fussy and on a budget the bus may be the option for you.

Lastly, you can of course fly which technically is the quickest. We have flown down and received exceptional service even though it was such a short flight with snacks and drinks. Personally though, I feel like by the time I’ve arrived at the airport early enough, flown and then retrieved my luggage it pretty much takes up a whole day anyway!

Example Itinerary

Now for the best bit, you have arrived!!! Let’s explore.

You’ll need to grab a taxi/tuktuk to move around the province but if you haven’t yet been to Thailand, don’t worry they are everywhere.

First stop – Khao Sok National Park. There is a strip of properties of bungalows just by the entrance of the National Park so when booking your stays you’ll find yourself staying here. We stayed at Khao Sok Morning Mist Resort and the kids loved that we would wake up to monkeys jumping all over the roof (beware – leave no food outside!) It has a small pool and a restaurant and is also directly infront of a pharmacy. Most importantly it’s conveniently located for day trips. We haven’t stayed anywhere else in this area but I believe all are pretty basic lodgings.

Whilst staying here make sure to take a hike to see the Rafflesia as long as you are staying between November and April. These flowers only bloom for a few days so it is rare to see them in bloom but we were lucky enough! It is a pretty challenging 5 hour hike so I’d definitely recommend the earliest hike you can book into but it’s certainly worth it.

I would recommend staying here for at least 2/3 nights. There are plenty of restaurants and bars to keep you occupied and a few excursions can be booked from this area.

Next up in Surat Thani – the floating river bungalows! This experience is truly unforgettable. Over on Cheow Lan Lake you can spend the night (or two if you’re feeling adventurous.) This accommodation is also basic and it is recommended to spend no more than a night or two because you are literally “stuck.” There aren’t shops, bars etc you are provided with food that everyone eats together at the same time and it’s like a fun community vibe. (see my first image)

From Cheow Lan Lake there are a few excursions you can do such as Diamond Cave, also known as Pra Kay Petch Cave – the picture above is within the cave and it is like diamonds, to see it better you can watch this Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-nq0-FAT4U – please forgive the poor quality – I get better as time progresses lol. Scroll through to 2.34 for Surat Thani onwards.

This is just the most amazing place to have fun in your surroundings, relax and enjoy. You’ll be able to swim in the lake, have access to kayaks and enjoy a real community feel for a couple of days. We also got to see fruit bats on an early morning excursion and a little mini hike from here too.

Once you arrive back at Cheow Lane Lake docks as pictured above I would highly recommend heading to Anurak Lodge. This place is off the beaten track and without a vehicle you wouldn’t want to stay there long unless you’re happy to rely on taxis. However, we loved our stay here – a tree top bungalow, it’s very own hiking trail and a fantastic friendly vibe.

We loved it so much so that even though we couldn’t get booked in for accommodation when we returned to Surat Thani the second time we still popped by to do the jungle hike again!

By now you will have spent around 3-6 days in pretty basic accommodation and working those muscles with a few hikes so I think it’s time for some R&R! At this point you’re going to travel West to the coast – Khao Lak.

We loved our stay at Poseidon Bungalows – not the most luxurious accommodation but the setting is. The bungalows are set on a private beach and you can walk along the beach to other restaurants and a beach swing too: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hltDwrpCM8o

Whilst we were staying at Poseidon Bungalows we did an excursion to a sea turtle sanctuary where we could observe the work they do to ensure the survival of tea turtles. Here you could see babies right up to adult sea turtles.

Your stay in Khao Lak will be very restful as you soak up the sun on the sandy beaches, enjoy a thai massage on the beach and it would be the perfect end to your week.

Got longer than a week?

If you have more time to spend in the Surat Thani area then you can continue down to the Phuket region.

For us, we’re not too keen on Phuket, it is very touristy with prices a lot higher than other areas of Thailand. That being said if you don’t mind the hustle and bustle for a couple of days then staying in Phuket is the perfect location for:

• Phang Nga Bay
• Big Buddha
• Wat Chalong

I would like to point out at this point that whilst it may be tempting to visit Elephant “Sanctuaries” in all honesty, I haven’t found one genuinely ethical one in Phuket – for those you’d need to be in Chiang Mai. (I will be linking a blog piece to the North of Thailand in due course.)

Now if you’re looking to add on a little more beach time and are becoming a tad overwhelmed by the crowds of Phuket you can hop on a ferry to Koh Yao Yoi. (You can also go to Koh Yao Noi but I cannot comment on that one as we haven’t been there.)

Once again we stayed on the beach here, lapped up the sun and enjoyed boat excursions. We were also able to hire out little mopeds with sidecars for the kids to zip around the island which they thoroughly enjoyed! This island is a no alcohol zone so a very different vibe to Phuket.

As your time comes to an end you can return back to either Surat Thani airport or train station to make the return trip back up to Bangkok with sun kissed skin, that comfortable ache in your legs from hiking and bellies full of pad thai.

If this sounds like just the trip you’re after check out this guide we have curated which shows you how you can get exclusive discounts on many hotels and save a fortune on your travels. https://tr.ee/EVYQKYsPZ2

We hope you took inspiration to visit this area in Thailand and please don’t hesitate to share your experiences with us over on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourunlimitedchoices/

Our Unlimited Choices xoxo