Chumphon
Gateway Province To Ko Tao; Quiet Beaches Such As Thung Wua Laen · Pathio, Chumphon
Chumphon is a province on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand, where the Malay peninsula narrows and the south begins, about 460 kilometres south of Bangkok. Most foreigners know it only as the place to change from the train or bus to a boat for Ko Tao, but it has a quiet coast of its own. The best-known beach is Thung Wua Laen, north of the town in Pathio district, a long, gently curving bay of pale sand with calm water for much of the year, lined with family resorts, guesthouses and seafood restaurants, and busy mainly on Thai holidays. South of town, Hat Sai Ri has the shrine of Prince Abhakara, the Prince of Chumphon, revered as the father of the Thai navy, with an old navy ship on display. Offshore, the islands of Mu Ko Chumphon National Park have reefs for snorkelling and diving. Inland are cave temples, viewpoints, coffee and fruit plantations, and the river town of Lang Suan. Come for slow beach days, seafood and an easy link to Ko Tao.
Thung Wua Laen Beach, Pathio, Pathio, Chumphon, 86160, Thailand
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: Thung Wua Laen and the other beaches are open at all times; seafood restaurants on the beach road open from about 11 am to about 10 pm. Fast boats to Ko Tao usually leave in the morning and early afternoon, and the slow night boat leaves late in the evening; check the times. The Prince of Chumphon shrine at Hat Sai Ri is open from early morning to evening daily. Mu Ko Chumphon National Park offices keep daytime hours and boat trips leave in the morning. Tham Rap Ro is open from about 8 am to about 5 pm. The traps that ruin a day are missing the pier transfer because you went to the wrong pier, planning a tight Ko Tao crossing in the north-east monsoon, arriving at Thung Wua Laen on a Thai long weekend without a room, and expecting beer on a Buddhist holy day or in the restricted afternoon hours. Confirm current times before relying on them.