Nanda & Nathan The Travellers: Things to do in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

June 17-20, 2014 ---- Nakhon Si Thammarat is NOT a major tourist destination in Thailand. However, this doesn't mean that there is nothing to see/do in the historically important province. Nathan is a scholar in Religious Studies, and he had always wanted to go to Nakhon Si Thammarat to see some remains of the Brahmans and Brahmanism in southern Thailand.

Thai people call Nakhon Si Thammarat province in short as "Nakhon Si" or "Meuang Kon." It's located south of Surat Thani province where the famous Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are. There are direct flights from Bangkok to Nakhon Si's airport, and you can go low-cost by flying with Nok Air or Air Asia. Nathan and I preferred Nok Air because their cheap ticket also includes one checked-bag and in-flight snack and water.

After landing at Nakhon Si's Airport, we took a taxi to the city center. It was about 300 Bath if I remembered it correctly. We stayed at "Teeny House" located behind Taladsod Khu Khwang (a municipal food market). We liked it there. The room was small but had everything we needed. It was also in quite a convenient location, within walking distance to Ratchadamnoen Road where all the attractions are.

Nakhon Si Thammarat City เมืองนครศรีฯ

Nakhon Si Thammarat City is quite small and convenient. We took "Song Thaew" (a pick-up truck converted into a bus with a roof and seats in the back) everywhere. As I mentioned earlier, most attractions are on Ratchadamnoen Road, so there are a lot of Song Thaew running on this route continually. If you miss one, just wait a minute and you will see the next one coming. Just let the driver know where you want to go, and they will stop right at the spot. Pay the driver directly as you get off.

If you are interested in southern Thai culture and life, Nakhon Si Thammarat City is a good place to observe it. You won't see many tourists, especially foreigners, or any place created for tourism. You will walk down local streets seeing people live their everyday life, eating food from street vendors, praying at rather quiet Buddhist temples and visiting museums where no one else cares to go. It is the local charm, and there you have an opportunity to be a tourist who lives the locals' life.

Well, here's a list of places worth visiting on Ratchadamnoen Road. I won't babble too much about each place because you can google their history or information on your own. Most Thai people go to Nakhon Si City to worship the Chedi at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, but there is more to do if you want to stay in town for a night or two.

1. Wat Wang Tawan Tok วัดวังตะวันตก

2. The National Museum of Nakhon Si Thammarat

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ นครศรีธรรมราช

3. Baan Tan Khun บ้านท่านขุน

4. Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan วัดพระมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร

5. Ban Nang Thalung Suchart Subsin บ้านหนังตะลุง สุชาติ ทรัพย์สิน

6. Chedi Yak เจดีย์ยักษ์

7. Phra Narai Hall หอพระนารายณ์

8. Phra Isuan Hall หอพระอิศวร

9. Old City Wall กำแพงเมืองเก่า

10. The City Pillar Shrine ศาลหลักเมือง

11. City Museum Nakhon Si Thammarat พิพิธภัณฑ์เมืองนครศรีฯ

12. Tung Ta Lad ทุ่งท่าลาด

Food in Meuang Nakhon อาหารเมืองคอน

Try southern food when you are in the South! Foreigners might find the southern spice unbearable, though. Nathan and I are adventurous with food and we would eat anything (that is not raw or yukky) when traveling. In Nakhon Si Thammarat City, we generally had breakfast at the municipal market close to our hotel and lunch and dinner at any street vendor or local-favorite restaurant.

Here are photos of some meals we had while on the trip.