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Voykit pocket guide · Thailand
Phang Nga
พังงา
Spend 1 day for a quick Bay tour or 2 days if you want island diving and a night in town; longer stays are better based in Phuket or Khao Lak.
Phang Nga town is a low‑key base for Phang Nga Bay, nearby islands and waterfalls. Most travellers do a day trip from Phuket or a 2‑day stay to combine a Bay tour, a dive centre visit and a night in a budget hotel.
- Country
- Thailand
- Local name
- พังงา
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season, calm seas)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (monsoon, rough sea conditions)
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- THB
- Money
- Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿). Cards work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; street food, markets, boats and small taxis are cash.
- SIM and data
- AIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 · Ambulance 1669 · Tourist police 1155
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, O · 220 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; type O is the Thai three-pin standard. UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.; Taxi / Grab: Round up to the next ฿10 or ฿20.; Massage: ฿50–100 per hour to the therapist, in hand.; Guide / driver day: ฿300–500 for the guide, ฿200–300 for the driver.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ฿20–50.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Street refill machines charge about ฿1 a litre; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops. The hose ('bum gun') replaces paper; paper goes in the bin in older buildings. Some public toilets cost ฿3–5.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Local bus to Phang Nga (from Phuket) | 100 baht |
| Street food plate (pad thai, fried rice) | 30–50 baht |
| Beer (bottled) | 40–60 baht |
| Taxi from Phuket airport (metered, 58 km (36 mi))Taxi from Phuket airport (metered, 36 mi (58 km)) | 1,200–1,500 baht |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
Typical fares
- Bangkok → Phuket (flight) – Thai Airways
- ≈ 2,500 baht one‑way (check)
- Phuket → Phang Nga (bus)
- ≈ 100 baht, 1 h 30 min (check)
- Songthaew within town
- ≈ 20 baht per short ride
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Songthaews are the main city transport; motorbike rentals at M.T. Tour (≈200 baht/day). Long‑tailed boats for island hops; taxis from Phuket should be metered – negotiate price ahead.
See and do
Known for
- Phang Nga Bay limestone scenery
- Heaven and Hell Cave
- Ko Surin sea‑gypsy community
- Nearby Similan & Surin dive sites
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Phang Nga Bay (Heaven & Hell Cave) | Bus or songthaew to Tha Dan pier, then long‑tailed boat | ≈3 h round‑trip |
| Similan Islands dive trip | Drive 30 km (19 mi) to Khao Lak, then boat from dive centreDrive 19 mi (30 km) to Khao Lak, then boat from dive centre | ≈6 h total |
| Ko Surin National Park (sea‑gypsy village) | Boat from Tha Dan pier, organized tour | ≈4 h |
| Khao Lak beach | Bus or minivan 30 km (19 mi) northBus or minivan 19 mi (30 km) north | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Muang Thong Hotel
- Budget, 400 baht per night, free Wi‑Fi, tours office on‑site
- Phang Nga Guesthouse
- 350–480 baht, air‑con, Wi‑Fi, close to bus station
- Phang Nga Inn
- Mid‑range, 500 baht, clean, air‑con
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | ขอโทษkhǎw thôt |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณkhàwp khun |
| How much? | เท่าไหร่thâo rài |
| Can I have the menu? | เมนูหน่อยmenu nòi |
| Where is the bus station? | สถานีรถบัสอยู่ที่ไหนsàtǎnii rót bàt yùu thîi năi |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A wai (palms together, slight bow) to return a greeting; a smile and nod for shop staff; avoid: Waiing children or service staff first — it confuses; hugging strangers
- Head and feet: Keep feet on the floor, sit with legs folded to the side in temples; avoid: Touching heads (even children's), pointing feet, stepping over people or food
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees, shoes off, sit lower than monks; avoid: Women touching monks or handing them things directly; climbing Buddha images
- Monarchy: Stand for the royal anthem in cinemas and at 08:00 and 18:00 in public places; avoid: Any joke or comment about the royal family; stepping on a banknote
- Keeping calm: Stay polite and smiling when things go wrong ('jai yen' — cool heart); avoid: Raising your voice; public anger loses the argument
- Names: Khun plus first name ('Khun Somchai'); nicknames are normal; avoid: Using the family name alone
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or sweets; step over the threshold, not on it; avoid: Sitting with feet towards the family shrine
- Beckoning and pointing: Palm down, fingers waved towards you; point with the whole hand or chin; avoid: Pointing at people with a finger or with your foot
Scams and watch-outs
- Evening bus service is sparse; plan return before sunset.
- Taxi agencies may add stops for commissions – demand a meter or fixed price.
- No airport in town; nearest are Phuket (HKT), Krabi (KBV) and Surat Thani (URT).
Generally safe; watch for slippery boat decks and keep valuables on you in crowded markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Phang Nga yet. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Phang Nga Bay limestone scenery
- Heaven and Hell Cave
- Ko Surin sea‑gypsy community
- Nearby Similan & Surin dive sites
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Phang Nga official website: www.phangngacity.go.th/
- Wikivoyage: Phang Nga, revision 5236148 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5236148
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/phang-nga). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.