Ranong

Discovering Ranong

Ranong is the province most travelers skip entirely, and that is precisely what makes it worth visiting. Tucked into the narrowest stretch of the Thai peninsula, where the Andaman coast squeezes between Myanmar and the Gulf of Thailand, this small provincial capital sits on geothermal springs, monsoon-fed jungle, and a working fishing port that has not been polished for tourism. I arrived expecting a transit stop on the way to the Surin Islands and left three days later wondering why the Andaman coast’s wellness scene had not discovered this place decades ago.

The hot springs are the headline. Raksawarin Hot Springs, five minutes from the town center, pumps mineral water at 65 degrees Celsius from a geothermal source deep beneath the Phuket Range. The public park channels the water through stone-lined streams where locals soak their feet at dawn, and a small resort next door offers private pools for 40 THB. This is not a luxury spa experience — it is a park where grandmothers gossip, children splash, and the sulfur-rich water softens your skin in ways that a hotel bathtub cannot replicate. For dedicated wellness travelers, see our wellness guide for a broader look at Thailand’s best natural spa destinations.

What caught me off guard was the border. Ranong faces Kawthaung, Myanmar’s southernmost point, across the Kra Buri River estuary. Longtail boats make the crossing in twenty minutes, depositing you at a Myanmar immigration checkpoint where a day pass costs 500 THB and two passport photos. Kawthaung is small, unhurried, and distinctly Burmese — gold pagodas, tea leaf salad, thanaka face paste on the women in the market. It is the easiest and cheapest international border crossing in southern Thailand, and it turns a quiet provincial town into a two-country experience.

What Makes Ranong Different?

Ranong is Thailand’s wettest province — it receives more annual rainfall than anywhere else in the country, and the result is a landscape so green it looks computer-enhanced. The jungle here is dense, the waterfalls run year-round, and the river estuary teems with mangrove forests that support fishing communities unchanged by mass tourism. This is not a beach destination in the conventional sense. The town itself sits inland, the coast is working waterfront rather than resort strip, and the nearest sand-and-swim beaches require a boat or a drive south. What Ranong offers instead is authenticity — a provincial Thai town with geothermal springs, cross-border intrigue, and access to some of the Andaman Sea’s finest marine parks without the tourist infrastructure that has transformed Phuket and Khao Lak.

The Surin Islands, five granite islands 60 kilometers offshore, are Ranong’s underwater crown jewel. Accessible from Kuraburi Pier about ninety minutes south of town, the Surins offer snorkeling on shallow, healthy reefs teeming with reef sharks, sea turtles, and coral formations that rival the Similans at half the crowd density. The Moken sea gypsy community on Koh Surin Tai adds a cultural dimension that pure snorkeling destinations cannot match. For a comprehensive look at the region’s best underwater experiences, see our snorkeling guide.

The town also functions as a visa run hub — Thai expats and long-stay visitors cross to Kawthaung regularly to reset their visa stamps, which gives Ranong’s guesthouses and restaurants a steady stream of repeat visitors who know where to eat and what to skip. Follow the visa runners to the waterfront noodle shops and you will eat better than at most tourist-facing restaurants on the Andaman coast.

Hot Springs, Jungle, and the River

Ranong’s thermal landscape extends beyond Raksawarin. Porn Rung Hot Springs, 15 kilometers south of town, offers a quieter soaking experience in a jungle setting with fewer visitors and a small waterfall nearby. The water here is slightly cooler — around 45 degrees Celsius — and the surrounding forest provides natural shade that makes a long soak comfortable even in midday heat.

Ngao Waterfall, inside the Ngao Mangrove Forest Research Station, drops through multiple tiers into a pool deep enough for swimming. The 200 THB ($5.70) entrance fee includes access to a boardwalk through mangrove forest that stretches along the estuary — an ecosystem tour that reveals how the fishing communities and the forest depend on each other. Birdwatchers should bring binoculars; the mangroves host kingfishers, sea eagles, and migratory species from November through February.

Ranong Canyon, a geological oddity on the outskirts of town, is a narrow sandstone gorge cut by rainwater erosion over millennia. The canyon is small — walkable in thirty minutes — but photogenic, with red-orange walls that glow in morning light. Free entry. Combine it with the hot springs for a half-day loop.

What to Do in Ranong

• Raksawarin Hot Springs — The town’s signature attraction. Free soaking in the public park channels, or 40 THB ($1.15) for the private mineral pools at the adjacent resort. Water temperature 40-65°C. Best visited early morning or late afternoon when locals gather and the heat is manageable. Bring a towel and swimwear.

• Surin Islands Day Trip — Speedboat from Kuraburi Pier (1.5 hours south of Ranong) to the Surin archipelago. Three to four snorkel stops on shallow reefs, beach time on Koh Surin Nuea, and a visit to the Moken village. Cost: 2,200-3,500 THB ($63-100) including hotel pickup, gear, lunch, and national park fees. Open November to mid-May. Book 2 days ahead during December-January peak.

• Myanmar Border Crossing — Longtail boats from Saphan Pla Pier to Kawthaung, Myanmar. Round-trip boat: 200-400 THB ($5.70-11). Myanmar day pass: 500 THB ($14) at immigration. Bring passport and two photos. Walk Kawthaung’s market, visit the hilltop pagoda with views across the estuary, eat Burmese tea leaf salad, and return the same afternoon. Half-day excursion. The crossing closes at 5 PM.

• Ngao Waterfall & Mangrove Boardwalk — Multi-tiered waterfall in a mangrove research station 30 minutes south of town. Entrance 200 THB ($5.70). The boardwalk through the mangrove forest is a peaceful hour’s walk, and the waterfall pool is deep enough for swimming. Best after rain when the flow is strongest.

• Ranong Canyon — Sandstone gorge on the town’s outskirts, carved by erosion into narrow red-walled corridors. Free entry. A 30-minute walk covers the main formations. Best in morning light for photography. Combine with the hot springs for a half-day itinerary.

Where to Eat in Ranong

Ranong’s food scene is southern Thai and seafood-forward, with Burmese and Muslim influences from the border community. Prices are among the lowest on the Andaman coast.

• Sophon’s Kitchen — A local institution near the town center. The massaman curry with chicken (80 THB / $2.30) is thick, peanut-rich, and perfectly spiced. Pad kra pao (basil stir-fry) with pork and a fried egg (50 THB / $1.40) is a reliable lunch. Tom yum goong with fresh prawns from the morning market (100 THB / $2.85) is properly sour. Cash only.

• Ranong Waterfront Night Market — Evening stalls along the fishing port serving grilled squid (40 THB / $1.15), boat noodles (30 THB / $0.85), satay skewers (25 THB / $0.70 each), and mango sticky rice (50 THB / $1.40). The setting — plastic tables overlooking the estuary with Myanmar’s lights across the water — is unique on the Andaman coast. Budget 150-250 THB ($4-7) for a full meal.

• Khao Niao Cafe — A small Thai-Burmese cafe near Saphan Pla Pier popular with visa runners. Burmese tea leaf salad (lahpet thoke, 70 THB / $2), mohinga fish noodle soup (60 THB / $1.70), and Thai iced coffee (35 THB / $1). The Burmese dishes here are authentic — the owner is from Kawthaung — and hard to find elsewhere on the Thai side.

• Rim Nam Seafood — Riverside restaurant ten minutes from the town center. Steamed whole sea bass with lime (180 THB / $5.10), garlic prawns (160 THB / $4.55), and stir-fried morning glory (50 THB / $1.40). The fish comes straight from the Kra Buri estuary. Tables overlook the river toward Myanmar. Open for dinner only.

Where to Stay in Ranong

Ranong is not a resort town. Accommodation is functional, affordable, and concentrated in the town center within walking distance of the hot springs and pier.

• Luny Hostel — Clean backpacker spot with air-conditioned dorms (250 THB / $7 per bed) and private rooms (600 THB / $17). Shared kitchen, common area, and a rooftop terrace. The owner organizes group trips to the Surin Islands at reduced rates. Best budget option in town.

• Tinidee Hotel @ Ranong — The town’s best mid-range hotel with a pool, gym, and hot spring-fed jacuzzi. Rooms are modern and well-maintained with strong Wi-Fi. Walking distance to Raksawarin Hot Springs. 1,200-2,200 THB ($34-63) per night. Good breakfast buffet with Thai and Western options.

• Raksawarin Hot Spring Resort — Built directly on the geothermal source, this resort channels natural mineral water into private in-room bathtubs. The rooms are dated but functional, and soaking in hot spring water while rain hammers the jungle outside is an experience no modern hotel can replicate. 800-1,500 THB ($23-43) per night.

• The Galeri Resort — A newer boutique property on the edge of town with garden bungalows, a pool, and a small spa offering hot spring mineral treatments. The most polished accommodation in the province. 1,800-3,500 THB ($51-100) per night. Good for couples who want comfort without driving to Khao Lak or Phuket.

Where Ranong Takes You Next

Ranong sits at the midpoint of the Andaman coast, making it a natural waypoint between the northern and southern beach destinations. Khao Lak is three hours south by road — combine Ranong’s hot springs with Khao Lak’s Similan diving for an Andaman coast circuit that covers both land and sea. Chumphon, on the Gulf side, is four hours east — ferries from Chumphon reach Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui, meaning Ranong can pivot your trip from Andaman to Gulf in a single day.

The province rewards travelers who prefer places that have not been optimized for them. The springs are real, the border crossing is genuine, the seafood is from the estuary you are looking at, and the prices reflect a town that still serves its own residents first. That combination is becoming rarer on the Andaman coast every year.