Gary Butler, Author at TropicsgourmetTropicsgourmet

warm weather vacation, tropical, beach, Thailand, Islands of Trang, hidden beaches

Thailand’s Hidden Beaches – The Ultimate Warm Weather Vacation in The Islands of Trang

Searching for the perfect spot for your next warm weather vacation? Look no further. The enticing Islands of Trang are everything you would imagine Southern Thailand to be, without the mass crowds and the overdevelopment that plague their more popular neighbors of Phuket, Krabi and Koh Phi Phi. If your idea of the perfect holiday is relaxing on empty, palm tree-lined powdery white sand beaches and swimming in crystal clear turquoise waters, it’s time to head to the stunningly beautiful isles of the Trang Archipelago.

The Islands

Koh Mook

To us, Koh Mook (Koh Muk) everything a Thai island should be. The sand, the water clarity and the choice of beachside accommodation make it a perfect spot for all you beach bums out there. There are a number of beaches on the Island; Ao Kham, which is by the village and has a rustic vibe, Ao Wua Nawn (which includes Sivalai Beach) and Farang Beach over on the west side. All the beaches have their plus points, but we like the laid back, Ao Wua Nan over the more holiday package, sun lounger vibe on Farang Beach.

There are resorts on Koh Mook, but they have managed to strike the right balance between making it an attractive spot for tourists and keeping the island relatively unspoiled.

The main tourist attraction on Koh Mook is a trip to the ‘secret’ Emerald Cave, which houses a small beach surrounded by impressively high limestones cliffs. The cave is accessed through a small passage at low tide which you have to swim around 80 meters to get through. Be warned, it does get very busy here so renting a private boat and going early is highly advisable. The boat costs around 1500- 2000 baht (45-60 USD) for the day giving you the opportunity to visit one of the other nearby island such as Kradan or Ngai.

Koh Libong

If long strolls on a deserted beach, reading a book and generally doing nothing is your thing, then Koh Libong might just be your ideal Thai Island. There’s something magical about this sleepy beach destination that makes it impossible not to merely accept your fate and recharge your batteries. The sand here is a little stoney and orange compared to nearby Mook and Kradan but the Island’s rustic charm more than makes up for it. The view out to sea from the Andalay Beach Resort at sunset is breathtaking.

Koh Libong is home to the endangered Dugong (a cousin of the manatee), so if you’re very fortunate, you might catch a glance these gentle giants in their natural habitat.

Koh Kradan

Kradan has that shipwrecked, desert island kind of feel to it; it’s an actual island paradise. The island houses a number of upmarket resorts, such as the wonderful Sevenseas resort, as well as some solid midrange and budget options like The Coral Garden and Paradise Lost. It’s clear as soon as you arrive on the boat why Koh Kradan is such a favorite island among tourists; the powdery soft coral sand beaches are truly stunning, and the shallow waters are brimming with marine life which gives you excellent snorkeling directly from the beach. Kradan is a relatively small place making it possible to navigate the whole island by foot.

Koh Ngai

The original Trang Island backpacker destination (technically it’s in Krabi but reached by Pak Meng in Trang), Koh Ngai has seen a steady rise in development in the last few years which has led a number of more upscale accommodation such as the Koh Ngai Paradise Beach pop up on the island. This has lead to more families and honeymooners making the trip to take in the lush, unspoilt jungle terrain and white sand beaches that define this rugged little slice of paradise. The main activities on the island are diving, snorkeling, jungle trekking and canoeing meaning there’s plenty of things to keep you occupied on your warm weather vacation here.

Getting to Trang

The easiest way to get to Trang is to fly from Bangkok Don Mueang Airport with either Nok Air, Lion Thai or Air Asia. From there you can pick up a minibus or private taxi to the pier, or you can take our advice and spend a night in Trang town to sample the fantastic local dim sum and roast pork there.

Once in Trang, you can pick up a combined minibus and ferry ticket to any of the Trang islands at one of the many local travel agents or hotels there.

If you’re looking for a clean, budget-friendly option for Trang town, then we suggest you check out Ban Ao Thong next to the Night Market. Rooms start at 800 baht (25 USD) a night with air conditioning and a hot shower. They have just opened a wine café downstairs serving decent Thai food and Western pasta dishes.

5 Northern Thai Foods Worth Traveling For

Can you base a holiday solely around eating Thai food? I’d say so, I’ve always based my travels around food, that’s how I first learned about Northern Thai cuisine. Use this guide to discover the five Northern Thai dishes worth travelling for – and where you can find them on your trip to Chiang Mai.

Before my very first travels in Thailand, I’m embarrassed to admit that I thought Thai food was made up of just Pad Thai and green curries. Ten years have now passed and since I first touched down in the land of smiles, and I haven’t even scratched the surface of this wonderfully diverse cuisine.

Every region in Thailand has its own style of cooking, from creamy coconut based curries in the south to spicy grilled meats and salads in the north east, I love all Thai food. No other food has captured my heart more, though, than the amazing dishes from Thailand’s second city; Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai’s food, or Lanna cuisine, as it’s known locally is nowhere near as well known as the city it hails from. Chiang Mai is one of the most visited cities in Thailand, but unfortunately, a lot of the time, the wonderful local dishes go under the radar with tourists.

Today, we’re going to change all by looking at five fantastic Northern Thai food dishes that are worth visiting Chiang Mai for.

Travel for This Thai Food

1. Khao Soi – Coconut Based Curry with Egg Noodles

Khao Soi is easily Chiang Mai’s most famous dish. It consists of a rich coconut milk-based curry, flavored with Indian spices, namely coriander seeds, black cardamom and fresh turmeric poured over flat egg noodles and topped with crunchy, deep-fried noodles. On the side, you’ll find fresh lime wedges, chilli oil and pickled cabbage. These condiments are there to tweak the dish to your own taste. Khao Soi is my favorite dish in Thailand, just to give you an idea of how delicious it is!

For my favorite khao soi in Chiang mai, head to Khao Soi Samer Jai, just across the river from the main town.

2. Sai Ua – Northern Thai Sausage

This is the sausage to end all sausages, a meat lovers dream! Sai ua just screams Thailand from the first bite, it’s bursting with flavour from Thai staples such as lemongrass, lime leaves, chilli, galangal, ginger and turmeric. These herbs and spices are mixed with fatty pork mince and slowly grilled over coals to maximise the flavour. The shape of the sausage is reminiscent of an English Cumberland ring.

Sai Ua is sold for takeaway everywhere in nearly every market and restaurant in Chiang Mai, one of my top choices, though, is Huen Puen on Ratchamanka Rd.

3. Gang Hang Lay – Northern Pork Belly Curry

You might not be familiar with this curry if you have been to Chiang Mai! It’s called gaeng hang lay and it’s a slow cooked curry of pork, usually, belly and shoulder soured with tamarind and flavoured with Indian spices.

There are so many different recipes for this that I’m not sure I’ve had two that taste exactly the same even from the same shop!

It has it’s roots in Myanmar (Burma) and tastes like no other curry in Thailand. The closest I would say would be a massaman curry without the coconut milk.

4. Khanon Jeen Nam Ngiaw

Probably the least known dish outside of Chiang Mai, Khanom jeen nam ngiaw reminds me of a kind of Thai spaghetti bolognese. It’s a comforting dish of fresh rice noodles topped with a wonderfully rich, smokey tomato based broth with minced or sliced pork and ribs.

You can’t go wrong with Nam Ngiaw Thapae for an authentic version.

5. Nam Prik Noom – Roasted Green Chilli Dip

Last but not least, my favourite Thai dip, nam prik noom. This wonderful salsa is made by grilling long green chilli peppers, garlic and shallots over an open flame and pounding them in a pestle and mortar with lime juice and fish sauce. The result is an amazingly smokey, spicy, salty dip that’s a perfect accompaniment to crunchy fresh vegetables.

This is another dish that’s served everywhere in The City. Again, Huen Puen on Ratchamanka Rd and Khao Soi Samer Jai serve wonderful nam prik noom.

So there you have it; five reasons to make your next trip a food adventure to Thailand’s beautiful north. Plan a trip with some online resources.

Need somewhere to enjoy authentic Thai food, but can’t make a trip across the world? Try one of these gems:

Pure Thai Cookhouse, NYC

Pok Pok, Portland

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