 Surat Thani Travel & Hotel Guide, Thailand
Tapi River, Surat Thani (26 December 2003)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Surat Thani is a city in southern Thailand. It is also the provincial capital of Surat Thani Province, which includes major tourist destinations such as Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. The town of Surat Thani itself is a provincial capital with a population of close to 130,000 people.
Guide to Surat Thani Hotels
It's never easy finding the hotel that's just right for your stay. Still, by taking a little time to do your research, you increase your chance of getting a good hotel at the best price. Go through the list of hotels in Surat Thani which we've put together, arranged city by city, with full description, star rating, address, location map and evaluation. Pick the hotel of your choice and view the rates offered by different booking sites. Yes, we show you prices from different websites, so you don't have to visit them one by one.
Wat Tham Kuha, Surat Thani (26 December 2003)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
More about Surat Thani
The history of human habitation in the area around Surat Thani goes back to prehistoric times. The Srivijaya kingdom flourished in this area from the 3rd century AD, dominating much of the Malay peninsula and as far as the island of Java. Ruins of the Srivijaya kingdom can still be seen in the city of Chaiya, a small town not far from the provincial capital.
Surat Thani was originally known as Bandon. It was part of Chaiya province until 1915, when the provincial court was moved to Bandon, and it was renamed Surat Thani, meaning "City of Good People". For a period between 1926 and 1933, Surat Thani was made a part of Nakhon Si Thammarat, but today it is a province of its own.
The city of Surat Thani is located on a coastal plain of the Tapi River, a river that meanders through a mangrove swamp. Further inland are rubber and coconut plantations as well as limestone outcrops. Most visitors head directly to the islands off the coast of Surat Thani, but those who visiti the provincial capital will discover a distinctly Thai town untainted by massive commercialisation.
Angthong National Park (1 May 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Budget Travel to Surat Thani
Budget travellers can fly AirAsia to Surat Thani from Bangkok. The Surat Thani Airport (URT) is about 20 km to the west of downtown. Other airlines flying to Surat Thani are Thai Airways and Nok Air.
You can also get to Surat Thani by train from Bangkok and Hatyai. There are buses from the Surat Thani railway station to the town centre.
Budget Travel within Surat Thani
There are plenty of tuk-tuks in town that you can hire.
Lak Muang, the City Pillar of Surat Thani (26 December 2003)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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