Phang Nga From Phuket by Car

What is actually there

Phang Nga is not a resort and it makes no effort to be one. It is a provincial town in a valley surrounded by limestone karst, with a market, a few streets of shophouses and a cave temple on the edge of it.

Three reasons to go

The bay, reached by longtail boat from the pier just outside town, which is the real attraction and the reason most people make the trip. The cave temple, with its resident monkeys and its odd, quiet interior. And the drive itself, which is genuinely scenic once the karst towers start appearing beside the road.

It also works as a change of pace. After a week of beaches, a working Thai town with a market and no menus in four languages is a different kind of day out.

What it means for the car

The route is sealed highway the whole way and any car does it. The driving is easy; the two things worth knowing are both about attention rather than capability.

Overtaking among the karst

After the halfway point the road runs between limestone hills, bending and rising. Slow lorries are common and the temptation to overtake is constant. Sightlines here are shorter than they look because of the rock walls. If the overtake is not obviously clear, it is not clear.

Monkeys at the temple

The macaques at the cave temple are entirely unbothered by cars and will climb on one that has food visible inside. Close the windows completely, take nothing edible out in the open, and do not leave loose wiper blades or trim within reach. It is a real thing, not a joke on a sign.

Where to park at the bay and in town

At the pier there is a proper car park, and leaving the car there for a few hours while you are on the water is normal practice. Take valuables with you and leave the seats empty.

The old town

In town, the streets are ordinary provincial streets with kerbside space. Read the kerb colours as you would anywhere: red and white means no stopping. Around the market in the morning it fills, so park a street back and walk in.

At the cave temple there is a car park directly outside, and this is where the monkey advice applies. Park where you can see the car, and check the windows are fully shut before you walk away.

• Use the pier car park and take valuables with you
• Close the windows fully at the cave temple
• Park a street back from the market in the morning
• Do not attempt marginal overtakes among the karst hills

Combining it with other stops

Phang Nga sits on the road to almost everything on this coast, which makes it easy to pair with something else.

A day with two stops

The most common combination is the bay in the morning and either a stop on the way back or a continuation north. Doing the bay and the cave temple alone fills a comfortable day without hurrying.

Weather decides more than the route

On a clear day the bay is spectacular and the drive is beautiful. In heavy rain the boats are less appealing and the karst disappears into cloud. This is a trip worth moving to a better day rather than doing on a fixed one, which is exactly the flexibility a car gives you.

Cars that suit this

A compact is entirely adequate. This is a highway drive with a car park at each end.

For four with a full day out, a crossover is more comfortable and gives a better view over the roadside barriers on the scenic section.

What to check before you go

Tyres and air conditioning, as always, plus the wipers if there is any chance of rain, because the karst section in a downpour is where you want a clear windscreen. And confirm with us in writing that your cover extends off the island. WhatsApp or Telegram, either is fine.