Border town: According to the Dutch travel advice (as of 15 October 2026) the border crossing at Ranong is usually open to foreigners, but you cannot travel further into Myanmar from here. Read the current travel advice (NederlandWereldwijd, Dutch) ↗
About Ranong
Ranong is a city and province on the northern Andaman coast, against the border with Myanmar. The town is known for its hot springs, including those in Raksawarin Park in the middle of town, and for a calm, somewhat forgotten character. You find Rattanarangsarn Palace, the grave of the first governor Phraya Rattanasetthi, Wat Suwan Khiri with a Burmese chedi and Wat Hat Som Paen, where a shoal of carp is protected. The Ngao Mangrove research centre lies in a UNESCO-recognised biosphere zone. From Ranong you travel to Kawthaung in Myanmar or to the islands of Ko Phayam and Ko Chang. Ranong is one of the wettest places in Thailand, with heavy rain between May and October. Ranong lies about 570 km from Bangkok and can be reached by bus. Anyone coming in the rainy season should expect a lot of rain and sometimes limited boat connections.
Best time to visit (indicative)
Best from November to April. Ranong is one of the wettest places in Thailand (August about 772 mm), so from May to October there is a lot of rain and island trips are limited. Weather varies from year to year; this is a guideline based on the climate.
Getting there
From Bangkok by flight or bus (about 9 to 10 hours); from Chumphon about 2 hours. The pier for Ko Phayam lies outside town. Distances and travel times are rounded estimates.
Things to do in Ranong
- Hot springs The springs in Raksawarin Park are a calm spot in the middle of town.
- Rattanarangsarn Palace A historic palace from the time of governor Phraya Rattanasetthi.
- Wat Hat Som Paen A temple where a shoal of carp is protected.
- Ngao Mangrove A research centre in a UNESCO-recognised mangrove area.
