An interesting and delightful Town for the Visa Run
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Ranong town (population: 24000) is located on Petchkasem Highway. Ranong is a busy provincial capital with strong Chinese influence and a high percentage of Burmese people as well. The town was established about 200 years ago by Hokkien-Chinese immigrants who settled here in order to start tin mining nearby. Nowadays many Burmese from Kaw Thaung (Victoria Point) come to Ranong for shopping or as workers, and obviously the town benefits from it. Victoria Point forms the southernmost point of Myanmar. A visit for a day ore more is possible.
The memorial for the founder of Ranong
The source of Ranong's Prosperity Besides fishing the original source of the town's prosperity was tin mining. Since the sea and the mines provide less and less output and world market prices in these sectors decline, the people looked for other sources of income in the agricultural area such as coffee and cashew nuts. Furthermore, many commercial fishing boats are converted into tourist boats to bring local tourists to Koh Surin, Koh Phayam and Koh Rayam or to offer fishing trips.
Tin mining
Ranong Orientation Ranong town consists mainly of a large 'shopping mile', Ruang Rat Road, which is stretched along a hill. The extensive night market, about 10 minutes walk from the market, is worth a visit. During dry season the northern part of Ruang Rat Road celebrates “Walking Street” every Sunday starting from 5 in the afternoon, when the road is blocked from traffic. It becomes a lively market with many food stalls and several live bands as well. In this area a good number of restaurants and decent bars with live music stay open until 10 pm and even after midnight.
Ruang Rat Road
Harbors of Ranong: Sapan Pla Backpackers mainly come to Ranong to take a songthaew to the harbor Sapan Pla where the boats to Koh Phayam and Koh Chang depart from two piers in a soi to the left of the main road. The boats to Kaw Thaung in Myanmar for those who want to do a visa run depart from the Long tail boat Pier behind a PTT petrol station to the right of the main road. Here an immigration office is set up for the formalities for the cheaper but longer visa run to Myanmar by long tail boat. It is worthwhile getting up early in the morning and go to the fishing pier to watch the fishing boats coming back. The smell of fish is a common feature in many areas of Ranong town.
Long tail boat pier
Harbors of Ranong: At the Fjord The Andaman Club Pier is situated 6 km to the north of Ranong city. Here larger boats with aircon depart to the casino island belonging to Myanmar. This pier has also an immigration office for performing the formalities for the most convenient visa run. 8 km further to the north the new Ranong Port was constructed for commercial use.
Andaman Club Pier
Ranong, a City for Leisure Many local people who come to Ranong town are business men, they take some “time off” at the hot springs or they visit the casino on the Burmese island Thahtay Kyun. In the last few years a couple of very beautiful new hotels were built in Ranong: The Tinidee, the Jansom Thara Hotel for Spa lovers, the ultra-modern The b Ranong Hotel for snooker fans, the brand new Nam Sai Khao Suay with very comfortable bungalows in the town center and the Luang Poj Boutique Hostel in the historical building of the first hotel in Ranong. Also a large number of attractive restaurants and music bars were opened, mainly along the Ranong Walking Street in upper Ruang Rat Road, e.g. Sophon's Hideaway, D.D. Coffee, Jammy Bar.
Nam Sai Khao Suay Resort
D.D. Coffee
Sophon's Hideaway
Jammy Bar
Ranong Hot Springs The biggest attraction in Ranong town are the hot springs, a sulfur free mineral spring at 65 °C, which has its source at the foot of a forested mountain located in Wat Tapotharam. The hot springs lie about 2 km northeast of the town center along the river. Three natural springs, small creeks and pools offer various degrees of heat. They are surrounded by the well-tended Raksawarin Park shaded by many trees. Here you can bathe your feet in public and you can 'fry' on top of the large, warm cover of the pump station (it has similar effects to a mudpack application).
The Hot Springs in Raksawarin Park
The new and very clean mineral spa Siam Hot Spa is located opposite the park offering sophisticated bathing pleasure with jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath and many types of massage, all applications are gender-segregated.
Siam Hot Spa
Rain in Ranong Ranong is known for receiving the highest annual rainfall in Thailand and it is also one of the most densely wooded provinces in Thailand standing out with lush vegetation. Because of the steep and inaccessible mountains about 70% of the region are still covered with dense jungle. The rainy season starts in May and lasts until November, pouring rain can be expected in June and July.
The waterfalls of Ranong, most notably Punyaban Waterfall and Ngao Waterfall, are at their best from June to November whereas towards the end of the dry season they show just a mere trickle.
Ngao Waterfall
Punyaban Waterfall in June
Punyaban Waterfall in March
Douglas Fairweather
Ranong Thailand
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