Phang Nga Town

Phang Nga town

While Phang Nga doesn't offer the wide range of international foods found in Phuket or Khao Lak, there are restaurants where foreign travellers will feel at home, and no shortage of authentic southern Thai cuisine.

Most travellers passing through Phang Nga take advantage of two foreigner friendly spots in the centre of town near most of the accommodation — Baan Phangnga and "Restaurant", which are near each other on the same side of the street. Both serve extensive Western style breakfasts, although the former offers some tasty french toast. Breakfast aside, Restaurant serves mainly Thai food in the 50B to 100B range, and we found their "pork on buns" fried khanom style appetiser to be a great late afternoon snack. Aside from real local coffee, Thai iced tea and other sweet drinks, and a selection of home-made cakes, Baan Phangnga has a small but well thought out Thai and Western menu. Massamanu curry was slow cooked, rich and very filling, while a 30B bowl of tom yum noodle soup was authentic and spicy. It also offers a few pasta dishes, decent sandwiches, steak, and a few vegetarian choices. While Restaurant closes around 20:00, Baan Phangnga stays open until 22:00 (or later if there are enough customers) and it's a popular spot for foreigners and locals to enjoy a late night beer or ice cream sundae.

If looking for something with more of a local vibe, there are a few good boat noodle shops on Phet Kasem Rd, including one right next to Baan Phangnga that shares space with a traditional khao gaeng (rice and curry) shop where you can choose from about 12 different curries and stir-fries and get away with a spicy, flavourful, authentic meal for just 30B.

Next to Rattanapong Hotel a morning market starts up at around 05:00 everyday, and is a good place to try locally made khanom sticky rice sweets made with taro and banana and wrapped in banana leaves. Fried bananas are also on offer here along with locally grown fruits, veggies, meat and fish.

Phang Nga also has a night market that sets up every evening around 17:00 at Soi Bhangkang, about two km south of the bus station near the hospital. Here you'll find locals hawking grilled fish, corn on the cob, coconut juice, som tum, and a range of southern style curries with rice, to name a few.

On your way back from the night market stop off at a cute, nameless local ice cream shop for a break (it's on the right if heading north away from the night market, not far from Big C). Try a green tea shaved ice, or a shake, smoothie, or sundae. They also have decadent waffles that are a nice treat in the morning.

Just two doors past that (if heading north), right after a bridal shop on the right, is another nameless local spot that serves traditional Thai rice plates. There's no English menu, but the staff are very friendly and can speak a little English. They also sell a host of traditional Thai desserts out front from sticky rice with mango, to southern style pastries, Thai style custard to little glutinous bite sized treats flavoured with coconut milk. Most of these are just 3B a piece and we highly recommend giving them a try.