Satun province

Places to go in Satun province
Satun
Ko Adang
Ko Bulon Lae
Ko Lipe
Ko Tarutao
La Ngu
Pakbara
Thale Ban National Park

The Muslim-majority province of Satun is the southernmost on Thailand's west coast, bordered to the south by Malaysia. The same-named provincial capital of Satun is a decidedly sleepy affair and is used by most travellers as nothing more than a launching point to either the offshore islands via the port town at Pakbara, or further south into Malaysia.

The highlight of these offshore islands is the gorgeous Ko Tarutao and the growingly popular blip of an island, Ko Lipe. Other islands include Ko Bulon Lae and the imposing Ko Adang. Ko Petra National Marine Parks also lie off Satun's 150-kilometre, mangrove-skirted coastline. In total the province lays claim to more than 100 islands, and while the majority of these remain uninhabited, the province is nevertheless a must-explore province for beach-lovers.

Back on the mainland, Satun is mostly mountainous, with plains flattening out the central and coastal areas. The province is also home to Thale Ban National Park, easily visited from the provincial capital, which features an attractive lagoon surrounded by towering mountains as well as several waterfalls.

Like some of Thailand's other far southern provinces, Satun was once a district of the Malaysian state of Kedah, not coming into the Thai fold till 1909 in part due to it's mostly ethnic Thai population. That said there's still considerable Malay influence that can be seen -- particularly in the food and clothing.

Unlike the other far southern province of Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala, Satun has been largely unaffected by the ongoing troubles in the South and is considered by Thai government authorities to be safe.