Things to do in Surat Thani

Wat Suan Mok

The small town of Chaiya is about an hour bus ride north of Surat Thani and is home to the well-known Wat Suan Mok. The temple is a serene and beautiful place founded by the famous monk Phutthathat Phikku when he established a dhamma and meditation practice centre here in 1932. A ten day meditation-training course is open to foreigners starting the first of each month. Show up a day early to ensure enrollment. The last day of the course is on the morning of the eleventh.

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Chaiya
How to get there: To get to Wat Suan Mok from Surat Thani take a local orange bus from Taleet Kaset 1 heading to Chumphon. The ride north to Chaiya takes about one hour depending on traffic.

Ban Phum Riang

Ban Phum Riang is a quaint Muslim fishing village famed for its silk cloth. The cloth is woven by hand and comes in red, yellow and black. Hats made out of leaves are also available. Two km to the east on the coast is Ban Laem Poe. The seafood is fresh and make sure to try the white shellfish - a local delicacy.

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Ban Phum Riang, near Chaiya
How to get there: Take a songthaew or motor bike taxi from downtown Chaiya to get to Phum Riang.

Monkey Training Centre

There is an informative monkey training centre in Surat Thani Province. The centres teaches pig-tailed monkeys how to pick up coconuts and do tricks. The Monkey Training Centre is located 13km east of Surat Thani in Kanchanadit District. Visitors are more than welcome to watch the monkeys being trained. Contact Somporn Saeko at (077) 22 7351 for more information.

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13km east of Surat Thani
How to get there: Take the local orange bus from Talaat Kaset 1 to Kanchanadit.

Long-tail boat cruise on the Ta Pi River

A peaceful morning or romantic evening cruise on the river is a great choice. Boats can be chartered at the Bandon pier for about 300B per hour (be sure to negotiate a price beforehand). The hidden mangroves en route to Wat Thong are very charming. In the morning there is a floating market and in the evening there are hundreds of fireflies on the banks of the Ta Pi.

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Riverfront, Surat Thani