Two and a half hours and THB 130 will get you by minibus from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Trang. There was no problem getting a ticket from the clearly marked desk at the bus station, and the journey was comfortable enough (buy a packet of tamarind to suck on the way). Once you've arrived, you need one of Trang's froggy tuktuks to take you to the city centre.


Trang has not bowled us over in the way that Nakhon did, but it is still a very pleasant place to spend a few days. There are considerably more international tourists in evidence here, though you still wouldn't call it "touristy", even in the centre; it's a little more expensive, but not worryingly so; and though it lacks Nakhon's amazing historical riches, there are a few sights (and dishes) that "merit a detour", as M. Michelin would say.

Our hotel, the Ban Ao Thong, does not reach the dizzying heights of our Nakhon accommodation -- frankly, few could -- but it's very good. Fork out for one of the two rooms at the top, which both have a private terrace/garden. Early in the morning, you can sit outside, listening to the birds and cicadas firing up for the day, and watching the monks padding their way along their alms route. In the late afternoon and evening, when the breeze gets up, the stained-glass saloon doors that delimit our terrain creak atmospherically.




Ban Ao Thong is really close to the train station (an area where you can find a number of good eating places and various travel agents). On one side of the entrance is Kopi 1942, which is great for breakfast or lunch; and on the other side is an evening wine bar.

Trang is "market city" par excellence. There's a huge, bustling wet market in the middle of town. Centrepoint, near the clock tower, is a night market, with lots of food and other goods available. And at the weekend, in front of the railway station, another night market pops up.

The city's buildings are mostly contemporary, but there are some classic board houses, some fine-looking shophouses, and generally a number of curiosities:













Trang is a foodie's delight, and I've been intrigued by its wonderful fusions:


(In many cafes here, by the way, a pot of jasmine tea arrives with your order of coffee. Excellent idea. The weather's so hot at the moment that any extra liquid comes in handy.)



Crispy pork and dim sum is another staple breakfast here. We got ours from Trang Mu Yang, but there are loads of other places serving the same combo.



"Trang cake" is another must-eat:


This morning we took the train to Kantang, which is a great little outing, especially as you can do this 20-minute ride for the princely sum of THB 10 return. An hour and 40 minutes after your arrival, you need to get the train back (these trains form the Bangkok service, so they're not frequent). But this is plenty of time to visit the former home of Phraya Ratsadanupradit, and take photos of the adorable 1913 railway station.












Tomorrow we embark on a little road trip, and we'll be back in Trang only briefly before moving on further south. But this is another place we've bookmarked. Next time, the islands...