Nakhon Si Thammarat Town

Nakhon Si Thammarat town: an overview

780 kilometers from the south of Bangkok there is Nakhon Si Thammarat, an incredible place which possesses 100,000 habitants and is the second biggest province in Thailand. This exuberant region is characterized by its perfect combination of the Buddhism cultures, art, iconic architecture and natural environment, making it a must-see if you are traveling around this country.

The province is surrounded by history as it played a significant role in the past of Thailand. At the beginning of the century III B.C, Nakhon Si Thammarat was an important Buddhism center as well as an import for Indian, Arab, British, and Portuguese merchants, also afterward it became the main commercial route between China and the south of India.

Previously known as Ligor in the century II A.C, the zone was an independent kingdom which formed part of the powerful empire Srivijaya between the centuries VIII and XIII and after the rebellion of Thais, the region turned into a religious and cultural center for Theravada Buddhism, when the doctrine started to expand from Sri Lanka and finally arrived in Thailand at the end of XIII century.

Nowadays, Nakhon Si Thammarat owns museums and temples where history fanatics can enjoy a journey through the past of the city. Despite their eminent history, the zone also offers incredible natural scenes where you can contemplate beautiful waterfalls and gorgeous beaches.

How to get to Nakhon Si Thammarat town

Nakhon Si Thammarat town sits on the eastern side of the southern Thai peninsula, which makes it a natural stop on the north–south corridor between Bangkok and the far south. Travellers usually arrive overland from the north or from neighbouring southern provinces, or connect from the Gulf islands through a mainland pier.

On this site you can compare the services that currently run to and from Nakhon Si Thammarat Town and book the one that suits your dates. We list several routes routes in total, with fares starting from our online fares. Availability, timings and the companies operating each connection are shown live at the moment you search, so check the results page rather than relying on a fixed timetable.

Nearby transport connections

The town is served by its own road terminals and by a railway line that runs down the peninsula, and there is a regional airport a short drive from the centre. For island journeys, travellers normally transfer to a mainland pier further along the coast, where sea crossings depart towards the Gulf of Thailand islands.

If you are heading offshore, it is worth planning the connection in two legs: a land leg to the coast, then a sea leg to the island. Search each leg separately to see which departures line up on the same day.

Main departure and arrival points

Arrivals and departures in the town itself are centred on the bus and minivan terminals and the railway station, all within reach of the city centre and its main temple district. Journeys that continue to the islands connect through the coastal piers to the north, where boat services cross to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

The exact pick-up and drop-off point depends on the company you book with, so read the stop details on your ticket. Some services use a downtown office rather than the main terminal, and a few include a shared shuttle between the two.

Popular routes to and from Nakhon Si Thammarat

The most searched connections tend to be those linking the town with Bangkok, with the larger southern cities such as Surat Thani, Krabi, Hat Yai and Phuket, and with the Gulf islands via the coastal piers. To see what is bookable for your travel date, browse the full list of routes to and from Nakhon Si Thammarat Town, or start from a nearby hub such as Surat Thani travel connections if you are combining a mainland leg with an island crossing.

Practical travel information

A few points that make the trip smoother:

• Book ahead in high season. Seats and cabins on the busiest southern connections fill up around Thai public holidays and the island party dates.
• Arrive early. Plan to be at the terminal or pier well before departure, as check-in and boarding close ahead of the scheduled time.
• Check the vehicle and operator. Details for each departure, including our transport partners, are shown against the specific service in the search results.
• Luggage. Allowances differ between companies; oversized items and surfboards may need to be declared at booking.
• Weather. The east coast sees its heaviest rain late in the year, which can affect sea crossings more than road journeys.

Tickets booked here are confirmed by email, and the confirmation lists the boarding point, the reporting time and the conditions that apply to changes or cancellations for that particular service.

What to see and do

The town rewards a day or two of slow exploring. Its temples and museums are the obvious starting point for the history that shaped the province, and the surrounding countryside adds waterfalls, forested hills and quiet stretches of coastline within easy reach.

• Temples and religious sites that reflect the town's long role as a centre of Theravada Buddhism.
• Museums covering the Srivijaya period and the trading past of the old kingdom of Ligor.
• Waterfalls and national park scenery in the hills inland from the town.
• Beaches along the Gulf coast, generally quieter than those on the nearby islands.
• Local crafts and markets, including the shadow puppetry and niello work the province is known for.

Because most visitors treat the town as part of a wider southern itinerary, it pairs well with a few nights on the coast or on one of the Gulf islands.

Book your trip to Nakhon Si Thammarat

Enter your travel date and the number of passengers to see live departures, current fares from our online fares and the companies running each service. Search availability for Nakhon Si Thammarat Town and complete your booking in a few steps.