Trang province is southern Thailand's best-kept secret: the same dramatic limestone karsts, white-sand beaches, and turquoise Andaman Sea as Krabi and Phang Nga, but without the crowds. The coastline stretches nearly 200 kilometres and shelters more than 46 islands, many of them barely visited.
The provincial capital is a workmanlike Thai town with good food — particularly its Chinese-Peranakan roast pork and dim sum tradition — but it mainly serves as the gateway to a gorgeous archipelago. The main island jumping-off point is Hat Pakmeng, from which longtails head out to Ko Muk (famous for the Emerald Cave), Ko Kradan (exceptional snorkelling), and Ko Libong (dugong habitat). The entire coastal and marine area falls within Hat Chao Mai National Park.
Rubber plantations, tin mining, and fishing have kept the local economy humming for over a century, which means Trang never needed to chase tourist dollars. The result is an authentically Thai coastal province where the seafood is fresh, the beaches are empty, and a longtail boat to a deserted island costs a fraction of what you would pay further north. Inland, the Banthat mountains conceal caves, waterfalls, and the Khao Chong botanical gardens. The best time to visit the coast and islands is November to May, when the Andaman Sea is calm.