Ranong is a rainy province filled with pristine natural beauty that serves as a gateway to southern Myanmar. The region is best known for its mangrove forests and hot springs.

Ranong is the most northerly province on Thailands Andaman coast, located 568 kilometers from Bangkok. Ranong is known for its long rainy season, which lasts for 8 months each year. A mountainous and heavily forested province, Ranong is best known for its capital city of the same name, which serves as a major fishing and trading port. It was originally settled by the Hokkian Chinese, and their strong influence remains evident in the town. Ranong town is also a gateway to Myanmar, with colorful longboats ferrying produce and people across the narrow divide that separates the two countries. The traffic is even heavier these days since a casino opened at Victoria Point in Myanmar. Just outside of Ranong town are the famous Ranong hot springs, where an arboretum and various first-class hotels cater to visitors eager to benefit from the medicinal properties of the mineral waters.

Ranong Province, one of the wettest in Thailand has a number of other distinctive characteristics: The province features sixty-two islands, many fine beaches, unspoiled forests, and refreshing waterfalls, many of which are incorporated in national parks or wildlife sanctuaries. Ranong is also known for its hot springs and unspoiled mangrove forests. Ranong is a major border crossing between Thailand and neighboring Myanmar and also contains the narrowest point on the Malayan Peninsula.

Transport

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• By Car:
  Ranong can be reached from Bangkok by taking Highway No. 4 via Petchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Chumphon, a total distance of 568 kilometers.
• By Bus:
  Both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned busses depart from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal to Ranong everyday.. For a current schedule and further information, please call the Southern Bus Terminal at tel: 0 2435 1199, 0 2435 1200 or the Ranong Bus Station at tel: 0 7781 1548 or visit www.transport.co.th
  
  There are also buses from the Ranong Bus Terminal to nearby provinces including Chumphon, Surat Thani, Phang Nga, and Phuket.
• By Air:
  There are currently no regularly scheduled flights to Ranong. Ranong airport is 20km south of town, off Hwy 4 but is serviced only by small charter aircraft.