Bamboo Resort
Hotel in Khanom
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All you need to know to visit Khanom
ขนอม
Southern Thailand
712 km from Bangkok
Province of Nakhon Si Thammarat
Thai pronunciation : Kanomm
Southern Thailand
712 km from Bangkok
Province of Nakhon Si Thammarat
Thai pronunciation : Kanomm
- Budget
- 4/5
- Recommended stay
- 3 to 4 days
- Sightseeing
- 4/5
Travel guide to visit Khanom
Located on the seashore 100 km north of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Khanom district has pleasant beaches with mountains, waterfalls, caves, rivers, canals, rice fields, rubber plantations, natural fish spas... It is a mixture of an attractive coastline and nature that seduces more and more Thais and some foreign tourists, mostly French and Dutch. Khanom has become an alternative destination to the islands of the Gulf of Thailand that almost face it (Koh Samui and Koh Phangan). Quieter, less busy, it's ideal for a few relax days with the family. And the must-do tour here is the boat trip to meet the pink dolphins. They made the reputation of this small district a few kilometers from Donsak, starting point of the ferry to Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. If you are looking for a place to stay close to Donsak, Khanom is the place ! Much more friendly than Surat Thani, a city that really has a mow tourist interest. Here, you will enjoy beautiful sunrises on the beach. It is not uncommon for people who come from Koh Samui to prefer their time spent In Khanom to their stay on the island.For all the options for getting around Khanom, see our section on getting around in Khanom.
Accommodations in Khanom
Of course, the purpose of coming to Khanom is to stay in an accommodation on the beach. And the choice is more and more large. Prices if cheaper than on the neighboring islands in the Gulf of Thailand are a bit higher than in the town but you also pay for the nice setting and direct access to the beach. In general, accommodations offer to pick you up for free in the city where the minivans will drop you or can organize a pick-up at the airport of Nakhon Si Thammarat or at Donsak pier if you arrive from the islands.Find accommodation in Khanom
My recommendations
People often ask me which accommodation I recommend in Thailand. Here are my recommendations in Khanom.
Practical information about Khanom
In general, there the tourist activity slows down in Khanom from mid-May to the beginning of July with the closure of several accommodations. The monsoon affects the area from October to December.Transport in Thailand
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How to go to Khanom ?
To go to Khanom, you will inevitably at some point or another have to take road transportation at least for the last tens of kilometers. From Bangkok, you can opt for a flight to Nakhon Si Thammarat (nearest) or Surat Thani and then a minivan transfer. Another option from the capital or any city on the Southern Railway line, you can take the train to Surat Thani (or even Nakhon Si Thammarat but it's a bit more complicated) and then take a van also. Much longer, there are buses to Nakhon Si Thammarat or Surat Thani from Sai Tai Mai, Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal . From Koh Tao, Koh Samui or Koh Phangan, take the ferry to Donsak and then the minivan to Nakhon Si Thammarat which will drop you off in Khanom. There are also very regular vans connecting Nakhon Si Thammarat to Khanom. Vans or minibuses to Khanom from Surat Thani or Nakhon Si Thammarat generally leave when they are full and therefore not necessarily exactly at the times indicated.How to get around in Khanom ?
To get around in Khanom, you will have no choice, and need to have your own transportation or ask your accommodation to provide you with a car with a driver. Nearly all resorts can rent scooters but beware, I remind you that to respect Thai law, you must detain a motorcycle license, regardless of the engine power, and have applied for an international driving license before coming to Thailand.
Festivals in Khanom ?
Here is a list of the main festivals held every year in Khanom. Their dates are published as soon as they are official on the Festivals in Thailand page.
Must-visits in
Pink dolphins
โลมาสีชมพูMy opinion : 5/5
When talking about Khanom in Thailand, pink dolphins are usually the first thing that comes out. It is unique in Thailand and quite rare in the world and that if seeing them is obviously not guaranteed, when taking a boat to see them with an experienced captain in calm weather, it is quite rare that you come back without having meet some. But it happens...
Khao Wang Thong Cave
ถ้ำถ้ําเขาวังทองMy opinion : 5/5
It is the most famous cave in the Nakhon Si Thammarat province where Khanom district is located. The interior rooms with their stalagmites and stalactites are superb. There are also bats inside. One of the must-visits in Kanom but you must love the caves !
Natural fish spas
สวนตาสรรค์My opinion : 4/5
There is a small stretch of river near Khanom, just before the province of Surat Thani, which is known for its small fishes that eat dead skin. You sit on a ban in the watercourse, dive your feet and in a few seconds, there will be several fish to come to take care of your feet.
Saturday Walking Street
ถนนคนเดินMy opinion : 1/5
It is not in Khanom but in the village just after it Bn Ton that hosts every Saturday evening a Walking Street, a large night market that settles in a street where cars are forbidden for the occasion. There is mostly food stalls and eating is the essential reason to go there.Other places to see in Khanom
Mangroves
Near the city of Khanom, along the canal especially near the bridge, you have several areas with mangroves with shimmering crabs and monkeys even though we rarely see the primates. There is also the possibility to rent a kayak ad go on the canal.
Coral Pagoda
Nicknamed Coral Pagoda because its chedi was built entirely with coral stone, it is one of Khanom's well-known monuments. Not the most unmissable because even the view offered from its small hill is not the most incredible you can see but as a step on the road to other visits, why not ?
Khanom Viewpoint
This point of view on a hill offers a dominant panorama with beach and sea on a side, the side where the sun rises, and the mountains on the other side, the side where the sun sets. It's worth it to go when the weather is favorable.
Koh Nui
This small island is usually on the program of boat tours to meet Khanom pink dolphins. More than the island itself it is its legend and its source of fresh water discovered by a revered monk that makes it an important place that many people visit.
Samet Chun Waterfall
One of Khanom's nicest waterfalls with a nice pool, big and deep enough to swim. And the setting is really nice. A relaxing place with fresh water if you're bored of the sea ;)
Hin Lat Waterfall
With its concrete part, the waterfall lacks a bit of charm but is not so bad to sit and relax in the shadow near the strem and dip in a cool water.
Tha Noi Waterfall
Another small waterfall in Khanom distirct. Mostly uncrowded it flows in a woody and refreshing setting. You can dip in the water to cool off but not really swim.
Mangroves (kayaking)
Much more fun and interesting than walking around on the small landscaped mangrove area, kayaking through the small canals in Khanom mangrove is a really enjoyable tour. For the nature, the small wildlife that lives there and the calm. ANd it is quite easy to paddle there
Weather & climate in
Khanom has a tropical rainforest climate with temperatures that remain very hot to hot throughout the year. The driest months are February and March, with about and the wettest months from October to December.How to ask the way in Thai to Khanom ?
I want to go to Khanom / Yak pai thi Kanomm.Where is Khanom? / Kanomm yu thi nai?
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