Nakhon Si Thammarat Guide: Old City, Khiriwong, Beaches

Nakhon Si Thammarat is a long province on the Gulf of Thailand with three very different sides: an old city built around one of the south's best-known temples, a cool mountain village at the foot of Khao Luang, and quiet beaches at Khanom and Sichon facing Koh Samui. Most visitors fly into the city airport or take a train or bus from Bangkok, then add Khiriwong or the coast for a night or two.

This guide uses only facts we could check on 16 October 2026 on the sources listed above, and it says where they disagree. We have not stayed at any of the hotels. For hotel choices, read where to stay in Nakhon Si Thammarat, or the Thai version, ที่พักนครศรีธรรมราช.

What Nakhon Si Thammarat is like

Wikipedia calls Nakhon Si Thammarat one of the oldest cities in Thailand, and says it was the administrative centre of Southern Thailand during most of its history. It puts the city about 610 km south of Bangkok on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The name comes from Sanskrit and Wikipedia gives it as "Nagara Shri Dharmaraja". Locals use the short nickname Muangkon.

The province is large. Wikipedia lists 23 districts, among them Mueang (the city), Lan Saka (home of Khiriwong), Khanom and Sichon. That is why a trip here is really three trips: the city and its temples, the mountains, and the coast. Plan an hour or more of driving between them, and decide your base before you book.

Nakhon Si Thammarat airport and getting there

The city has its own airport. Wikipedia describes Nakhon Si Thammarat International Airport (NST) as being in Pak Phun subdistrict of Mueang district, opened on 1 December 1998. Two city hotels give the distance to the airport: Grand Fortune gives 16.43 km and HOP INN says about 17 km, roughly 20 minutes.

Where the sources disagree

We suggest you treat the longer distance as the planning figure and confirm opening dates and transfer times directly.

Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat

The 12Go page for Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat showed, when we opened it in a real browser on 16 October 2026, 9 listed companies, 7 departures a day, a distance of 679 km, an earliest departure at 6:00 AM and a latest at 7:10 PM. We link it as a convenient place to compare, and some links on this site may earn us a commission; this does not change the times you see. We do not repeat fares here because they change daily.

The old city and Wat Phra Mahathat

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan is the main temple of the province. Wikipedia says it was founded in the 8th century, that its main stupa, the Phra Borommathat Chedi, was built in the early 13th century, and that the temple has an annual cloth-wrapping ceremony for the Great Reliquary. Wikipedia also lists the temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 2026 as reference 1761. We could not open the UNESCO page itself, so check unesco.org if the listing matters to your plans.

We could not verify opening hours or entrance fees on an official page, so check before you go. For a base, HOP INN's page lists the temple, Thalad Zoo, Sanam Na Mueang Public Park and Khao Chang Sri Viewpoint as nearby, and Grand Fortune gives about 2.5 km to the temple. Both distances come from the hotels.

Khiriwong village and Khao Luang

Khiriwong (Ban Khiri Wong) is a village in Lan Saka district at the foot of Khao Luang. Thai Holiday Guide says it is about 20 km from the provincial capital, that trekking up Khao Luang must start from the village, and that the longkong and mangosteen harvests run from July to September. Pattaya Mail, quoting the NNT news service on 31 March 2026, reported that the Ministry of Culture named Ban Khiri Wong one of Thailand's top 10 model communities for community-based tourism, and mentioned Sunday morning almsgiving on the bridge and rainforest trekking.

A park guide run by a tour operator says Khao Luang National Park covers 570 square kilometres, that Khao Luang is the highest point in southern Thailand at 1,780 metres, and that summit hiking is possible from January to September. The same guide says the park is closed from 1 October to 15 December. We could not verify the park's hours or entrance fees on a DNP page, so confirm them with the park or your host.

Beaches: Khanom and Sichon

The coast north-east of the city is the quiet-beach side of the province. Wikipedia says Hat Khanom refers to the beaches of Khanom district, within a national park that also covers Sichon district and the islands between the coast and Koh Samui. Aava Resort says it lies along a 9 km stretch of Nadan Beach and says Khanom is home to rare pink dolphins often seen near the shoreline; that is the hotel's own statement. Khanom Beach Resort says it is 88 km from the airport.

Sichon is the next district north. Wikipedia lists Wat Chedi Ai Khai there as an ancient temple more than 1,000 years old. Sichon Hideaway and Sichon Cabana Beach Resort both describe small beachfront stays. We could not source Pak Phanang or Hat Sai Kaew details for this guide, so we have left them out rather than guess.

Weather and best time

The Khao Luang park guide gives two seasons: a hot season from February to April and a rainy season from May to January, with intensive rain from October to December. Thai Holiday Guide gives Khiriwong an average annual rainfall of 3,500 to 4,000 millimetres. Wikipedia says the Khanom park area has rain almost all year, with a summer from February to April. In short, there is no fully dry stretch, and October to December is the wettest part of the year. Look at a current forecast, and at our guide to Thailand's best time by region.

Where to stay

The stay guide compares four areas and lists 12 hotels, each checked against the hotel's own website:

• City: six hotels near the old city, from a budget chain to a five-star hotel by the hotel's own description.
• Khiriwong: one six-room stay in a fruit orchard beside a stream.
• Khanom: three beach resorts on the Khanom coast.
• Sichon: two small beachfront stays.

Open where to stay in Nakhon Si Thammarat for the area table and hotel cards.

Nearby destinations

• Surat Thani: the next province north
• Koh Samui: the island across the bay from Khanom
• Trang: the province to the south-west
• Hat Yai: the southern transport hub
• Krabi: the Andaman coast to the west
• Getting around Thailand
• Thailand overview
• Songkhla: Samila beach, old town and the lake

FAQ

Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.