Trang - Thailand's secret kiteboarding heaven
If you fancy getting away from it all head to Pak Meng beach, Trang.
Located in southern Thailand, Pakmeng beach is about 3 hours drive from Phuket, 1.5 hours from Krabi and Krabi airport and about 30 minutes from Trang town.
Noisy, busy, crowded. These are three words that cannot be used to describe PakMeng beach. This is a sleepy stretch of beach with a few bungalow resorts and restaurants and not much else. It's a place to spend a couple of days doing nothing lying in a hammock reading a book or sitting under a casurina tree eating delicious Thai food and drinking cold beer.
However if you need some action, in 2011 a friend of ours, Yote, opened a small kitesurfing operation on the beach road. Yote has been teaching kitesurfing in Phuket for several years but he tells us the the wind is stronger and more consistent in Trang. Also, the sea is very shallow for quite a distance and the beach is virtually deserted which is ideal for kitesurfers. A sandbar about 50 metres offshore provides lagoon like conditions for learners inside and waves for the experts outside.
Yote teaches IKO courses and also rents out kitesurfing equipment.
Pakmeng beach accommodation
We stay in some charming bungalows at the south end of the beach called Fishermans Hut homestay. (They have a website www.kanumlay.com but unless your Thai is good we recommend letting Yote book it for you). There are 8 bamboo bungalows at the resort.
The bungalows have air con, hot water showers and TV (all in Thai). They have free wifi and a large veranda with a hammock. The bungalows are just across from the beach and at the back of the resort there is a mangrove river that you can explore in the resort's kayaks if you like. The staff are friendly and helpful. The bungalows are only 800 baht per night. A basic breakfast of sausage, egg and toast is an extra 100 baht.
If you are coming on a weekend be sure to book in advance as Thai's like to stay in Pakmeng on weekends and all accommodation in the area books out.
The beach road has several restaurants to choose from. The most popular with the locals is Yok Yor Restaurant (there is an English sign). Sit on the beach side of the road under the trees and food will be brought over to you from the restaurant across the road. The service is leisurely, the food is tasty and cheap. Beer is also cheap. A big bottle of Chang is 55 baht whereas in Phuket a small bottle would be 80 baht.
Other activities in Pakmeng Beach, Trang
Yote can organise diving for you. There are local dives about 30 minutes away by longatil boat. In season it is also possible to take a speedboat and dive Hin Daeng, Hin Muang.
Tandem bicycles are available for rent along the beach road. Inflatable rubber rings are available for rent on the beach.
Daytrip boats can take you from PakMeng pier to nearby islands for sightseeing and exploring