Trang or Muang Thap Thiang used to be a port involved in foreign trade. It was the first city where rubber was planted. Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi brought rubber from Malaysia and planted it here before anywhere else in southern Thailand in 1899. Rubber is now considered an important commodity of Thailand. The important Trang River flows through the province from its origin in the Khao Luang mountain range and the Palian River from the Banthat mountain range.
Trang is a coastal province on the Indian Ocean with a long western coastline of about 199 kilometres. The province consists of an archipelago in the Andaman Sea with over 46 islands. Of these, 12 are in Amphoe Kantang, 13 in Amphoe Palian and 21 in Amphoe Sikao. The best time for sea travel is during October to May of the following year. Trang has a total area of 4,941 square kilometers.
:: Attractions
The Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahisornpakdi (Khaw Sim Bee Na Ranong) Monument was erected to honor the first governor of Trang (1890-1901) who initiated, and was instrumental in bringing, the rubber tree seedlings for planting in the province, turning it into the province's main product, even up to the present day.
Tourism development is slowly extending into the 50 or so small Andaman Islands off the western coast of Trang, but they have still retained their superb, fine sands, pristine corals, and rich bird and mammal wildlife. There are 4 main islands of interest; Koh Hai, Koh Muk (Pearl Island), Koh Kradan (Board Island), and Koh Libong. The nearest one is the forested Koh Hai with wonderful beaches and corals on the eastern side. Koh Muk is popular for its Tham Morakot (Emerald Cave) on the western side. The long, limestone tunnel leads from the sea to an inland beach surrounded by towering cliffs and accessible by boats only at low tide. Koh Kradan, one of the most beautiful and most remote islands in this group, hosts the annual Trang Underwater Wedding Fair. Further south is the largest island of them all, Koh Libong, famed for bird-watching during March and April.
Located 21 km from the city, the remote Khao Chong Wildlife Sanctuary contains an impressive open zoo, 2 spectacular waterfalls, and a bird sanctuary, the Klong Lamchan reservoir, which attracts numerous migratory waterfowls during the months of January and March.
About 50 km west of the city, the 144,300-rai Hat Chao Mai National Park has a varied coastal geography consisting of 9 small islands, mangrove creeks interspersed with coastal karsts, and hidden beaches accessible through caves.
