L et’s Go,
HOT MAGAZINE RECOMMEND
Chumphon
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ocated on the east side of the Malaysian Peninsular on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, most people pass through Chumphon on their way to its more popular neighbors such as Phuket, Koh Samui or Koh Pha Ngan but few choose to stay there. Like its name (Chumphon means lots of blessings) Chumphon is a hidden gem, roughly 500 km south of Bangkok, it is a quiet beach town with amazing snorkeling sites, mountainside viewpoints and over 200 km of coastline worth exploring. The Chumphon coast boasts several long and underrated stretches of sand
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drawing only a trickle of Thais and very few foreign travellers. Adjacent to the Chumphon Airport is the Pathio Coast, also known as the "Royal Gold Coast�, and it is miles of open beaches and limestone surrounded baths. You have your pick of spots to lay your towel on. Due to its close location to the airport, it's the easiest point of entry to Chumphon and beyond to the islands. There is a wide variety of beaches and bays from small limestone coves to long open beaches. Among them, Thung Waua Laen (also known as Running Bull Beach) is the most
popular; covering about 2 km along the Gulf of Thailand. It has fine, lightcolored sand speckled with boutique hotels, small restaurants, beach bars, and sport shops. The beach is a popular place for picnicking and most restaurants around the vicinity provide a picnic mat free of charge. One can easily travel to Thung Wua Laen by hopping on the yellow songthaew that takes off regularly from the city center. Bang Son Beach is mostly untouched with a few resorts under construction. Khao Dinsor (Pencil Hill) is nearby, offering a great view of the beach and surrounding islands. As the highest
