Panarae BeachRatcharak Beach
Khae-Khae Beach
Pattani is one of those provinces that is under visited by western tourists. Part of the reason may be its Muslim heritage, but those who chose to ignore Pattani are missing an opportunity.
Pattani seems to have a coastline that is one continuous beach interrupted only by estuaries and canals.
And while much of the brown sand beach in Thailand is referred to as "gold" some of Pattani's beaches are a true golden color, almost buttery in appearance.
Panare Beach
A seemingly endless stretch of sand and clean water near the town of Panare, directly east of Pattani Town. This is definitely a "day" beach but has some basic food and beverage services. It is relatively clean and the width varies considerably.
Ratcharak Beach
Approximately 10 km southeast of Panare watch for a small roadside sign that has the palm tree symbol indicating beaches. An unsealed road on the left winds its way over a hill for about 2 km to a great beach.
On the northern end, massive rocks at the base of a hillock contrast with a long stretch of sand to the south. The area is very spacious and scenic with coarse sand and some natural debris.
The beach is somewhat uneven, but interesting. During an off-season holiday I was the only person on the beach. There are no services of any kind on what is obviously a "day" beach. The water is clean and inviting.
Khae-Khae Beach
A picturesque "day" beach popular with the locals and Asian tourists alike. Nature has decorated the seaside with huge boulders worn smooth by the relentless sea; scattered about with a pile at each end of the beach. The sand is good, the water okay and a variety of food and beverage services are available.
Getting There
Air: Thai Airways has regular service to Pattani.
Bus: Service to Pattani or Panare, then take a motorcycle taxi to the beaches.
Car: All the beaches are off local roads east and southeast of Pattani. Some searching is required to find all the beaches mentioned.
Accommodations
Day trips to the beaches can be made from local hotels such as the 4 star C.S. Pattani which is a bargain at Bt 800. e mail cspatani@cscoms.com Tel (073) 335 093-4 Fax (073) 331 620
Or by one of the hotels in Narathiwat Town. The Royal Princess is Bt 800 but lesser quality than the C. S. Pattani.
