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Old 26-04-2006, 06:29 PM
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Thumbs up Sungai Golok, Southern Thailand

NARATHIWAT
A small town with many old wooden buildings, Narathiwat has some exceptional beaches on its coastline, right the way down to the Malaysian border. Wonderful seafood restaurants dot the beaches. The coast also provides probably the best windsurfing in Thailand, and postcards with its motif-painted fishing boats. Taksin Palace (open to the public except from August to October for 2 months, when the royal family are in residence) is in this area. There is an annual fair during the 3rd week of September. Sungai Golok, is the main border crossing point with Malaysia with a substantial number of brothels awaiting visiting Malaysian men.

For those travelling from Bangkok to Singapore by rail, there's another route they can take other than the standard Penang-Kuala Lumpur route. This one is not on the main tourist trail, and thus not as well known. A branch line running from Hat Yai to Sungai Golok on the east coast, on the Gulf of Thailand takes you to the Eastern border with Malaysia. Although Sungai Golok marks the end of the Thai line, passengers can cross the border and continue by rail from Khota Bharu in Malaysia to both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The crossing is not difficult, providing you are not carrying a lot of luggage. From the railway station it's only a short distance by trishaw/sorngthaew to the Thai immigration post on the border.

Porters are on hand to take you to Malaysian immigration and customs. From here, off-station taxis make the 28 km run through some lovely Malay country side into Khota Bharu, for a fare of only a few Malaysian ringit (dollars) per person. From Khota Bharu there's a rail line that runs down the central highlands of the Malay Peninsula to Singapore. It is an exciting train trip through some dense jungle, parts of which are still unexplored to this day. For the return trip, two trains leave from Sungai Golok for Bangkok each morning, at 9:20 and 11:20 and arrive in the capital the next morning. Sleepers are available for the overnight trip.

It has to be said though, that most obvious reason for passing through Sungai Golok would be to get to the Perhentian Islands. Even if you do only need a visa stamp it seems a waste of a trip not to stop off to visit the Perhentian islands for a couple of days particularly for the diving enthusiast.

THINGS TO SEE & DO
In reality, not very much in the town itself. A couple of faded Mosques impress upon the visitor that this is largely a Muslim community, a park with murky fish pond, an old steam locomotive and a statue of King Rama V and another park with a rarely used fitness area and a pair of water fountains virtually takes up the sightseeing. Many of the signs in the town are in Malay script as well as Chinese and Thai. The 7-11 convenience store is the only franchise operation in town. A couple of Internet Cafes have sprung up to cater for the tourists.

Older buildings still outnumber newer constructions unlike so many Thai towns and cities. One building on Chuen Makka Road bears the Romanized year 1957 in concrete while in Prashavivat Soi 2 the Stellar Hotel boasts a garish red-brick Martello Tower.

Reason to Visit
Besides visiting the Perhentian Islands then, the other seemingly common reason for going to Sungai Golok is to walk over the border and get that Visa stamp. The Thai Immigration officers are a friendly bunch, probably because they don't get to see large numbers of foreigners (other than Malays) traversing back and forth. Some people even opt to press on to Khota Baru for a 2-month tourist visa.

The Sungai River separates the border only about 20 metres wide in places and the two sides could easily lob rocks onto each other's roofs.
Once through Thai immigration a short walk takes you to Malay immigration where it is necessary to fill out an Arrival Card.

ACCOMMODATION
One thing Sungai Golok is not short of is hotels, of all shapes, sizes and catering to all budgets. Some 41 places to lay your weary head in a town not much bigger than a postage stamp. Rooms can be had from as little as 80 baht a night to more palatial sleeping palaces at anything up to 2,000 baht. They do not really seem to cater to Western tourists probably because most visitors pass through on their way to the Perhenthian Islands or Khota Baru if planning to take the train down to Kuala Lumpur.


GETTING THERE & AWAY
By far the easiest and most comfortable way to travel is the train. From Suratthani it takes about 9-10 hours in an overnight train and about 22-23 hours all the way from Bangkok. Carriages are 2nd class - either fan or air-con. There are no private 1st class compartments on this lesser frequented route. Beware, book at least 4 days ahead as there is only the one service. During public holidays you would be advised to allow longer. See festivals.

It's also possible to catch a bus from Suratthani.