Ranong is the province of eight months of rain and four of sun, the wettest in the country — so the forest is deep green, the waterfalls run most of the year, and there are natural hot springs to soak in. We list five grounds: few, but varied, from a beach under the pines and a pitch beside a hot spring to a forest camp you can only walk to.
Almost all are state-run, at about ฿30–40 per person; the one private seaside camp is ฿150 a night. Every ground has toilets and four of the five rent gear, but only one has showers and only two have electricity.
Counted across the 5 campsites shown on this page, ordered by how many list each one.
On the coast is Laem Son National Park, a ground on a long beach beside the mangroves, and about 4 km away a private seaside camp under tall pines where you park beside the tent and can watch for nesting hornbills. For hot water there is the Hat Yai hot-spring ground in Lam Nam Kra Buri National Park, where the main activity is soaking in the natural spring, and Namtok Ngao National Park, with both a waterfall and a hot mineral spring. For trekkers, Sai Rung La-ong Dao waterfall in Khlong Nakha Wildlife Sanctuary, Kapoe, is a 16 km walk-and-wade route that takes two days and a night.
December to April is Ranong's driest stretch, right for the beach grounds and for the wading trek — which gets several times harder when it rains. From May to November the rain is heavy and long and the Andaman is rough, so the beach is a poor choice; a hot-spring soak in the cool, damp air, though, is something many people like best then. Some parks announce temporary closures from time to time, so check before you go.
Showers and electricity are scarce: bring lights and a power bank, and rain gear in any season. The Sai Rung La-ong Dao route is walked with sanctuary rangers, who decide where you camp; there is no phone signal the whole way, and some stretches are waist-deep. At the Hat Yai hot spring, bring your own towel and toiletries, and contact the owner of the private seaside camp before turning up.
About ฿30–40 per person at state-run grounds, plus park entrance fees; ฿150 a night at the private seaside camp.
Yes — four of the five grounds rent gear. The Hat Yai hot-spring ground, for example, has three-person dome tents for about ฿225 and bedding by the piece.
For hot springs and waterfalls, yes — but avoid the beach grounds and the wading trek, because Ranong's rain is heavy and long.
