Satun Province

Introducing Satun Province

If you’re dying to explore uncharted territory, get off the beaten path and head to Satun. Bumped up against Malaysia, the Andaman coast’s southernmost region is too far off the tourist trail to see much action. The largely undeveloped Ko Tarutao Marine National Park encompasses some of the most pristine untamed islands in the Andaman, all drenched in luxuriant greenery and edged by stereotypically splendid tropical beaches. Plucky explorers willing to put forth the effort it takes to get there will not be disappointed.

Until 1813 Satun was a district of the Malay state of Kedah, but the region was ceded to Britain in 1909 under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty and became a province of Siam in 1925. Largely Muslim in make-up, Satun has seen little of the political turmoil that plagues the neighbouring regions of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. Around 60% of people here speak Yawi or Malay as a first language, and the few wat in the region are small, impoverished and vastly outnumbered by mosques.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009