South Thailand / Surat Thani's Restaurants, Shopping, Entertainment
Restaurants
Western cuisine is rarely found beyond hotel coffeeshops and bungalow resort dining rooms. Local Thai and Chinese cuisine prominently features seafood, including fresh lobster, crabs, fish, shark and assorted shellfish. Quality seafood restaurants are most numerous around the estuary of the Tapi River and at Ko Samui’s Naton.
Gourmets will certainly appreciate Surat Thani’s oysters which are particularly large, have pure white flesh and no fishy smell. Other local culinary delicacies include salted eggs from Chaiya and the province’s Rongrian Rambutans, purportedly the finest and sweetest in all of Thailand.
Shopping
Major souvenir shops in Surat Thani and on Ko Samui stock almost every handicraft produced in Thailand. However, the region is particularly noted for a wide range of coconut products. These include handbags made from coconut palm fronds, window screens, picture frames, brooms and fans. Other popular item are palm leaf mobiles, ceramic decorations, lacquerware and brass receptacles, as well as Thai silk. Browsing to compare quality and good-natured but determined bargaining will ensure good buys.
Department Stores
Saha Thai
Na Muang Road, Tel 27-2056
Phiman
Na Muang Road, Tel 27-2263
Chuiti
Vithi That Road, Tel 27-2264
Entertainment
Cinemas Lido
Rat Uthit Road, Tel 27-2759
Odien
Na Muang Road, Tel 27-2216
Thanawat
Thanawai Hotel, Tel 27-2473
Miscellaneous
Tourism Authority of Thailand
The office on 5 Talai Mai Road is open seven days a week,
including holidays, 8:30-16:30.
The Tourist Police, Tel 28-1300, are attached to the TAT office. Bilingual personnel provide speedy assistance to visitors.
Police Station
Na Muang Road, Tel 27-2095
Emergency number 199
Immigration Office
Surat Thani City Mall, Tel 27-3217
Extension of visa is possible at the immigration office in Surat Thani or on Ko Samui (25/3 Mu 3, Na Amphoe Road, Tel 42-1069)
Bus Terminals
Talaat Mai Road
Thai Airways
Post Office
Hospital
Market
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