Ranong

Ranong is Thailand's wettest province — rain pours for much of the year, feeding hot springs, waterfalls, and the lushest vegetation on the Andaman coast. The Raksawarin Hot Springs in town are naturally heated geothermal pools where locals soak alongside visitors. The town itself is a low-key border crossing point to Myanmar's Kawthaung (Victoria Point), accessible by a 30-minute longtail boat ride across the estuary.

Offshore, the province's islands are the real treasure. Koh Phayam is a chill island with two main beaches, no cars, cashew orchards, and a growing but still mellow backpacker-meets-digital-nomad scene. Koh Chang Ranong (not to be confused with Trat's Koh Chang) is even more remote, with a handful of rustic bungalows. Laem Son National Park protects mangroves, pristine coastline, and a chain of islands with coral reefs. The Ngao Waterfall in the forested interior is considered one of the prettiest in southern Thailand. Ranong is not polished, but that's the point — it's the Andaman coast before the crowds found it.