How do you visit Tham Le Stegodon cave?

Visitors kayak through Tham Le Stegodon along an underground river with a local guide; the cave is famous for fossilised remains of the prehistoric elephant-relative Stegodon. Trips depart from a community-run base in Manang district.

Is Songkhla Lake a freshwater lake?

Songkhla Lake is a unique system with freshwater, brackish, and saltwater sections; the parts adjoining Phatthalung are largely freshwater. It supports water buffalo, fishing communities, and important migratory bird populations.

Nang talung is the southern Thai shadow-puppet tradition, with intricately cut leather puppets performed against a backlit screen. Phatthalung is regarded as its heartland and has small museums and workshops devoted to the art.

Phatthalung Province Guide — Songkhla Lake, Stegodon Cave & Southern Thailand

About Phatthalung Province

Phatthalung sits on the western shore of Songkhla Lake — Thailand's largest natural lake — between forested ranges and the sea-like inland waters. The province is rural and predominantly rice-growing, famous as the home of Thailand's southern shadow-puppet (nang talung) tradition. Visitors come for the lake's birdlife, the dramatic karst peaks of Khao Pu-Khao Ya National Park, and the recently world-famous Tham Le Stegodon cave, the longest river cave in Thailand.

Key facts

Population: 523,077 (2020)
Area: 3,424 km²
Density: 153 / km²
Districts: 11
Capital: Phatthalung
ISO code: TH-93

All 11 districts

Bang Kaeo · Khao Chaison · Khuan Khanun · Kong Ra · Mueang Phatthalung · Pa Bon · Pa Phayom · Pak Phayun · Si Banphot · Srinagarindra · Tamot

Top Highlights

Songkhla Lake (Thale Luang)
Thailand's largest lake, with water-buffalo herds and lotus fields
Tham Le Stegodon
a long river cave reached by kayak, named for prehistoric Stegodon fossils
Khao Pu-Khao Ya National Park
twin limestone peaks with forest trails and caves
Lam Pam
a lakeside village known for cradle-shaped fishing traps and sunset views

Getting There

Phatthalung is on the Southern Railway main line; trains from Bangkok take 13–15 hours. Buses run from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal. The nearest major airports are Hat Yai (Songkhla) and Trang, each about 1.5 hours by road.

Inside Phatthalung

Districts (11)

Bang Kaeo ·Khao Chaison ·Khuan Khanun ·Kong Ra ·Mueang Phatthalung ·Pa Bon ·Pa Phayom ·Pak Phayun ·Si Banphot ·Srinagarindra ·Tamot

Mapped in Phatthalung

37 places of interest recorded in OpenStreetMap. Coverage is contributed by volunteers and varies by area, so treat these as a guide to what is mapped rather than a complete inventory.

11Temples
7Attractions
6Markets
5Viewpoints
4Waterfalls
3Historic sites
1Family attractions

Named examples

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources

Facts on this page last checked 1 August 2026.

1.Q243808 — population, area, districts, coordinates — Wikidata (Wikidata), retrieved 1 August 2026
2.Background reading — Wikipedia (Wikipedia), retrieved 1 August 2026Linked for context; no text is reproduced from it.
3.Official provincial website — Provincial administration (Official source), retrieved 1 August 2026

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