Phattalung is in southern Thailand. It is a province of mountains, forests, a huge lake (Thale Noi), and mediocre beaches.To me, Phra Phutthanirarokhantarai Chaiyawat Chaturathit or Phra Si Mum Mueang is the symbol of Phattalung.
The Buddha image is an auspicious object of worship. This bronze Buddha image in the posture of meditation is enshrined in a pavilion with four porches on the foreground between the City Hall and Provincial Court of Phatthalung. It is apparently one of four shrines raised in each "corner" of the kingdom.
That being said, to most people, it is Khao Ok Thalu that is the symbol of Phattalung.
Khao Ok Thalu, a limestone, rises 250m above Phattalung just east of the train station. A moderately steep trail with steps leads up to the hole in the mountain. The path is a bit tricky in parts, but the great view makes the climb worthwhile.
Thale Noi Waterbird Sanctuary was on the top of my list of things to do. This sanctuary, 32km north of Phattalung, is one of Thailand's top bird watching spots and is the largest bird park in Thailand. Nearly 200 species live in this marshy swampy area on the northern reaches of Songkhla Lake.
The best time to visit the sanctuary is from October to March, but my trip turned out to be a bit of a disappointment as getting close to birds is inherently difficult when seated in a boat full of chattering tourists from Bangkok.
As the Banthat Range goes through Phattalung, there are plenty of waterfalls. And there is the 700 sq km Khao Pu Khao Ya National Park. It is certainly one of the least visited and the lack of visitors is a shame because there is some impressive scenery, a well preserved forest and helpful park wardens. Mountain peaks reach 1,000 meters here and are covered with tropical rain forest. Larger mammals no longer exist, but there are still many smaller ones.
Wat Kuhasavan is set at the foot of the forested limestone hill with a couple of caves behind it. The main cave contains a bunch of Buddha images in various poses. A rock at the entrance to the cave has some royal writing on it, carved by a wandering Rama. There's a smaller cave nearby which is home to several hundred bats which fly out at dusk to fill the Phattalung skies. Beside the cave there are steps that lead up the hill to a viewpoint.
