With its provincial center next to the Thailand Bay, Surat Thani is a famous source of oysters in Thailand. Local people take much pride in the big and delicious shellfish.

The Surat Thani oyster is a white scar oyster. Its aquaculture production area is in Ban Don Bay across the districts of Chaiya, Ta Chang, Punpin, Muang and Kanchanadit.

Of those oyster farms, the Tourism Authority of Thailand recommends Sinmana Farmstay located at the mouths of the Khlong Tha Thong canal and Khlong Kradae stream, which is a place for the natural cultivation of oysters. The oysters raised at this farm are larger than those in tank-based sites.

In Chaiya district, another crustacean is on the recommended list. In the Pu Condo cafe, the must-try dishes include Pu Condo(crabmeat piled vertically), Sala Pao Pu(dumplings filled with crabmeat), and Hoi Cho Pu (deep-fried crabmeat rolls).

As a bonus, visitors can watch crab eggs hatching, the production of crabmeat and the releasing of baby crabs into nature. Also,visitors can buy the crabmeat products manufactured here.

In the evening, street food in San-Chao Market is a must-go place. One of the special local cuisines I recommend is BBQ fish balls with spicy yellow curry paste in a southern Thai style.

The fish ball is made with fresh fish paste and cowpea. After being roasted on black-wood charcoal for about five minutes, the taste has a special softness and crispiness.Meanwhile, the yellow curry paste brings a local spicy kick.

Before leaving the province, you should breakfast at Suan Rattana Thai dessert garden in Tha Chang district. The must-try local dish is Long Tong Kaki or noodles with clear soup and pig's trotters.

In the cafe, you can buy Surat Thani's famous Thai desserts, including Luk-Chup(fruit-shaped mung beans), Thong Yip(pinched gold egg yolks) and Thong Yot(gold egg-yolks drops) to take a taste of Southern Thailand back home.

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