Rank hill. What else to see in Phuket? Or three stories that Rang Hill (Khao Rang Hill) can tell

The observation deck in Phuket town (Rang Hill viewpoint) is located on Mount Khao Rang. From the Rang Hill observation deck you can see the entire Phuket town. There are also a couple of restaurants with panoramic views. We headed to Rang Hill at sunset. In the evening, local residents come to the mountain to play sports or look at the city, since in the evening it is no longer hot.

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.

Even though it was a view of the city and not the sea-mountains, we still really liked it. The entire south of Phuket is at your fingertips. Rang Hill is another place where you realize that Phuket is an island after all. We recently experienced this on . You can see the borders of the island and the sea from all sides.

After sunset it gets dark quickly. The turret near the observation deck is beautifully illuminated

Infrastructure on Rang Hill

On the mountain, in addition to the observation deck, there is free parking, toilets and shops with souvenirs, drinks, and snacks. There is also a small shady park here, and there are a couple of restaurants with panoramic views - Khao Rang Breeze and Junk Ka. Prices in the cafe are generally normal, not much more expensive than usually in such places. We bought coconut ice cream (40 baht). On the way to the mountain you can see a Buddhist temple.

Souvenir stalls and parking at Rang Hill Phuket viewpoint


Park and restaurants at Khao Rang viewpoint


Photo of the menu at Khao Rang Breeze restaurant on Rang Hill viewpoint

Monkeys also live on Khao Rang Mountain. We didn’t see them, but we read numerous reviews from tourists. If you see monkeys, do not feed them or touch them at all, do not try to pet them! Many tourists are bitten by monkeys, this is very dangerous. Don't forget to buy.

How to get to Rang Hill and the point on the map

You can get to Rang Hill by car or bike. There are no other ways to get there. Walking is not an option - it's a long uphill and without a sidewalk. So, if you have your own transport in Phuket, stop by the Rang Hill lookout. GPS coordinates: 7.893094, 98.380035

Rang Hill Lookout on the map

In the northwest of Phuket Town, not far from, there is a hill called Rang Hill (Khao Rang). The original name of the hill is Khao Lang, which means “mountain behind” in Thai. Rank Hill is about a hundred meters lower than Monkey Hill, but no less popular with tourists for its stunning views and monkeys living on the slopes of the hill. I highly recommend it - it’s a good place, it’s worth stopping by even if not on purpose, but on the way - be sure to stop by. The view, unfortunately, is not panoramic, but about 180 degrees, but the atmosphere is more pleasant, where the view is 360.

As I was told, the toponym “Lang” (which was transformed into “Rang” because the Thais pronounce this sound differently) went to the hill from the times when the town of Phuket ended at the foot of Rang Hill, and the hill itself was not a mega-popular viewpoint, like now, but the border of civilization. However, the mass tourist knows little about Khao Lang, because travel agencies everywhere promote this attraction as the Rang Hill observation deck in Phuket. However, here is one of those cases when you can trust travel agencies - the observation deck over Phuket Town turned out to be truly magnificent.

The outskirts of Phuket Town have long since moved behind Back Mountain, turning Khao Rang into a forested hill in the middle of the city. By the way, the jungle has grown so wildly that it blocks half of the view from the observation deck, significantly narrowing the panorama of the view. There is plenty of shade and a cool breeze, so even if you arrive at the mountain in the midst of tropical heat, you will find this place pleasant and cool.

The territory of Rang Hill in Phuket is landscaped, with far from the most spacious parking at the top of the hill, there are benches for visitors, a sports ground with exercise equipment for working with one’s weight, a swing on an old banyan tree and a monument to the former governor of the island.

There are two modern cafeterias, Breeze and Tun Ka. Moreover, when I came here, I didn’t know that there was a cafe here. I thought I’d stop by quickly, take pictures as I go, mark the details on the map and move on, but then I decided to go down to the Tun-Ka cafe. It is located a little lower than the observation deck, literally 10-20 meters, so there is a panoramic view there too, but it is partly limited by trees.

So, I liked Tun Ka so much with its interior that I decided to stay for a fruit shake and at the same time test the local cuisine. I was so pleased that I knew about this cafeteria and I can confidently recommend it - you can combine a visit to the examination room and lunch or dinner.

Besides the food and views, you can also spot wild monkeys at Rang Hill. Feeding monkeys is possible, but I will not stop reminding you that this is a dangerous activity, and the behavior of monkeys is unpredictable. You can buy food for monkeys at the foot of Rang Hill, for 10 baht a bag of peanuts or for 20 baht a bunch of bananas.

The presence of a “fitness park” is also proudly announced here, but don’t pay attention to the loud name. This is, in fact, just a winding path that allows you to climb to the top or descend from it by 50 meters, that is, not even half the way.

Short fitness trail

Visiting information

The entrance is free.

The parking lot is small, but there are always enough free spaces for a bike, but it’s different for a car. This is worth keeping in mind if you are traveling by car. But if anything happens, you can stand a little lower on the road on the slope. There are two roads leading to the lookout; it doesn’t matter which one you take, they are practically the same.

It is open to visitors 24/7, there are no signs with work schedules anywhere and there are no barriers or gates, that is, the territory was not initially planned to be limited to visitors. At night it is no less interesting, thanks to the large town at the foot. If at any other viewpoint you will see nothing but the green lanterns of fishing boats on the horizon, then at the Rang Hill observation deck you will have a view of the golden valley and the starry sky.

This observation deck is often visited as part of a sightseeing tour of the island. You can see several top places in one day.

On the way to this lookout or after, you can go to, it is located on the slope of the same mountain and one of the roads passes right by it. The temple is not very touristy, with a large figure of a seated Buddha.

The observation deck is fully equipped, there are many gazebos where you can really sit quietly and enjoy the views.

There is a restaurant with an open terrace, several souvenir shops, and a toilet. The number of people depends on the excursion buses: if there are a lot of them, then there are a lot of people, and if there are none, then there is almost no one here either. Tourists are usually taken here during the daytime, and before sunset and generally in the evenings, Thais come here, some of them have picnics.

The observation deck is also famous for the fact that monkeys hang out here. Those who wish can feed them, but keep in mind that monkeys are not lovers of affection and if you try to pet them, they can easily scratch them. In addition, monkeys are big fans of rummaging through bags and stealing them if they see food there. So be careful!

There is a fitness park on Rang Hill, which is good for jogging (many paved paths). Among the attractions is a statue of some Thai (it is not clear who this is, since the inscription is in Thai). And a little in the distance is a statue of Buddha.

In a word, the Rang Hill observation deck is an ideal vacation spot for those who live in Phuket Town. And those who stopped at one of them can also look here. You will not regret it!

Photos

From Rang Hill there are beautiful views of Phuket Town, beaches and the still pristine green hills of the island. At the top there are several cafes and restaurants with excellent views. There is also a small lawn, swings and canopies that protect from the sun and rain. The benches are located just right so that you can sit and admire the views. The top of this observation deck is pleasant both in the morning and in the evening. In the morning there is practically no one, it is cool, quiet and cozy. And if you are lucky, you can catch and feed the monkeys during the day. Here they are the worst thing the indigenous people can eat. In the evening, Rang Hill is filled with loving couples who come here to coo and look at the lights of night Phuket from above. Rang Hill is turning into a romantic date spot.

Since this Phuket observation deck is located in Phuket Town, I would recommend combining its visit with a visit to the old part of Phuket Town, Romani Street, the Tai Hua Museum and the old mansions of the “Tin Barons” built in the Chinese-Portuguese style. Which conceal many stories that have not yet been told.

Three stories that Rank Hill can tell.

1. Story one. Phraya Rassada;

2. The second story. The history of Phuket as seen from Rang Hill;

3. Story Three. The history of Rang Hill itself;

Story one. Phraya Seedling.

Besides the monkeys and beautiful views, there is a statue of a very interesting person on Rang Hill. Named Phraya Rassada. Several places in Phuket are named after him, for example there is Rassada Pir and there is also a small street named after him and several other places. And it’s not for nothing that his name was immortalized on the Island. Because he did a lot for the island. In fact, you could write a whole separate article about it. Some believe that Phraya Rassada was the governor of Phuket, but this is not entirely accurate. He was the governor of Trang Province during the reign of Rama V. and assistant governor of Phuket. But he was never the governor of Phuket. Phraya Rassada was Chinese by origin from the Fujian province, which is interesting in itself. And he spoke 4 Chinese dialects, since as a child he traveled a lot with his father around China. His real Chinese name was Kosimbi Naranong. And in Thailand, as governor, he received the name Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi. He received this name from Rama V. In addition to 4 dialects of Chinese, Phraya Rassada spoke Hindu, Maliya (Malaysian), and English. And the last thing he learned was Thai. Moreover, being the governor of the Thai province, Phryaya Rassada could speak Thai, but could not write it.

Phraya Seedling.

Phraya Rassada did a lot for Trang province, where there is a museum in his honor. But he also did a lot for Phuket. It was he who first began to invite the Chinese to work in the tin mines. He also organized the first Chinese language schools on the island. There are still many Chinese language schools on the island. He also created a student educational foundation to study English in Penang for the island's residents. Phraya Rassada was the first to bring the Giveya tree to Phuket. Natural latex is produced from this type of tree. Until now, latex is one of the most important exported goods in Thailand. And he is also creating a medical network in Phuket to help the working population.

Phraya Rassada was killed on the way from Penang to Phuket. The stranger shot him with a pistol.

The second story. The history of Phuket as seen from Rang Hill.

I like to compare Phuket with the islands of Penang and Singapore. These are three islands, approximately the same size with the same climate and nature. Two of which are located in the Andaman Sea, and two were once British colonies. Their history is inextricably linked with each other. And although each of them has its own unique destiny. A long, long time ago they were more alike than they are now. If you look at Phuket from Rang Hill, you can easily see that 70% of the island was covered in jungle. And 80% of the houses and buildings that are now visible from above did not exist just 20 years ago. What was here 300, 400 and 500 years ago? The main inhabitants of the island were wild animals and monkeys, which can still be easily seen on Rang Hill. Penang and Singapore looked exactly like Phuket before. But look what Penang has become, what Singapore has become. Phuket is the youngest of these three brothers in terms of infrastructure development. And I would like to hope that this island still has more to come.

Story Three. The history of Rang Hill itself.

There are several versions about the origin of the name. In general, Rang Hill also has a second popular name, which sounds like Khao Rang (Khaorang). From Thai "Khao Lang" is translated as "Mountain behind". This is the first version. But there is another explanation, more dramatic. In those days when Burma tried to conquer Thailand. And when military operations took place in Phuket. The villagers of Thalang (then a village) fled the village from the Burmese. And they hid just on the hill that we now call Khao Rang. They originally called this place Rang Kuang, and then simply shortened it to Rang. Rangkuang is translated from Thai as pestering, bothering. So the Burmese were bothering them.

Contemporaries began to use Khao Rang more prosaically. The Thais organized a fitness park at the top. (The Thais are generally great, organizing a fitness park on a hill is a good idea. While you climb up the hill and get to the park, if you do all this on foot, then some kind of sports activity is already useful.) And such parks located on hills in general there are several here. But over time, the park on Rang Hill fell into disrepair, just like others like it on the island. Now you can only see a large sign “FITNESS PARK” and some remains. The next stage in the life of Rang Hill was the construction of restaurants with beautiful views of the island. Which turned out to be more popular than the sports park. Apparently this happened due to the tendency towards laziness of the human race. Most people prefer to sit, eat and look at something beautiful and interesting than to go and play sports. But anyway, here you can find cafes and restaurants such as “Khao rang breeze restaurant” or “Rang hill tunk kacafe”, which are located at the very top and offer an excellent view. In general, it is sometimes pleasant to sit there.