Chao Mae Lim Ko Niao Graveyard

The Chao Mae Lim Ko Niao graveyard is a Chinese cemetery and shrine at Ban Krue Se in Mueang Pattani, beside Highway 42 near the historic Krue Se Mosque. It is tied to the legend of Lim Ko Niao (Lin Guniang), a young Chinese woman venerated across Pattani’s Thai-Chinese community — not a beach or an island, but a quiet roadside site of pilgrimage on the Gulf coast.

According to the legend, Lim Ko Niao sailed from China in the 16th century to bring home her brother, Lim To Kiam, who had settled in Pattani, married locally and converted to Islam. When he refused to return, she is said to have hanged herself from a cashew-nut tree in grief, and her brother buried her here. She is now honoured as a guardian spirit, and her main shrine (Leng Chu Kiang) in Pattani town draws large crowds at Chinese New Year.

The graveyard itself is modest — weathered Chinese tombs and a small shrine where worshippers leave incense and offerings. It is most interesting as a window into the deep Chinese heritage of the Pattani coast and how it sits alongside the area’s strong Malay-Muslim culture, within sight of one of the south’s most important mosques.

The site is on Highway 42 between Pattani town and the Krue Se Mosque, reached by car or motorbike — there is no boat or island involved. Entry is free. Dress modestly, as this is both a burial ground and an active place of worship, and it combines naturally with a visit to the Krue Se Mosque next door. Thailand’s deep south sees few tourists and has its own security situation, so check current travel advice before going.