KOH PHANGAN, THAILAND (Part 1)

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We want to visit Philippines, Banda Aceh and Burma but that will have for the next trip, it’s the wrong time of the year, they are all in the middle of monsoon with bad weather forecast, so we decide to spend the next six weeks travelling around Koh Phangan beaches.

We do a visa run to Malaysia after 2 weeks spending a night in Surat Thani on the mainland before our flight out to KL. It’s not a tourist town, more an entry/exit point to the islands so we spend a night in a spotless hotel room, visit their local market, heave at the sight of their food, so visit KFC and Swensons for dinner.

Not much to report over the last six weeks other than our daily concerns became where shall we eat, sleep and swim. We move from beach to beach, we had perfect weather, in the 30’s. We stayed in accommodation from the basic bungalow through to a suite with its own pool to celebrate my birthday!

So I am going to summarise our stay at the beaches over 2 blogs, this being part one…….

KOH PHANGAN

Koh Phangan has many beaches with most accommodation being along the west side conveniently located for easy access to the famous “Full Moon Party” so it’s really busy for one week of every month and prices increase with minimum stays imposed. They have many other “parties” e.g. “Black Moon Party”, “Half Moon Party” “Waterfall Party” “Pool Party” “Jungle Party” “Shiva Party” “Boat Party” and the list goes on, but none as big as the Full Moon party which some backpackers started in the 80’s. Apparently they thought the moon on Koh Phangan was the most beautiful full moon in the world. Sounds more like too much hooch!

There are a few things you have to put up with on Koh Phangan which is dogs and toilet paper in the rubbish bin please! I don’t like either. There are lots of colourful butterflies.

There is no airport on Koh Phangan so everyone arrives by ferry except the very posh who arrive by private speed boat. Most tourists hire motor bikes to tour around the island, or you can get from beach to beach by Songtaews or by long tail boat. Not all the roads are tar sealed so you can have some bumpy rides sometimes – hold on and watch that head!

There are 3 main roads that take you to all the beaches; you can go west, east or up through the middle. There are 2 ferry ports Haad Rin (Full Moon area) and Thong Sala, so when we change between west and east we go back into Thong Sala pier at ferry time to share a ride out. We did not take the road up the middle to Chakoklum, as we have visited for a week before and although a lovely village and some nice beach areas, it is a fishing port and the drying fish on the beach pongs.

We arrive at the ferry terminal and Songtaews are lined up waiting to fill up and head out to their specific beaches, ours is on the east side where less than 5% of the accommodation is but it has the best beaches. Price depends on the number of passengers, so we have to wait whilst the only other 2 people going our way refuse to pay an extra 100B each (like 2 euro), even when their kids get to travel free! It costs NZ$12 each for the ride, normally NZ$8 if full. So we head off, obviously the other passengers decided they did not want to walk. It’s a 30 minute ride, the weather has been dry and the road is hilly and dusty, we cough, we choke, we are covered in a fine coating of dirt from head to toe. We watch out the back, through the haze of dust, the tourists on the motorbikes slowly edging their way down the hill on dry dusty skidding roads. There are huge gauges in the road which have obviously been rivers during monsoon; the driver does not avoid the bumps. We arrive at Haad Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach (Noi).

Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach (Noi)

We had stayed at Haad Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach (Yai) previously; they are two bays next to each other, like a “ɯ“. Yai was okay but when we kayaked around the point and poked our nose around the corner at Noi we were struck by its beauty. So this time we head straight to Noi. They say it’s the best beach for swimming all year round in Koh Phangan being the deepest, so low tide has no impact on being able to swim. We swam all day in the sea. At both points of the long bay are 5 star resorts (Panviman and Santhiya), half of the beach is taken up by another 5 star resort (Anantara Rasananda) which has day beds, plunge pools and loungers right on the beach 20 feet from the water, all for the low price of NZ$1,000 per night. Buri Rasa has a restaurant on the beach and is slowly building their accommodation. The other end of the beach was taken up by 2 budget bungalow resorts – that’s where we stayed.

This beach is stunning, silky white sand, clear water really pleasant to swim in, the beach backdrop is palms, trees and huge boulders forming the point. Behind Buri Rasa at one end of the beach is the Buri Rasi paved village which leads into a street, 200 meters long, which is lined with a few shops and restaurants. We were really surprised to find the same standard food and drink prices as anywhere else on the island, and a mix of décor from classy French, to basic cane to a hamburger bar. Amazingly, even with the beach covered in 5 star resorts, the prices were standard and the food was fantastic. Out of the top 10 restaurants in Koh Phangan, 4 of these are on this road. So we ate extremely good food.

We stayed at both the budget bungalows and spent 6 days sunbathing, eating and swimming in the beach. In fact the people staying at the 5 star resort just over the hill from us spent all day in front of our resort and eating at our restaurant. They also liked to use our loungers, like we only had 8! Bloody cheek of it, if I went and used one of their loungers security would throw me out!

At night we would visit Buri Rasa Bar during their happy hour, as the sun went down we would sip cold crispy wine and “the best” Mojitos, toes sinking into the warm sand, soft music in the background, families having dinner, kids slurping juice with their straws, lanterns in the sky and WHAM!! F**k’n bitch, F**k’n bitch, you F**ck’n bitch, – hey, who changed the music! It’s like everyone is oblivious, staff, parents, children – music blaring, only 3 words to the lyrics, repeating loud and clear over and over again. Umm – maybe they don’t know those words in English? At least it’s not Jack Johnson again, every beach in Asia, no matter what country you are in, they all play Jack Johnson songs, I am sure he sends a free CD to every beachside bar in Asia. Although whilst staying at another resort we were subjected to “The Carpenters” and even heard “Puppy Love” –can you believe it! For you young ones these songs were on the charts in the 70’s!

We loved this beach so much we returned 4 weeks later early in September after European school holidays and 90% of tourists had left. The beach was extremely peaceful and all the restaurants still open. We stayed in the same Bungalow for 30% less as its now low season and booked a couple of nights in Buri Rasi under their soft opening. We never hard that song again! Buri Rasa wins the dining on the beach award and even in low season is nearly full every night. On Wednesday nights they provide entertainment - dancing and the fire display guys from the Full Moon Party - they were fantastic (c pics).

You have to plan so you have enough reading materials, we try and pick up an english novel from our accommodation by exchanging free. Otherwise book exchange shops charge you NZ$8-10, and the majority are european. English magazines are pretty non existent, so I was thrilled when I met 2 kiwi ladies scored 2 of the latest copies of NZ Next magazine. Thanks Browyn and Chrissie!

We had 30 fishing boats enter the bay sheltering from the weather, it said sun, but the boats knew better and stayed for 48 hours during overcast, windy and some wet weather. We watched as 2 men swam ashore, bought some beer and supplies and swum back with the bags tied to their waste. One had a life jacket on, the other leaned on two pieces of styrofoam held together with netting. Two more from another boat came ashore, one in a round tub with a plank of wood as an oar, the other hanging onto the back of the tub with a piece of styrofoam under his arm to keep afloat!

This is our pick of the best beach in Koh Phangan, its stunning. We loved all our hotels but nothing beats a beach holiday staying in a cheapy bungalow. Currently you can get a room at the Panviman with a large swimming pool for NZ$320 on Agoda you may have to mimmick goat like walking techniques but look at this room - scroll down to POOL VILLA pictures http://www.phanganpanviman.com/rooms/. Anyway we stayed.....

Accommodation

Thongtapan Resort – Agoda NZ$48 Bungalow, basic wooden bungalow with small deck, big enough room with table and chairs, bathroom bit grotti. Bungalow set up slope of a hill amongst the trees with AC. We returned after 1/9 when high season over and paid NZ$33 for same room. Rooms give you a real beach holiday feel and open up to the best part of the beach. http://www.thongtapan.com/Home.php

Phuwadee Bunglows – walk in NZ$33 next to Thongtapan Resort on the beach. Rooms better than Thongtapan Resort, all tiled, fridge, TV, clean with nice deck and they had a swimming pool. For this price we did not get AC and the room was unbearably hot at night as fan not over bed. http://phuwadeeresortphangan.blogspot.com/

Buri Rasa – Agoda NZ$100 - we assume this is heap as they are still building rooms and there is construction noise during day, so may increase in price once finished. Brand new rooms were really nice with all the trimmings. We love their bar for happy hour and they have a little paved village with shops, cafe, juice shop and shops. Fab breakfasts, lovely staff and excellent service. http://www.burirasakohphangan.com/

HAAD YAO BEACH

We stayed at Haad Yao Beach on two separate occasions, before and after our visa run. See Through Bungalows have a great bar area on the beach, you can lie, eat, drink and read all day in the hammocks or lie on the cushions. There is a dead looking reef along this side of the island about 200 metres out and from April to September its low tide so the water disappears behind the reef all day. The tourists sit all day in the 2 inches of warm water – I would be scared a crab would bite my bum. We were amazed when we returned the second time to this beach that by lunchtime it was high tide and you would swim.

The food along this beach is crap, there is one restaurant on the road at the back run by an Ozzie guy and 2 Canadian girls called CRAVE – the best ever hamburgers, meat loaf and chicken basil - their food is fantastic so we ate their nearly every night. Although you can score a bungalow right on the beach a few meters from the water’s edge (for a price) most of the accommodation on this beach get bad reviews, but we stayed a week all up.

On our second visit we booked at Baan Haad Yao Villa which had a pool, a necessity when the beach is low tide all day. We arrive and she says “swim pool 24 hours”. I smile, I am pleased as I interpret that as “you can swim in the pool 24x7”. Pretty stupid really, especially when we go to the pool for a swim, there is no one around and its yellow, “oh well, maybe it’s meant to be that colour”, we cup the water in our hands and its clear. So we swim and watch some people walk past us, screwing their faces up. Even then we did not click she mean “you cannot swim for 24 hours”. God what dorks, swimming around in a yellow pool. Next day it was green and next day blue – the chemicals had arrived!!

Accommodation

See Through Bungalows – Agoda NZ$63 room good, but had to share with cockroache. Pool was warm and water dirty. Restaurant, bar and beach area great but the food is not. Some staff stoned so obviously lazy but happy but then salary for waiter is less than NZ$280 per month. Nice place to have a beer and watch the sunset - but thats it. http://www.seethroughresort-kohphangan.com/

Baan Haad Yao Villas -Agoda NZ$40 - first day pool yellow, second green, third blue and perfect. I liked this place, behind another resort, only a one minute walk through sand to get to beach. We got upgraded to superior room on arrival but after one night asked if we could swap rooms so they upgraded us again and got huge room with hammock for same price. The issue with superior room is the top of the walls were open from our bedroom through our bathroom, through next room bathroom and their bedroom. We could hear them whispering in bed!! http://www.baan-haad-yao-villas.info/

CHOA PHAO BEACH

We book into Sunset Cove as Kiel and Shelly loved it when they visited in March. We loved the resort with loungers, lovely swimming pool and restaurant areas right on the edge of the beach. We visited mid-August so beach low tide all day, so we watched the dogs leaping and splasing in the water and hunting for fish and crabs. We spent most of our time at the resort. Great sunset views.

Carl now calls me a “wine slag” meaning I can now drink any wine! A glass of white wine was very scarce/expensive on our last trip, but now house wine is plentiful and affordable; albeit cask quality. We visit an Italian restaurant down the beach and order a wine, in fact a carafe is only NZ$8 – a better deal, let’s get that. I order; the waitress is horrified, “are you sure” “do you want to taste first” “are you sure you want to drink that” “you want to order” “really?” – “yes, yes I order” I mean how bad can it be – well very bad in fact. She was very relieved to see I had finished it – obviously it’s the cause of many complaints! Carl, this does not mean a cask will reside in our fridge when we get home though.

Accommodation: Agoda NZ$60 for the standard bungalow when in 2 weeks it will be NZ$48. They have a pool and restaurant right at the edge of the beach, great resort, fabulous pool and delicious breakfasts. Only complaint is gap in room between your bathroom and next room bathroom – honestly sometimes you need your privacy! http://www.thaisunsetcove.com/



Thong Sala

After our visa run we book into the very high rating Coco Gardens bungalows for 3 nights. I was excited about shopping in Thong Sala as it has many shops, but alias they all sold the same stuff – mainly rasta t-shirts and jandals. We were bored; beach not nice, bungalow basic, shops crap, food average - 3 nights too long. We left it too late to visit No 1 restaurant on Trip Advisor down the road, as it poured down all night, so we missed out.

Accommodation: Coco Gardens NZ$41 - It is still high season but this place was a little over-priced. Bungalow very basic, not serviced, AC freezing, beach crap, food average, bar really cool. Staff nice, run by westerner who did not charge to pick-up the AC remote Haad Yao, when we accidently packed it into our first aid bag (would not have been me!). Great place for young ones to meet others. http://www.cocogardens.com/

Lots of pictures below....

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