Explore Southern Thailand: the Gulf coast
In recent years, backpackers have tended to move over to Ko Samui’s fun-loving little sibling, KO PHA NGAN, 20km to the north, which still has a comparatively simple atmosphere, mostly because the poor road system is an impediment to the developers. With a dense jungle covering its inland mountains and rugged granite outcrops along the coast, Pha Ngan lacks the huge, gently sweeping beaches for which Samui is famous, but it does have plenty of coral to explore and some beautiful, sheltered bays. If you’re seeking total isolation, trek out to Hat Khuat (Bottle Beach) on the north coast or the half-dozen pristine beaches on the east coast; Thong Nai Pan, at the top of the east coast, is not quite as remote, and offers a decent range of amenities and accommodation; while on the long neck of land at the southeast corner, Hat Rin, a pilgrimage site for ravers, is a thoroughly commercialized backpackers’ resort in a gorgeous setting.
Much of Pha Ngan’s development has plonked itself on the south and west sides along the only coastal roads on the island, which fan out from Thong Sala, the capital. The long, straight south coast is lined with bungalows, especially around Ban Tai and Ban Khai, to take the overspill from nearby Hat Rin, but it’s hard to recommend staying here, as the beaches are mediocre by Thai standards, and the coral reef that hugs the length of the shoreline gets in the way of swimming. The west coast, however, offers several handsome sandy bays with great sunset views, notably Hat Yao and Hat Salad.
Pha Ngan’s bungalows all now have running water and electricity, and plenty of places offer air conditioning, though there are only a handful of real luxury hotels. The three hundred-plus resorts generally have more space to spread out than on Ko Samui, and the cost of living is lower. The prices given on the following pages are standard for most of the year (though on Hat Rin they vary with the phases of the moon), but in slack periods you’ll be offered discounts (possible, roughly, in May, June, Oct & Nov), and at the very busiest times (especially Dec & Jan) Pha Ngan’s bungalow owners are canny enough to raise the stakes. Nightlife is concentrated at Hat Rin, climaxing every month in a wild full moon party on the beach; a couple of smaller outdoor parties have now got in on the act: the Half Moon Festival (twice monthly, about a week before and after the full moon;
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halfmoonfestival.com) and the monthly Black Moon Party (
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blackmoon-culture.com), both at Ban Tai on the south coast.
- Hat Rin
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Ao Thong Nai Pan
Ao Thong Nai Pan
AO THONG NAI PAN is a beautiful, semicircular bay backed by steep, green hills, which looks as if it’s been bitten out of the island’s northeast corner by a gap-toothed giant, leaving a tall hump of land (occupied by Panviman Resort) dividing the bay into two parts: Thong Nai Pan Noi to the north, Thong Nai Pan Yai to the south. With lovely, fine, white sand, the longer, more indented Thong Nai Pan Yai has marginally the better beach, but both halves of the bay are sheltered and deep enough for swimming. A bumpy road, only partly paved, winds its way for 13km over the steep mountains from Ban Tai on the south coast to Thong Nai Pan, but once you get here you’ll find most of the basic amenities you’ll need: internet shops, travel agents, dive outfits, ATMs and a tiny post office (on Thong Nai Pan Yai).
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Ko Pha Ngan activities
Ko Pha Ngan activities
The most popular activities on Ko Pha Ngan are round-island boat trips from Hat Rin, Ao Thong Nai Pan and Hat Yao and trips to Ang Thong National Marine Park. The island isn’t a great base for scuba diving: getting to the best sites around Ko Tao involves time-consuming and expensive voyages, and there aren’t as many dive companies here as on Ko Samui or Ko Tao. Other activities include learning to cook Thai food, yoga, kiteboarding, windsurfing and sailing.
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Meditation retreats at Wat Khao Tham
Meditation retreats at Wat Khao Tham
On a quiet hillside above Ban Tai, 4km from Thong Sala on the south coast, Wat Khao Tham holds ten-day meditation retreats most months of the year. The American and Australian teachers emphasize compassionate understanding as the basis of mental development. Space is limited (retreats are especially heavily subscribed Dec–March), so it’s best to pre-register either in person or in writing.
