Thailand’s self-proclaimed ‘party island’ may be best known for its full moon parties, but there’s a lot more to beach life here than the beach bars at Haad Rin. In fact, most of Koh Pha Ngan beaches remain unspoilt by commercial tourist development. If you’re looking for a ‘budget travellers’ atmosphere you’ve chosen the right island because there’s plenty of lovely rustic private beaches, and you’ll be stoked to discover you can hire a beachfront bungalow here for less than the price of taxi ride on Samui.
Koh Pha Ngan beaches aren’t all accessible by car, which has saved many of them from over development and ensures that once you get there by boat, you won’t be sharing them with too many other people. Koh Pha Ngan is fairly rugged and hilly with only two decent roads traversing it from north to south. In general, the south and west of the island are fairly flat areas and many of the resorts are clustered here – including some more comfortable, upmarket places – because they are easy to get to and from and have some good beaches. There is a sweeping bay at Chaloaklam in the north, while Haad Rin, on the south-eastern tip of the island, has a decent beach which packs out during the full moon week. The most secluded beaches on Koh Pha Ngan are found along the east coast, accessible by boat only.
Note! Most places on the island are named with Thai vocabulary, therefore ‘Haad’ refers to beach, ‘Aow’, means bay, ‘Baan’ is village and ‘Laem’ is a cape. ‘Koh’ is the Thai word for island.
Baan Tai and Baan Khaay
Most visitors to Koh Pha Ngan arrive at the ferry terminal at Tong Sala town in the south and the further you venture from here the more seclusion and privacy you will to find on the island’s many beaches. A long stretch of sand runs southeast from Tong Sala, past the villages of Baan Tai and Baan Khaay, towards Haad Rin. This is a good place to stay if you’re here for the full moon party, as Haad Rin packs out. There are numerous quiet bungalow resorts hidden among the coconut trees that line these southern Koh Pha Ngan beaches but not all of them have a swimmable beach when the tide is out.
Haad Rin
There is a treacherous three-kilometre rollercoaster of a road that continues southeast to Haad Rin, but songtaews run regularly along this route. Haad Rin was the first of the Koh Pha Ngan beaches to gain notoriety – when the Full Moon parties first began twenty years ago. These days this small peninsula is densely populated with bungalows, bars, restaurants, shops, internet cafes and more — which is great ‘if you’re up for a party but can be a bit full on. Unless you arrive several days before the full moon party, you can forget finding a place to stay, but with plenty of transport available on the party night, you’re better off staying at beaches elsewhere. Haad Rin east includes the sunrise beach – a great, swimmable, beach lined with coconut trees, bungalows and bars – and hosts the monthly party. Haad Rin west (sunset beach) isn’t very appealing and is the site of the ferry pier and some cheaper bungalows. There are also bungalows perched on the hillsides around the peninsula.
To be continued in Part 2
with thanks to : 1STOP SAMUI
