Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [496]
The government-bus fares from Bangkok’s Southern bus terminal include the cost of the ferry. These are 500B for 2nd-class passengers. Most private buses from Bangkok charge around 450B for the same journey and include the ferry fare. From Th Khao San in Bangkok it’s possible to get bus-ferry combination tickets for as little as 350B, but service is substandard and theft is very common. If an agency on Th Khao San claims to be able to get you to Samui for less, it is almost certainly a scam as no profit can be made at such low prices.
Getting Around
Click here for information about possible transport scams when getting around the island. You can rent motorcycles (and bicycles) from almost every resort on the island. The going rate is 200B to 300B per day, but for longer periods try to negotiate a better rate.
Srng·ta·ou drivers love to try to overcharge you, so it’s always best to ask a third party for current rates, as they can change with the season. These vehicles run regularly during daylight hours only. It costs about 30B to travel along one coast, and no more that 75B to travel halfway across the island. Figure about 20B for a five-minute ride on a motorcycle taxi.
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Taxi service on Samui is quite chaotic and prices can vary greatly depending on your driver’s mood. Ask your resort about complimentary airport transfers or try the Samui Shuttle (www.samuishuttle.com). Taxis typically charge 300B to 500B for airport transfer. Some Chaweng travel agencies arrange minibus taxis for less.
KO PHA-NGAN
pop 12,100
In the family of southern Gulf islands, Ko Pha-Ngan sits in the crystal sea between Ko Samui, its business-savvy older brother, and little Ko Tao, the spunky younger brother full of dive-centric energy. Ko Pha-Ngan is the slacker middle child: a chilled out beach bum with tattered dreadlocks, a tattoo of a Chinese serenity symbol, and a penchant for white nights and bikini-clad pool parties.
The scenic cape of Hat Rin has long been the darling destination of this laid-back paradise. Sunrise Beach started hosting the world-famous Full Moon parties long before Alex Garland’s The Beach inspired many of us to strap on a rucksack. Today, thousands still flock to the kerosene-soaked sands for an epic trance-a-thon fuelled by adrenaline and a couple of other substances…
But like any textbook teenager, this angst-ridden island can’t decide what it wants to be when it grows up. Should the party personality persist or will the stunning and secluded northern beaches finally come out from under Hat Rin’s shadow?
While Pha-Ngan’s slacker vibe and reputation will no doubt dominate for years to come, the island is secretly starting to creep upmarket. Every year, tired old shacks are being replaced by crisp modern abodes. In Hat Rin, you will be hard-pressed to find a room on Sunrise Beach for less than 1000B. Soon, the phrase ‘private infinity pool’ and ‘personal butler’ will find a permanent place in the island’s lexicon, replacing ‘pass the dutch’ and ‘another whiskey bucket please’. But don’t fret just yet – the vast inland jungle continues to feel undiscovered, and there are still plenty of secluded bays in which you can string up a hammock and watch the tide roll in.
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Orientation
Ko Pha-Ngan, Thailand’s fifth-largest island, is approximately 20km from Ko Samui and 100km from Surat Thai.
Most of the island’s visitors stay on the thin peninsula known as Hat Rin. This mountainous cape is flanked with beautiful beaches on either side, and is home to the infamous Full Moon parties held every month (see boxed text, Click here). For a detailed layout of the area, Click here. The rest of the island is noticeably quieter, although gradual development has meant an increase in population on