Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [501]
Hiking and snorkelling day trips to Ang Thong Marine National Park ( Click here) generally depart from Ko Samui, but recently tour operators are starting to shuttle tourists from Ko Pha-Ngan as well. Ask at your accommodation for details about boat trips as companies often come and go due to unstable petrol prices.
Sleeping
Ko Pha-Ngan’s legendary history of laid-back revelry has solidified its reputation as the stomping ground for the gritty backpacker lifestyle. Recently, however, the island is starting to see a shift towards a more upmarket clientele. Many local mainstays have collapsed their bamboo huts and constructed newer, sleeker accommodation aimed at the ever-growing legion of ‘flashpackers’.
On other parts of the island, new tracts of land are being cleared for Samui-esque five-star resorts. But backpackers fear not; it’ll still be many years before the castaway lifestyle goes the way of the dodo. For now, Ko Pha-Ngan can revel in its three distinct classes of lodging: pinch-a-penny shacks, trendy midrange hang-outs and blow-the-bank luxury.
Hat Rin sees an exorbitant amount of visitors relative to the rest of the island. Party pilgrims flock to this picturesque peninsula for the legendary festivities, and although most of them sleep through the daylight hours, the setting remains quite picturesque despite the errant beer bottle in the sand. The southern part of Sunrise Beach is starting to reek of kerosene due to the nightly fire-related shenanigans at Drop-In Bar – needless to say it’s best to sunbathe at the quieter northern part of the sand.
Pha-Ngan also caters to a subculture of seclusion-seekers who crave a deserted slice of sand. The northern and eastern coasts offer just that – a place to escape.
The following sleeping options are organised into five sections: we start in Hat Rin, move along the southern coast, head up the west side, across the northern beaches and down the quiet eastern shore.
HAT RIN
The thin peninsula of Hat Rin features three separate beaches. Hat Rin Nok (Sunrise Beach) is the epicentre of Full Moon tomfoolery, Hat Rin Nai (Sunset Beach) is the less impressive stretch of sand on the far side of the tiny promontory, and Hat Seekantang (also known as Hat Leela), just south of Hat Rin Nai, is a smaller, more private beach. The three beaches are linked by Ban Hat Rin (Hat Rin Town), a small inland collection of restaurants and bars.
Needless to say, the prices listed here are meaningless during periods of maximum lunar orbicularity. Also, during Full Moon events, bungalow operations expect you to stay for a minimum number of days. If you plan to arrive the day of the party (or even the day before), we strongly suggest booking a room in advance, or else you’ll probably have to sleep on the beach (which you might end up doing anyway).
Budget
Sea Garden ( Map; 0 7737 5281; www.seagarden_resort.com; Ban Hat Rin; r 200-1500B; ) A campus of bungalows and motel-style accommodation, Sea Garden has a variety of rooms for every budget (although have a look at a few different room types before hanging your hat). Go for the cheap, closet-sized digs if you’re just looking for a place to drop your bags during the Full Moon fun.
Seaside Bungalow ( Map; 08 6940 3410, 0 87 266 7567; Hat Rin Nai; bungalows 300-600B; ) Seaside sees loads of loyal customers who return for the mellow atmosphere, cheap drinks, free pool table and comfy wooden bungalows staggered along Sunset Beach. At 500B, we’re pretty sure that these huts are the cheapest air-con rooms on the island.
Paradise Bungalows ( Map; 0 7737 5244; Hat Rin Nok; bungalows 250-1200B; ) The world-famous Full Moon party was hatched at this scruffy batch of bungalows, and the place has been living on its name fame ever since. The backpackers keep on coming to wax nostalgic, although the grounds are starting to look more like a junkyard than a resort.