Moonstruck (Ko Pha Ngan)

Member Name: indiecater

Product:	Ko Pha Ngan
Date:	17/12/01 (301 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An Affordable Paradise For Everyone.

Disadvantages: The Sometimes Questionable Waste Disposal Techniques.

Ko Pha-Ngan is one of the 3 islands that makes up the Ko Samui Archipelago and is home to over 10,000 people. This population is, however, enhanced almost year round by budget travellers. The fact that there is no airport means that mass tourism has not fully arrived and there is a distinct lack of top end hotels. With a youthful clientele this means that the islands main centres are throbbing with life 24 hours a day.

Ko Pha-Ngan lies in the gulf of Thailand and means lots of different things to a lot of different people. The most common perception of Ko Pha-Ngan is that of the infamous party destination and to a large extent a visit there will doubtless include many a wild night. But Ko Pha-Ngan has a lot more to offer. Some of the beaches are amongst Thailand's finest and if you venture beyond Hat Rin in the south east there is many a quiet oasis in which to set up your hammock.

Once considered much cheaper than its bigger neighbour Ko Samui, prices on the island have steadily increased and if you're coming straight from Bangkok you notice the hike straight away. Incidentally getting from Bangkok is simplicity itself, many of the travel agents on Khao San road offer a bus/boat deal that takes you from the capital to the island for as little as 450 baht (12 euro). The trip takes about 17 hours altogether. The first leg is an overnight VIP bus trip to the ferry pickup in Surit Thani and is surprisingly comfortable.

The journey by catamaran to the island affords brilliant views of the archipelago and downstairs they even show videos. There are many touts on board offering accommodation available on the island but you would probably be better served checking out places first. Much of the accommodation on offer are for beach huts outside of Hat Rin, it seems this place sells itself.

Getting from Thong Sala where the boat docks couldn't be easier. For 50 baht l
ocal taxi's make the journey to Hat Rin in less than 20 minutes. And what a incredible rollercoaster trip it is.


ACCOMMODATION

The main cluster of accommodation on Ko Pha-Ngan is on the south east coast of the island in or around the Hat Rin peninsula. The peninsula is made up of the noisy east coast, Hat Rin Nok (where the best beach, Sunrise Beach is located), and the much quieter west coast, Hat Rin Nai (Sunset Beach). Both resorts offer beach huts and bungalows but there are no hotels or guesthouses to be found. The huts are generally made of wood and are much cheaper than the more modern bungalows. Prices for huts start at about 100 baht and rarely go above 200. Bungalows start around 200 and can go as high as 800 baht during the high season (December to February) or at full moon party time.

We found the beach huts to be generally a little pongy, stuffy and lacking a little in security measures but they are certainly liveable in. They also add a bit of authenticity to island living, if you want that sort of thing. Being a little bit wossy we plumped for a bungalow structure with tile floors, spacious bathroom and round the clock electricity.

Bongo bungalows are located in the centre of Hat Rin Nok. We managed to scoop at deal because we paid a week in advance. For 350 baht it was a steal, we didn't have a hammock but we missed out on getting wood lice in our hair. The promised cold shower turned out to be hot and the double bed was fit for a king. Most bungalow operations have a restaurant and offer bike rental and laundry services. We liked Bongo Bungalows a lot and the staff there were amongst the friendliest we met.

Hat Rin is without doubt the most expensive area to stay at on the Ko Pha-Ngan. We heard about some beautifully laid out bungalows going for 200 baht further up the coast but the drawback is that you ar
e away from all the action and the best beach.


BEACHES

Life is truly a beach when you stay on Ko Pha-Ngan. The most famous beach called Sunrise beach is situated at Hat Rin Nok. This beach has a long white sandy strip with crystal warm water just a few metres away. The beach is overshadowed by spectacular tree covered ridges on either side. Several bungalow operations have based themselves on these ridges offering unparalleled views for their patrons.

The quietest time (outside of the full moon party) to visit the beach is in the morning when most are sleeping off their hangovers. Even at peak times there is plenty of room to stretch out and play beach volley ball. This beach surprised me a little, I was expecting gangs of pumped up trance heads grooving from dawn to dusk. In fact apart from the odd noisy pub Sunrise beach can often be quite and relaxing during sunlight hours!

On the other side of Hat Rin at Hat Rin Noi, Sunset Beach is a major disappointment. The beach is long but very narrow, made more off-putting by the large volume of garbage spread everywhere. If that wasn't bad enough we spotted several blue sewerage pipes just at the waters edge. Not a place for swimming then, although at sunset the natural beauty of the surrounding hills does make a stop worthwhile if you can ignore the plastic bottles lapping around your ankles.

For a more authentic beach experience you need to travel beyond the Hat Rin peninsula. The beaches on the west coast have generally coarser brown sand but up north good alternatives are in abundance. Bottle beach in the north east is excellent for snorkelling and diving. Salad beach on the north west has inexpensive bungalows and a lazy atmosphere making it perfect for escaping the noise of Hat Rin.


EATING OUT

Having a meal
in Hat Rin can often be a deafening experience. Most restaurants show several videos each night with volumes set at ear piercing levels. That said most of the films on show are new releases back home and of a fairly good standard. The restaurants themselves are generally uniform in appearance. The Bamboo seating arrangements can often lead to temporary paralysis but the cushions do help. Food prices vary by a couple of baht only and the service is nearly always efficient if not exactly overly friendly.

We ate most at the Greenpeace restaurant in the centre of Hat Rin. This places tie in with the organisation it was called after is doubtful but its cosy atmosphere and big cups of coffee saw us return time and again.

Bongo restaurant is almost on a par with Greenpeace and it has the added advantage of a wonderfully stocked book shelf. Big Boom bar and the Orchid restaurant on the beach are perfect for daytime snacks if you can stand the noisy soundtrack. Shake and Chai is also worth checking out for its sweet and sour dishes.

If your are looking for something a little more intimate there are a couple of places that are noise free. The Lucky Crab (cruelly titled don't you think?) serves excellent seafood and you can pick what you are going to eat from the array of fish they have on display. As with most seafood restaurants prices go beyond the 70 baht average but it makes a nice change. Paradise bungalows also have a seafood restaurant situated at the far end of the beach away from all the chaos.


ENTERTAINMENT

If you are in Ko Pha-Ngan for ecstatic nocturnal activities then you won't be disappointed (unless of course the island police makes one of its infrequent raids and closes the bars prematurely). Hat Rin is bursting at the seams with bars that pound to the sound of trance, techno, hip hop and drum and bass. If you loo
k around you can pick one that focuses on one genre but most peddle a mixture of uplifting floor fillers.

The most obvious place to find yourself on the main strip of beach is the Drop Inn. This place looks like it means business with its monolithic banners extolling its original full moon status (it has been around since 1989). The music policy is generally devoted to energetic trance but we were horrified to hear the original version of 'Grease Lightening' get thrown in the mix at one stage. Inside the dance floor has an old fashioned feel (its wooden!) but on the big party nights the beach just outside becomes the place to kick up your heels. The Drop Inn offers some great drink deals on most nights. The Samsung whiskey bucket containing a small bottle, 2 cokes and lashings of ice is a steal at 120 Baht and was great for freeing up the tangled mess that was our uncoordinated torso's.

Harmony can be found a bit off the beach on a nearby hill. This place is totally dedicated to trance. So you get 'Trancey Tuesday' and 'Trancey Thursday' as the not so imaginative theme nights. Cactus Bar is to be found near the middle of Sunrise beach and has a more laid back feel to it, hence the assorted seating outside. The drinks deals hear are not as good as the Drop Inn but their daily fire show at midnight is not to be missed.

For a more traditional approach to drinking the Outback bar in Hat Rin Nai (a short walk from the central area) is ideal. With its space age wicker pod seating and old world style decor it makes a perfect escape from the bone crunching effects of persistent heavy beats. There is music most nights of an acoustic persuasion and the happy hour is enticing.

Somewhat like a man who turns into a werewolf, Hat Rin metamorphoses into something completely different come Full Moon. The prices double, the population trebles, the noise decibe
ls quadruple and even sane people it would seem party like its 2999. Full moon parties frequently spill over into the next day and all the excess turns the normally turquoise water quite darker and much smellier.

Full Moon parties are Ko Pha-Ngan's chief selling point so much so that the entrepreneurial residents have introduced smaller scale half moon and even dark moon parties. These are never on the scale of the original but offer a good way to immerse yourself gently into how these parties operate.


Over the years Hat Rin has transformed from a beach with a few bungalows to a thriving resort. Many of the services that you would expect a modern resort to have are available. Internet resources are ubiquitous (if a little pricey in high season), there are several supermarkets like seven-eleven and numerous travel agents willing to plan your next trip or extend your visa. And it looks like things are going to expand even more as evidenced by the building work we witnessed while there.

Getting to other parts of the island is made easier by the numerous taxi's (in the shape of a converted pick up trucks called songthaews) and small boats that proliferate. Travelling along the paved road between Hat Rin and the islands main town, Thong Sala is an arduous task. There are many steep hills with little in the way of barriers for safety. This means that renting a motorbike for exploration purposes from Hat Rin is extremely dangerous. Against all the warnings we did just this but after performing one too many evil knivel type manoeuvres we turned back. Fatalities are not uncommon and the number of people with bandages on the beach bears witness to the folly of taking this mode of transport around the island.

Ko Pha-Ngan is an essential stop if you are touring Thailand. Nowhere in the world rivals its party atmosphere at full moon time and the beauty of
its beaches is hard to match. The costs of staying on the island may be rising but compared to home these are negligible. You can get by quite easily on about 20 euro per day and this includes accommodation, food and several litres of the local brew!

Summary: