Moon Phuket & Ko Samui by Suzanne Nam

Author:Suzanne Nam
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Avalon Travel
Published: 2014-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

GETTING AROUND

Ko Samui has frequent song thaew that circle the island’s main road from early morning into the evening. There are no fixed stops, so if you want a ride, just give the driver a wave and then hop in the back. When you want to get off, press the buzzer in the back (it’s usually on the ceiling) and then pay your fare after you get off. Fares are set, and rides cost 20-60 baht if you are going from beach to beach. For trips from the pier to Chaweng, expect to pay 110 baht, less if you are traveling to a closer beach.

There are also plentiful taxis and motorcycle taxis on the popular beaches in the area. If you are staying somewhere more secluded, your guesthouse can call a taxi or motorcycle taxi for you.

Ko Pha-Ngan เกาะพะงัน

If you’re looking for a beautiful island with nice beaches that’s cheap and full of folks who want to party all night long, this is the spot to pick. Although Ko Pha-Ngan is physically similar to Ko Samui, except that it’s about half the size and has smaller sandy beaches instead of Samui’s large, sweeping ones, and is just a short ferry trip away, it definitely feels a world apart. You won’t see as much development here, or even any main roads. Instead, the island is rimmed by stretches of clean white sand, and the interior mountainous rainforest is peppered with inexpensive bungalows and, more and more, secluded resorts.

Although there is one long strip of coast on the west side of the island, which gives the added benefit of beautiful sunsets, many of the beaches on Ko Pha-Ngan are set in small coves backed by cliffs and thick forest. The physical landscapes are truly beautiful, and they are often the more secluded-feeling areas, but they can be really tough to access. Weather and tidal conditions permitting, you can take a longtail boat from one beach to another. Many of the roads leading to these beaches are dirt roads; there are some 4WD vehicles on the island that can take you, and many visitors also rent motorcycles to get from one beach to another. If you go that route, be aware that some of the dirt roads can be treacherous on two wheels, especially if it has been raining.

In many ways, Ko Pha-Ngan is a breath of fresh air since it’s so much less developed than other popular spots in the region. It tends to attract visitors such as young backpackers and aging hippies, all looking to enjoy the beauty of the region without spending a lot of money. For better or worse, the island has become something of an international party zone, probably thanks to the many young travelers who visit every year. During high season, the all-night full-moon parties have given way to half-moon parties and black-moon parties—any excuse to have a few drinks and dance around on the beach to music more fit for an urban rave than a tropical paradise.

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