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ON THE OTHER SIDE
Panviman Resort KOH PHANGAN IS MORE THAN JUST FULL MOON PARTIES. COLIN HINSHELWOODEXPLORES THE ISLAND’S OTHER SIDE. PICTURES BY BRENT T MADISON
“LOOKS LIKE LOTS OF SQUID BOATS are out tonight,” remarked our waiter, as he pointed at the bright lights far out at sea. “That means it will be a sunny day tomorrow.”
We didn’t quite see the connection, but he went on to explain: “When the fishermen know that the weather is going to be calm all night – and therefore good the next day – they take their trawlers out. They shine lights into the water and the squid follow the light to the surface. Then they catch them.”
We happily raised our wine glasses in an appreciative salute to the fishermen and sunny days. We had just arrived on Koh Phangan, and were now about to eat a beach-side dinner of grilled seafood, freshly caught by those fishermen on the starlit horizon.
The serene Tong Nai Pan Bay Koh Phangan is the second of three main islands in the southern part of the Gulf of Thailand. Its famous big brother Koh Samui lies 20km to the south, while the diving haven of Koh Tao is about 35km to the north-west. The result is a triangle of tropical stepping stones that, in the past, acted as enclaves for pirates and sheltered Siamese fishermen for centuries.
As with its neighbours, fishing is a way of life for the people of Koh Phangan. Combined with coconut farming and a short wave of tin mining, this was the only industry that 14,000 islanders had ever known until the massive explosion of tourism which hit Thailand in the 1980s started to filter its way to the more remote and exotic parts of the Kingdom.
Since then, Koh Phangan has gained international fame for its monthly Full Moon Party, a happening all-night rave on Had Rin Beach that attracts thousands of party-goers from all over the world.
Enjoy Panviman Resort’s sea
views from the gorgeous pool A stronghold for young, adventurous backpackers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the island was a place for the footloose and fancy-free to have fun. In the last few years, however, a new character has begun to emerge.
With Bangkok Airways’ international airport right next door on Koh Samui, a frequent “fast boat” ferry service, new roads to the northern and eastern coasts, and the rapid development of high-end resorts and spas, the Koh Phangan of today is becoming increasingly accessible, family-friendly and attractive to a more upmarket holiday-maker.
In the past, visitors had to endure a one- to two-day journey by train, bus, and ferry to get to Koh Phangan, but now they can leave Bangkok in the morning and be relaxing on a beach in a remote corner of the island by early afternoon the same day. It is little wonder that, according to Tourism Authority of Th ailand (TAT), the number of visitors is steadily increasing by 10% each year.
Santhiya Resort and
Spa’s teak villas In 2006, more than half of Koh Phangan’s 330,000 visitors stayed at the lively Had Rin Beach, the backpackers’ Mecca. This figure is set to change, however, with a number of resorts becoming more and more established on the tranquil beaches to the north and west.
Leading the pack is Panviman Resort, which opened its doors 15 years ago, and changed the landscape of the north-east coast at a time when there was barely a dirt track crossing the lush green hills to that side of the island. The standards they set were high, with an emphasis on luxury and the natural beauty of the setting.
Panviman’s 75 villas and apartments are nestled in the hillside at Tong Nai Pan Beach. Steep walkways snake around mango, jackfruit and palm trees, and connect guests to a spectacular swimming pool, a spa offering a menu of heavenly treatments, and three restaurants – all commanding picturesque vistas of the sandy cove and the Gulf of Th ailand.
“We didn’t cut down any trees when building the resort,” explains the hotel’s general manager Rolf Werner. “We wanted to preserve this paradise and wonderful view just as it is.”
Across the bay stands Santhiya Resort and Spa, an impressive hotel designed in local teakwood. Only opened last year, there are already plans to expand the facilities with the addition of conference rooms, a helipad, a fitness centre and tennis courts.
Guests are invited to visit the resort’s Aryurvana Spa, where staff will pamper you with exquisite Thai expertise and warmth, in an open-air sala overlooking the sea. There is an eclectic mix of nightlife near these resorts, including Thai boxing bouts, discos and beach bars. Try the classy Nu Bar on Tong Nai Pan Yai and choose from a selection of over 200 cocktails.
LOOK TO THE WATER
Kiteboarding at Ban Tai beach The name “Phangan” refers to the sand bars that lie just a stone’s throw off the northern and western coasts, acting as a natural barrier against the waves. With most of the island’s beaches blessed with shallow shores and sandy sea beds, swimming here is safe for all ages and visitors can wade out in the crystal-clear water for up to 100m without getting their hair wet.
Kayaking and snorkelling have both grown in popularity, and aficionados of the athletic art of kiteboarding can be found speeding across the windy shores of Ban Tai beach, on the island’s southern coast. French-owned Cuttlebone Kiteboarding School at the Holiday Beach Resort rents equipment and offers newcomers courses to learn this trendy water sport.
Explore golden
beaches on land At the small islet of Koh Ma, snorkelling and scuba diving are especially good. It is connected to Koh Phangan’s northern Had Mae Had beach by a sand bar, not to mention the myriad of coral and fish that await 50m from the north-western beach of Had Yao. (The compass point is important to note, as there is another beach called Had Yao on the south-eastern coast.)
Apart from small, friendly reef sharks, the coastline of Koh Phangan is home to a kaleidoscope of tropical fish whose names are often just as colourful as their scales: blue-spotted stingrays, masked butterfly fish, blue-ringed angel fish, clown fish, teira batfish, and hexagon garupa.
MTF Diving organises daily scuba-diving trips around the islands and also conducts three-day PADI courses, so you can get your diving certificate and feel confident before going out to the open water. MTF’s Doris Wagner recalls some memorable underwater experiences, describing how she has spotted the rare honeycomb moray eel and was once playfully flipped out of the water by the back tail of a baby whale shark.
THE WAY THINGS WORK
A boy shows off the
mussels that he’s picked Local fisherman Ton, who started as a deckhand at the tender age of six, agrees that there’s no lack of fish in the Gulf, nor is there much likelihood of a dangerous storm. Mackerel and squid are their main catch, but kingfish are the most sought aft er.
Visitors can watch Ton and his fishermen friends set out every evening around sunset on their three-tiered vessels from the little northern port of Chaloklum, or aim to arrive at dawn to see the fresh fish being iced and unloaded onto the dock. It’s no wonder then that seafood is the speciality on most of the island’s menus.
Fishing boats line Chaloklum
Bay At Chaloklum, you’ll also see local kids picking mussels from the shoreline at dusk and old men throwing nets at schools of fish in shallow waters. Watch all the activity at the docks from the open-air balcony of Sheesha Bar, which recently started serving meals, alongside the island’s newest boutique property, Hotel Mandalai. Built around a Chinese fisherman’s shrine, this bar is a chic spot for lounging around on cushions while sipping a sweet cocktail and smoking fruit-flavoured sheesha.
A kilometre west of Chaloklum harbour lies one of the island’s “hidden gems”, the Malibu Beach Bar. Quietly nestled in what can only be described as a Japanese beach garden and surrounded by soft, white sand, this is a great place to while away the hours in a hammock as you watch the fishing boats sail up and down the coast.
On the road between Chaloklum and the main town of Tong Sala is the interesting Kuan Yin Shrine. There is a spectacular view from this popular Chinese temple, which overlooks the sea and acres of coconut groves. Farmers often train small monkeys to climb trees to pull down the coconuts, which are gathered at several “coconut depots” around Koh Phangan.
Thousands are shelled every day and distributed for various uses: the husks are exported to China to make stuffing for sofas and beds; the flesh is sent to Bangkok where it is made into candies and sweets; and bio-diesel fuel is produced from pure coconut oil.
For the locals themselves, coconut milk is a popular ingredient in rich soups and delicious curries, not to mention a refreshing drink to quench one’s thirst on a hot aft ernoon.
ADDRESS BOOK
HOTELS: Grand Sea Resort, Tong Sala, tel +66 (0)77 377777, www.grandsearesort.com; Green Papaya Resort, 64/8 Moo 8, Had Salaat, tel +66 (0)77 374230/349280, www.greenpapayaresort.com; Panviman Resort, 22/1 Moo 5, Tong Nai Pan Noi Bay, Bantai, tel +66 (0)77 445101-9, www.panviman.com; Santhiya Resort and Spa, 22/7 Moo 5, Bantai, tel +66 (0)77 238333, www.santhiya.com FOOD AND DRINK: A’s Coffee Shop, 146 Tong Sala, tel +66 (0)77 377226; Malibu Beach Bar, Malibu Beach Bungalows, West of Chaloklum Beach, tel +66 (0)86 948-1890; Nu Bar, 10/6 Moo 5, Tong Nai Pan Yai, tel +66 (0)88 908-8434; Sheesha Bar, 2/3 Moo 7, Chaloklum Road, tel +66 (0)77 374161, www.sheesha-bar.com; Me‘n’u, 19/8 Moo 6, Hin Kong, tel +66 (0)89 289-7133/(0)87 897-0025, www.menu-phangan.com WATERSPORTS: Cuttlebone Kiteboarding School, Holiday Beach Resort, Tong Sala Beach, tel +66 (0)81 940-1902, www.cuttlebone.net; MTF Diving, Weangthai Resort ,100/3 Moo 1, Tong Sala, tel +66 (0)77 377247, www.mtfdiving.com SHOPS: Home of Art, Chaloklum Road, Tong Sala, tel +66 (0)87 265-8725
THE CENTRE OF ACTION
Tong Sala is the main port on the island and the place to go for banking, renting a jeep, travel information and shopping. Although shopping is probably not why you are visiting Koh Phangan, those in need of retail therapy can find their fix at Home of Art, a small boutique that offers traditional teakwood furnishings, rattan, bamboo and silk products.
While here, make time to enjoy breakfast or lunch at the popular A’s Coffee Shop, whose delectable offerings include fresh bread, French cheeses and Italian coffee. Fruit juices are also available and a staple on Koh Phangan, which boasts groves of mangos, bananas, coconuts, mangosteens, durians, rambutans, jackfruit and longans. Cashew nuts, chilli, basil, bamboo and enormous wild orchids are also among the island’s harvest.
For dinner, look no further than Me‘n’u, a new restaurant located just 3km from town at Baan Hin Kong on the west coast, which offers fine dining at affordable prices. The cooking is modern European with Asian overtones. Specialities include pan-fried baby squid with pancetta, pan-fried lemongrass tiger prawns, honey-glazed duck breast, and Australian beef tenderloin.
Those who want to stay nearby should check into the family-run Grand Sea Resort, which is located on the outskirts of town and has 35 rooms designed in northern Thai style. Enjoy perfect sunsets at this comfortable resort and practice your Thai with the friendly locals. But whether you stay here, in Tong Nai Pan or another northern or eastern beach, you are sure to be over the moon about your visit to Koh Phangan.
GETTING THERE
Regular ferry services between Koh Phangan and Koh Samui depart daily. Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran (Koh Samui, tel +66 (0)77 427765-6; Koh Phangan, tel +66 (0)77 239411-2, www.lomprayah.com) leaves from Mae Nam Pier at 8am, 12:30pm and 5pm daily. Tickets cost 250 baht. Other ferry companies to contact are Seatran Discovery (tel +66 (0)77 238679, www.seatranferry.com) and Songserm Express (tel +66 (0)77 377704).
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