Tiring of our underwater exploits, we made our retreat to the neighboring island of Ko Pha Ngan for some beach hopping. As soon as we stepped off the ferry we rented a motorbike and headed for the West coast. When renting a motorbike it is important to fully examine and document any pre-existing damages, such as this minor scratch on the fender, so as to avoid paying an outrageous repair compensation.
Here we arrived at a pristine beach, apparently un-named and thus uncorwded, where we booked two nights in a bungalow.
Our cozy bungalow, simple number nine, complete with cold water shower and a fan. Such accommodation would become our staple for southern Thailand.
Now this is the kind of beach we came to Thailand for...
We spent the next two days motoring to beaches along the western and northern coasts of the isle. On our first day we made quick stops at Had Yao and Had Salad, and elected to continue on to Had Mae Had, where we found some excellent snorkeling. On day two we visited Ao Chaloklum for bite to eat, location pictured below.
The bows of all Thai boats are adorned with floral garlands and colorful fabrics; These serve to appease the Buddha spirit that lives there, whom is said to bless the vessel with good luck and safe passage. It can be bad luck to touch these decorations, or knock the Buddha off...so NO TOUCHY!
Cute...little...dangly...thing
Had Khom, the fine-sanded beach stop for the afternoon. Fun snorkeling too, until Nick cut his finger on a clam.
Upon arrival, however, our dreams were dashed across the pebble-strewn beach like a rag doll cast against a cold stone wall. We regret to say that we would have left the beach soon after arrival, if it were not for the longtail ride. And now for the the list of grievances:
(1) The resort bungalows were packed out due to proximity to the full moon (a big thing on Ko Pha Ngan), and we were forced into booking a "minimum of 3 nights" at an overpriced inland bungalow. Ok, Lonely Planet warned us about this one...
(2) To capitalize on our let-down, our first night was blessed with a fully audible, blast-the-music, rave party which raged until 10am the next morning. Needless to say, we made the mistake of attempting sleep rather than joining the racket.
(3) Programs in fasting and body cleansing were offered from the resort at exorbitant prices, and they took full advantage of the monopoly on food, as little competition was to be found in the resort's isolated location. Kaitlin decided to participate in her own fasting program -- completely free--partly as an act of rebellion, and partly for the humbling experience.
(4) Had Thien was one of the worst beaches we had seen in Thailand, with its course sand and submerged rocks. As if reflecting our malcontent, we have no pictures of this beach.
Ok, no more bitching. Every day of our stay we opted to hike to the nearby Had Yuan, which offered finer sands and cheaper meals. The highlight of the hike was a section where a long coastal bridge crossed the rocky headland.
Had Yuan...what a relief!
Perhaps our most memorable moment on the East coast of Pha Ngan was our jungle trek to Had Rin. After an arguous climb, we were rewarded with this excellent view at the midway point. Had Yuan can be seen behind Nick, while the smaller Had Thien hides in the next bay to the left.
From the viewpoint we descended into Had Rin, a beach famous for its full moon parties. The real party was still two more nights away, but the beach was still packed out with the same crowds that would revel in the moonlight. With plans to catch the last longtail back to our beach, we made a few of our own vodka buckets that evening. And of course, we missed the last boat. Our only choice was to brave the return journey by headlamp - something we had fortunately planned for. It was an excellent trek, and our last
island adventure before we headed for the mainland the next morning for some karst viewing in the awe-inspiring Khao Sok.
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