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Thailand

Beating the crowds in Beating the crowds in Koh Ngai

by Vincent March 27, 2020

written by Vincent

Lying just 15KM away from the Southern tip of Koh Lanta, the tiny island of Koh Ngai is the ideal destination to get away from it all. No motorbikes, no roads, no shops, no nightlife, just a handful of mid-range resorts of and an unforgettable scenery of a white powdery sands lapping azure warm waters all surrounded by a dense tropical jungle. Definitely in my top 5 islands of Thailand for those looking to spend a few days in a tranquil beach getaway.

Most of the dozen or so mid-range resorts you will find offer bungalows along the beach like these at CoCo Cottages

Main Beach

The main beach of this tiny spec of an island offers an idyllic 3 km long uninterrupted strip of sand overlooking the Andaman sea and neighboring Trang islands. Those looking for a picture postcard beach won’t be disappointing here.

I was very pleased to notice there were fewer tourists on Koh Ngai than any of the other other Southern islands I visited

Chilling in a hammock after a refreshing swim at one of the restaurant and bar along the beach

The southern tip beach where the beach chairs are is the best area for swimming due to lack of rocks in the water

Many restaurants along the beach are just simple affairs with a few chairs and tables thrown in

Shallow and crystal clear waters of Paradise beach

Crystal clear water meet white-sandy shores

Trying a little spicy seafood salad here

A family arriving by long tail boat right in front of their resort from one of the neighboring islands

Walking back towards the northern side of Main beach

Entrance to the Koh Ngai Cliff Beach Resort

Entrance to where I was staying at the Koh Ngai Cliff Beach Resort on the northern end of main beach

Getting to your room or the pool can be quite a stiff climb up for those out of shape

But the view from the Koh Ngai Cliff Beach Resort infinity pool onto the Andaman Sea is second to none on the island

A few days in the Southern islands can surely bring up a tan quickly

Kayaking around the Koh Ngai

At around 10 kilometers the full tour of the island requires a bit of paddling and will take you easily half a day, more if you want to enjoy snorkeling along the other beaches and coves of the island. Keep in mind once on you leave main beach there won’t be any bars, restaurants or hotels so pack everything you need with you so you won’t run out mid-way.

Time to rent a kayak to explore the island

You will find many options for renting a kayak along main beach, fare is pretty standard at around 500 baht/day or 100 baht/hour. Don’t forget to bring your Snorkeling gear if you have one or pick up one for 200 baht a day or you will regret not bringing one when you hit Paradise beach in the south abundant with schools of tropical fish.

Boat passing by

Near the Southern end overlooking the island of Koh Maa

Beautiful empty beach south of the island

Approaching the much more secluded Paradise beach or Ao Kuan Tong in the south west of the island.

Taking a little break and having a swim on my private little beach cove

Back on main beach

Think I found my spot for the day to sit back and relax the next few hours

Last meal along the beach before moving onto Koh Lipe early the next day

March 27, 2020 0 comments

Koh Lanta

Two days stop on Koh Lanta

by Vincent March 23, 2020

written by Vincent

If you’ve been travelling around the South of Thailand and arriving from hotspots like Phuket, Phi Phi or Railay, this is where you’ll first notice things starting to quiet down. Gone are the beaches bursting at the seams with tourists, here the general atmosphere is far more laid-back with lots of empty space on the beaches to call your own.

Long Beach

At 4KM, this is longest and busiest stretch of sand of the island. The water here is calm, clear, and perfect for swimming neither too shallow or deep.

The area as you can see is not too developed or crowded. Most of the bars, restaurants and resorts are hidden in the back under the trees are so the beach itself remains wide open and peaceful.

The beach offers a beautiful sense of space where it’s quite easy to find laid back spots with not many people around

Cheap and basic shack for two nights at Lantawadee Resort

Standard bungalow at Lantawadee Resort and Spa

Chilling in the hamac after a day at the beach

Enjoying the sunset on long beach

Klong Nin Beach

About 10KM south of Long beach outside of the more busy part is where you’ll find the small and very laid-back Klong Nin beach, almost no one was around when I visited, bars and beach almost to myself.

Typical Klong Nin beach bars

Enjoying a pina Colad at Klong Khong Beach

Stop on the way back on for a pina colada on Klong Khong Beach

March 23, 2020 0 comments

Ao Nang

Railay

by Vincent March 22, 2020

written by Vincent

the Railay Peninsula with its towering limestone cliffs surrounded by lush tropical jungle and postcard-worthy stretches of white, sandy beaches is one of Thailand’s most beautiful spots.

Although no longer an insider tip among a few hippy backpackers two decades ago and an exponential increase in the number of Chinese tourists in the last few years, the entire scenery is so stunning that it is hard not to recommend at least a stopover, on anyone’s trip to the South of Thailand.

In order to experience Railay at it’s best and without the hordes of tourists, I highly recommend basing yourself here at least for a day or two instead of Ao Nang since 90% of the people who come to visit, do so on day trips from neighboring Krabi or Phuket island.

Band playing in Black Pearl bar along Railey's walking street

The experience is so different between 5PM to around 10AM that In a way it feels like two completely different places. Everything suddenly becomes so peaceful and the whole place adopts a chilled hippy vibes, Reggae beats drifts out of laid-back bars and the unmistakable smells of marijuana, openly advertised in many of the places fills the air.

Things to do in Railay: Hiking your way up to the Railay East Viewpoint

Getting to the view point requires a 30 minutes moderately easy although sweaty hike up the mountain

Viewpoint offers an impressing view of the Railay peninsula all the way to Tonsai bay

The slippery hike back down

Railay West

The picture perfect beach with long golden stretch of beach engulfed by towering limestone cliffs on either side. This beach in most cases will be your landing point if you are arriving by long tail boat.

Long tail boats usually drop off day trippers right on Railay West at it’s center so it’s not the best area for swimming

The Eastern part of Railay West is probably your best bet for sunbathing or swimming on this beach

Eating at a beachfront restaurant some Thai pineapple fried rice and enjoying the view

Railay West beach in October in low season, less sunshine but cheaper prices a lot less people!

Tonsai Bay

Lesser known than its neighboring Railey West beach and hidden being a cliff, Tonsai Beach also benefits from spectacular limestone cliffs and a beach but with only a small fraction of the tourists. Great place to escape especially in high season when the rest of the Peninsula gets overcrowded.

Majestic Limestone cliff of the Tonsai bay

Laid-back vibe of Tosai bay at low tide with it’s imposing limestone cliffs surrounded by lush jungle

Long tail boats sit idle, awaiting for customers to neighboring beaches

Tonsai bay seen from it’s viewpoint at high tide on the western end is also very popular with rock climbers

Closer look at the Tonsai beachfront

At high tide, you can hike to Tonsai bay by following the path that goes above the small cliff from Railay West

Pathway at low tide around to Railay West

At low tide, all you need to do is wade your way around the base of the rock

Phra Nang Beach

The most stunning beach of the Railay peninsula hands-down, currently listed at #15 of the 25 best beaches of Asia according to TripAdvisor. Perfect mix of Beautiful soft sand, calm clear water, rugged limestone karts and tropical wildlife in the form of various types of monkeys roaming around or living in the trees just beyond the beach. Best enjoyed in the morning before the day tour crowds arrive at 10am and sunset when they all have left.

Sunset along Phra Nang Beach

Phra Nang Beachfront after the departure of day-trippers

Many types of monkeys live on and around the the beach

Last day trip boats along Phra Nang Beach

Fertility shrine in small cave at the end of Phra Nang beach

Where to Stay in Railay

Railay Phutawan Resort

Perfect hideaway in the jungle away from the crowds, The views from the infinity pool and bar surrounded by the cliffs are simply beautiful. Great place to cool off and sit back cocktail in hand after a long day exploring the area.

Arriving at the resort after a 10-15 minutes walk from Railay West, expect to see lots of monkey on the road up or down

The view from the pool looking onto the sea and rock climbers going up the cliffs is pretty amazing

My lovely little Superior Bungalow wrapped by Lush tropical gardens

Inside my Superior Cottage at Railay Phutawan Resort

Well kept bedroom found inside inside the cottage

View of the Railay Phutawan Resort grounds

Surroundings of the Railay Phutawan Resort

March 22, 2020 0 comments

Koh Chang

Koh Chang on the eastern Gulf coast of Thailand

by Vincent March 12, 2020

written by Vincent

Less touristy due to it’s location off the beaten path, Koh Chang and the neighboring islands of Koh Maak and Koh Kood are great places to add to your Thailand itinerary if you are more of an independent minded traveler looking to get away from crowded commercial hubs and enjoy a beach destination where the pace of life is more relaxed. Located over 300 kilometers southeast of Bangkok on it’s Cambodian border, Koh Chang is Thailand’s third largest island and the most developed of the Mu Koh Chang Marine National Park.

Alongside international visitors, the island is also very popular with Thais on holiday. The area is quite diverse, mountains and rain-forest covers a good chunk of the island while the western portion has most of it’s beaches.

White Sands Beach

Situated at the northwestern end of the island, white sands is the first beach you are likely to see after arriving by ferry from the mainland, it is also at 2.5 Kilometers the longest, busiest and most popular beach of Koh Chang. There’a wide choice of restaurants, stores, plus even a few Pattaya style beer bars, most of the accommodation in the town itsef are in the mid range to high end bracket.

Closer look at the little bungalows for rent on the beach

Those looking a Robinson Crusoe experience of staying in a basic huts right on the beach have a few options to chose from, the best area would be located near the middle to end of White sands beach like the ones here above and below

The Maylamean Bungalows right on white beach

The vibe here is very relaxed

Thai spirit house along the beach

Local practicing on the guitar along the beach

Thai local practicing his guitar along the beach before tonight’s performance

Last restaurant by the sea on the northern end

Bars and accomodations along White beach

Bars along the way back

Sun loungers

Independentbo cottages and bar along the shores of white sands beach

Cool little beach-side bar at Independent Bo Bungalows

Restaurants setting up the tables on the beach for the evening

Tables are set on the beach for diner near the busier areas of the beach a little before sunset

Time for some Thai curry

Just one of those Koh Chang sunsets…

Top Resort

Where I like to stay personally when on White Sands beach

Awarded Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards so you really can’t go wrong here with Top Resort, Lovely tropical garden with pool, plenty of sun loungers around to relax as well as a private beach cove exclusive to the resort guests

Rooms are rustic and basic but everything is clean and works

Flatscreen TV balcony at Top Resort in Deluxe room category

Modern commodities like Wi-Fi signal is strong and there’s plenty of channels to watch given you want to laze in bed

Sitting on the room balcony at Top Resort

My room had a little closed balcony are offering a view on the main road and hills in the back

Nice little dip pool at the center of the resort to cool off on a hot and sunny day

Bungalows are also available inside Top Resort

They also offer some bungalows within the garden just next to the pool area which I haven’t had the chance to try yet

Loungers next to pool in Top Resort Koh Chang

Sun loungers set in lush tropical gardens offering lovely view of the surrounding mountains

Stairs down leading down to a small private cove at Top Resort

They also have a private beach cove you can enjoy by going down a few stairs

Arriving at the small private cove at Top Resort

Place is a little rocky but it’s all yours most of the day if you want to enjoy it

Time to exploring a bit the rest of the island

Khlong Phlu Waterfall

Located just 10KM away from white sand beach, this was the obvious 1st stop in the morning before heading south

Arriving on motorbike, you need to park and make your way up on foot to the Khlong Phlu Waterfall which is an easy talk done in about a 15-mins walk/hike up 600 meters.

Arriving at the waterfalls, nothing earth shattering here but a nice change of scenery from the beach

Getting in for a refreshing swim to cool off before continuing on the road

Lonely Beach

Lonely Beach is the backpacker hub on the island due to its affordable prices and party scene. Mostly populated by younger travellers who run on a routine of sunbathing during the day, drinking buckets late into the night.

At 600 meters in length, it’s not the longest beach of the island but it offers a perfect blending of sea sand and jungle

Some of the entry-level bungalows in Lonely beach

Some of the rock bottom price huts offering a glimpse of the local wildlife for free

The lovely vibe of Lonely beach, particularly at it’s best near it’s northern end

Local fisherman looking for what to put on your plate for dinner

Klong Kloi Beach

The strip of sand is relatively narrow and backed by a shady thick line of palm and coconut trees, great place for chilling during the day and swim, beach chairs are free to use as long as you order anything from the bar or restaurant. The water is clear and free from rocks. You’ll find a nice mix of backpackers and older tourists, lots of cheap bungalows on offer.

Arriving in Bang Bang Beach aka Golden beach

Arriving in Klong Kloi Beach, also referred to as Bang Bao Beach for it’s close location to the the pier of the same name

Enjoying a Chang beer with my feet in the powdery golden sands of this lovely beach

My kind photographer who I also taken a shot of

Menu arriving at one of the cheap bars and restaurants along the beach

The very relaxed vibe about the place

Drinking a big Chang beer on Koh Chang island

Drink, snacks & a view

Guy cooling off with the waves lapping at his feet

March 12, 2020 0 comments

Ko Samet

Week-end in Ko Samet

by Vincent May 16, 2010

written by Vincent

Strategically located only half a day by bus from Bangkok, the little 6 by3 KM dagger shaped island of Ko Samet is known as the perfect Week-end escape route for Bangkokians, expats and tourists alike looking to chill out with friends and family for a few days. Pattaya? Definitely out of the question if you want some relaxation… Ko Chang? Too much distance to travel on such a short trip, so Ko Samet is just right. The island is mostly famous for its coastline made up of fourteen beautiful powdery white sandy beaches lapped by crystal clear waters. Not to forget the perfect all year long weather since statistically wise, it offers more days of sunshine than any other island of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Ko Samet’s east coast is by far the most popular among visitors since it has the vast majority of the island’s beaches, all the nightlife, and most of the bars, restaurants, and accommodations. The west coast features only a minuscule tucked-away beach surrounded by a few expensive resorts. The north is the calmest of all with just a few guesthouses built along the rocky shoreline that you can notice as you approach the island by ferry.

Be aware that as things get packed and while the nightlife is without any doubt fun on weekends and public holidays, the rates can accordingly skyrocket by 60%. If you are lucky you might still be able to find some basic bungalows in high season at 500-600 baht, but since this is on a 1st-come, 1st-served basis, those are the ones that tend to go the fastest.

While Ko Samet probably can’t compare with places in the south such as Ko Phi Phi in pure beauty, I found the overall experience to be more pleasant and authentic. The balance was just perfect and I didn’t feel like I was in some tourist ghetto surrounded by 85%+ of other Caucasians. I know some people have absolutely no problem with this, but in my case, you definitely need to be around Thais to feel like you’re on vacation in Thailand and not like some beach in Spain back in Europe. Since Ko Samet is part of the Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park, you will have to fork out an entry fee of 200 baht per person for foreigners and 40 baht for Thais. One wonders where the money really is invested since, like so many other parks in the rest of Thailand, the typical ban on buildings has been brushed off and you’ll find over 30 resorts operating here. Anyhow, the good news is the Royal Forest Department actually very recently cut the price of entry in half from the outrageous 400 baht they used to charge. Who knows, maybe they had a bad conscience…

More Pictures of Koh Samet

May 16, 2010 0 comments

Ko Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi Islands

by Vincent February 17, 2010

written by Vincent

After a day spent on Phuket’s Karon beach recovering from a substantial hangover due to four days of partying during the Thai New Year celebrations in Bangkok I headed early in the morning for the short boat journey to the Phi Phi (pronounced ‘pee pee’) islands. With just a few days left to spend in Thailand before moving onto Indonesia I definitely had to give a try at one of those mythical Thai tropical island of the Andaman coast so I decided to play it safe and choose the most talked about for it’s unparalleled natural beauty as a destination.

The two main islands of this protected marine reserve are uninhabited Koh Phi Phi Lei, the one that put firmly it on the mass tourism trail overnight when the movie “the Beach” with Leonardo Di Caprio was filmed on location and Koh Phi Phi Don, where the ferry will drop you off and the only one where accommodations and (over)development is authorized.

While the ferry slowly approached Koh Phi Phi Don the first impressions were all but disappointing as the first glimpses revealed long stretches of white sand beaches where vivid turquoise waters gave way to massive Limestone cliffs surrounded by miles of trackless forest on each side of the island. Immediately comparisons with El Nido in the Philippines came to mind as both share similarities. While Koh Phi Phi Don is set on a much more grandiose scale it lacks the variety and virgin state of the surrounding islands in the Bacuit Bay.

If it wasn’t for that thin and long strip of sand that make up the central and busiest portion of the island Phi Phi Don would actually be made up of two islands with the bays Ao Loh Dalum located north and Ao Loh Dalum south. The water itself at Ao Loh Dalum beach is almost impracticable due to the incessant flow of ferries and long tail boats coming and going leaving but Ao Loh Dalum really accessible for a swimming.

But since 80 to 90% of the Phi Phi Don’s accommodations are around this central portion of the island in the Tonsai Village the place can get a bit claustrophobic and packed so you might want to escape a bit further down southwest to Had Yao or “Long Beach” which is considered the best with the softest and finest white sand. Further North on the East coast as location gets more remote things calm down and become much more peaceful.

I definitely had a love-hate relationship with Koh Phi Phi and ultimately whether you like it or not will depends on your idea of what good times on an island in paradise is. Being one of the prominent destinations on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail, expect to be surrounded by hundreds of other Caucasian foreigners (mostly in their early 20’s) enjoying the bars and all night parties as much as beaches and water-sports. While there still is a chance for you to get a moment alone on Phi Phi, it’s not easy… This by all means is by Southeast Asian standards, as it’s still but a tiny fraction of what you’d get in the most sought after beach destinations in Europe.

Though on average expensive compared to the rest of Thailand it’s still much much cheaper than similar premier island destinations around the globe. Good luck finding a decent room on the French Riviera in or Hawaii for fifteen dollars a night.

Pictures of Koh Phi Phi

How to get to Phi Phi islands by boat

From Phuket: A one way ticket will set you back 300 baht and the ferry leaves Phuket at 08h30, 13h30 & 14h30 taking just about 90 minutes. From Phi Phi back to Phuket the ferry leaves at 09h00 & 14h30.

Krabi: A one way ticket will set you back 300 baht and the ferry leaves Krabi at 10h00 & 15h00 taking just about 90 minutes. The port itself where the ferry leaves is around 5km from the town of Krabi so just arrange pickup with your hotel in Krabi. From Phi Phi back to Phuket the ferry leaves 08h00, 10h00 & 14:30.

Ao Nang: A one way ticket will set you back 350 baht and the ferry leaves Ao Nang at 09h00 taking an hour. From Phi Phi back to Phuket the ferry leaves at 15h30.

Ko Lanta: A one way ticket will set you back 350 baht and the ferry leaves Phuket at 08h30 & 13h00 (only during high season) taking just about 90 minutes. From Phi Phi back to Phuket the ferry leaves at 11h30, 14h00 & 15h00.

most beautiful tropical islands

February 17, 2010 0 comments