Still reeling from jet lag from the flight to Bangkok, we set off again at the crack of dawn after three nights. This time with a domestic flight to Koh Samui and then a ferry to Koh Phangan. I had booked the trip to and from Phangan in advance through GetYourGuide, and then we planned to simply take a songthaew, a type of open-top taxi, to the hotel at the pier. No sooner said than done. However, we were a bit shocked by the 1,200 baht fare, as we’d always paid very little in Bangkok thanks to the Bolt app. This time, however, the journey took just under 45 minutes.
Quite tired and really hungry after the 8.5-hour journey, we received a warm welcome at Buri Rasa, a small and very lovingly designed 4* hotel right on Thong Nai Pan Beach. Unfortunately, we were informed during a welcome drink that we wouldn’t be allowed to check into our rooms until 2:00 PM, but that we were welcome to spend the time until then in the complex or on the beach. After a quick tour with the receptionist, we armed ourselves with our swimwear and settled into our temporary camp on the loungers on the beach. There was also a restaurant service there, so we could enjoy drinks and a small lunch with a fantastic view of the sea. At 2:00 PM sharp, and unfortunately only after request, we were allowed to check into our rooms. We had two double rooms on the ground floor not far from the pool. However, since the complex is really tiny with a total of just under 70 rooms, the distances are short anyway.
After a short break, we explored the main road leading to the hotel. In addition to the 7-Eleven supermarket, which our girls loved, there are several restaurants serving a variety of cuisines. If the kids aren’t keen on Thai food, there’s a wide selection of pizzas, Italian pasta dishes, and fast food. There are also a few smaller stands selling crepes and smoothies that you can create your own. In addition to souvenir shops, pharmacies, tour operators, and car and scooter rentals, you’ll also find laundromats, nail salons, and numerous shops offering all kinds of massages.
Impressions from around the hotel grounds
IThe hotel’s beach restaurant served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There was a different program every evening. A fire show was scheduled for the first evening, so we grabbed a table with a good view and ate there.
We simply took the next few days as they came. We were lucky with the weather, and it only rained heavily one day; the rest were beautiful. We splashed and swam a lot in the bathtub-warm sea or in the pool, snacked on the occasional Nutella crepe, and drank new, homemade smoothies every day. We also tried out the locals’ massage, manicure, and pedicure skills. In the evening, we had a cocktail at the Sandbar, where you could have your photo immortalized with luminous acrylic on the wooden counter—that’s where you’ll find the “biglittletravelfeet” sign!
According to my internet research, there’s a four percent chance of encountering a snake in Thailand. So, one afternoon, we looked at our patio couch in disbelief when we spotted a green tree snake. A short time later, however, the hotel’s friendly gardener took it into his care, and we even got the chance to pet it.
To see the rest of the island, you’ll definitely need some form of transportation. Even in Thailand, taking a taxi for five people isn’t a cheap option, as you obviously won’t fit in a car, including the driver, so you’ll need a minivan or similar. Furthermore, Thong Nai Pan Beach is quite far from (almost) all the typical sights. Cars are quite expensive—at least compared to scooter rental prices. So we opted for two scooters for ao day, which at least got us into the surrounding area.
Initially with just one child, we headed to the highly recommended Bottle Beach Viewpoint, which is said to offer spectacular views of the beach of the same name and the ocean. We drove 10 minutes to the scooter parking lot and from there walked the nearly 15 minutes to the famous rock. The last two minutes were really hard to climb, and my fear of heights put a damper on my plans. I was all the more grateful to the middle girl and my husband for making it to the top and taking truly stunning photos.
After getting used to our scooters, we all set off for the Elephant Sanctuary, a 35-minute drive away. When we arrived, we were stunned by the high entrance fees, which we had to pay in cash. We didn’t have that much cash with us. Since there were no ATMs anywhere nearby, our plan was canceled. We looked on Google Maps for an alternative and found the Phaeng Noi Waterfall in Than Sadet National Park, a short distance away. Here, we hiked from viewpoint to viewpoint for a while and somehow felt like we were truly in the jungle.
In the evening, we stopped by Bottle Beach itself. Here, you should really only drive your own scooter or car as far as the sign. From there, you can call a 4×4 taxi via WhatsApp, which will take you the remaining two kilometers down to the beach, some of which are steep inclines, and then back up again. This beach—especially in the early evening—is almost deserted and simply beautiful!
For further excursions, the scooter ride with the kids would have been too much for us; we would have needed a car, private transfer, or one of the guided tours offered everywhere. But this way we were at least able to explore a little of the island, which was more than enough for us.
And so our stay on Koh Phangan was coming to an end and our onward journey to Koh Samui was imminent.
With that in mind: แล้วพบกันใหม่
Helpful Links
https://www.luna-restaurant-phangan.com
https://www.burirasa.com/phangan