Korean Job Discussion Forums

uberscheisse · Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Location: japan is better than korea.

i'm sure dozens of you have travelled thailand extensively.

i was there for a while 2 years ago and never made it to pha ngan, tho i wanted to go. it seemed like the perfect mix of seclusion and infrastructure...

anyways - what i want is to be staying somewhere where i can get a good sleep, see a nice beach but also be able to go check out nightlife and such if i feel the urge to get stoopid.

and - what are the roads like for motorbiking?

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

I was there for a month almost a year ago. The island now has good roads, but it would be good to rent the motocross type bike and not the postie style to be ready for rough roads and holes and detours and mud when it rains.
I stayed about half way up from the second major town the name of which escapes me now (I'll remember in the middle of the night). The big town at the south, Had Riin: never made it down there. The road between the two towns is narrow and steep though paved.
But if you're good on a bike like the locals are who grew up on bikes then it's no problem. It's steep is all, and winding.
One side of the island has coral and the other does not.
The Northern tip has a marine park (sea national park, like).
You can play it by ear moving around the island. Or look up a stretch of beach and then arrive, walking it and checking out the bungalows to decide which you like.
If you want people then Had Riin. If you want isolation there's lots of that around the island. Both Had Rin and Thongsala (name of the second town I couldn't recall) have gyms called 'Jungle gym'.

keithinkorea · Joined: 17 Mar 2004

I dont know what it is like now but I went there a few years back and found the best places to be between thongsala and Bankhai, useless speller tonight.

Basically get a ride to halfway between the port town and the full moon party beach and you'll end up somewhere nice and cheap and within walking distance of the best beaches.

My info is probably out of date. Maybe you should check out the thorn tree on the lonelyplanent website?

Have fun, I'm jealous.

Universalis · Joined: 17 Nov 2003 Location: Seoul

I was there about 2 years ago with my father and we biked around quite a bit. We stayed near the main town, Thong Sala, but next time I'll be staying at Had Salad, which is a nice, isolated beach with few people. It's located near the NW corner fo the island.

But if you want to go to Had rin, take a taxi. We tried making it on our bikes and had to turn around. Road was just too rough.

I'm jealous too.

Brian

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

About two years ago I stayed there. Was in a bungalow about a 5 min walk from "full moon party" beach. No probs when it came to sound and within walking distance of the action.

rudyflyer · Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Location: pacing the cage

couple of years ago we went to the NE corner An nong thai pan or something like that ( I loaned my LP book out).Its composed of 2 bays, the Panmivan resort is up on the headland between the 2, there is a huge hut complex below them.

Very nice, quiet with enough of civilization to keep you busy plus you can get a boat to Samui from there. Beach was nice, Only downside was electricty was somewhat limited even at the nicer places

Big problem was the road to the place, you turn off the main road between Thong Sala and Had Rin, then its up and down over some mountains on a dirt road very bone jarring. I think they were begining to pave it when we were there

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Was there in 96 before it became too commercial. Nothing but one row of huts all the way up the beach in Had Rinn and the full moon was only attended by about 300/400 people. Just missed going to one ufortunately.

I gather now though it has totally changed and is quite an unpleasant place to stay.. just what I have heard.

Envious of you going on holiday though. Could do with a few days.

Have a good time.

coldcrush · Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Location: melbourne.... Posts: 1

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

uberscheisse...

if you want to be close enough to the action, but far enough to get some sleep... you may have some trouble if you are timing it for the full moon party...
i just got back from a 5week stay there, and i tried out a few spots.
there is a great place on the sunset side of Haat Rin called PANGAN BURI SPA. It was a good value considering they have a brand new inground pool with a poolside DJ. There is Kms of beach in either direction. It is also a 10minute walk to the party side of Haat Rin. everything quiets down at the place around 11pm. everyone who wants to party, generally heads to the sunrise beach.

also, three properties east of the PANGAN BURI, closer to Haat Rin Sunrise side, there is another great place with a Moroccan resaurant, but I can't remember the name of the bungalos.

if you plan on staying for more than 3days, you can work out a discount with most of the bungalo owners. however, if you arrive within 1 week of the full moon party, you will pay a premium. that is par for all the bungalos in the area.

however, even if you stay further from Haat Rin Sunrise Side, things will get noisy at night around the full moon period.

on the north side of the island, i stayed at a place called Choloklum Bay Resort. HHHHUGE bungalos, pristine white beach, excellent diving....very secluded. the problem with the north and east side of the island is that it is very far from the action....it will take up to half an hour on moto. and, while the roads are paved, the section that gets you to Haat Rin Beach is VERY dangerous at night because of extreme hiils and corners....with no street lights.

my advice is to taxi out to PANGAN BURI RESORT SPA and if you don't like it....just walk along the beach to the east. there are dozens of properties to choose from, and its all close to the action.