Oxus Research   Frontier Level Research

Koh Samui is an island located in the southern part of the Gulf of Thailand. It is one of Thailand’s most visited beach areas. The island has white sand beaches, excellent accommodation, an airport, Western style supermarkets and modern hospitals. It is the developed nature of Koh Samui’s facilities and amenities combined with its beautiful beaches that attracts thousands of tourists every year.

The main tourist beach is Chaweng. It is a long stretch of white sand with a smaller beach just to the north called Chaweng Noi. Along the beach are many resorts and guest houses. Next to the beach is an extensive urban area that has everything a visitor could need including bars of a disreputable nature.

Just south of Chaweng is Lamai. It is smaller and attracts a younger crowd. It has a couple of popular nightclubs, two Muay Thai shows and several ‘beer bar places’. The beach is equally as good as Chaweng and has a few more budget options.

For those seeking something more sophisticated there is Bophut beach and Fisherman’s Village. This is an area that has converted the original Chinese fisherman’s houses into bars, cafes and expensive dining options. Bophut is free of sex workers and has a boutique atmosphere that is largely missing in Chaweng and Lamai.

On the north coast is Maenam. This is a small town with a 4 km long beach with plenty of tree cover. Maenam doesn’t have much of a nightlife but does have some bargain accommodation.

Generally the beaches on the south and west coasts are not as good for swimming. Beaches such as Taling Ngam, Baan Bang Kao and Lipa Noi have a few mid-range and luxury resorts that attract those looking to escape the crowds of Chaweng and Lamai. Prices for accommodation in Koh Samui range from $30 a night for a small air-con bungalow to $1,000 a night for private pool villas at brand resorts like Hilton and Marriot.

There’s diving and snorkeling sites near Koh Samui. It is also possible to rent kayaks and sailing boats. Laem Set offers kite boarding. Other attractions include an aquarium, a tiger show, a snake farm, a butterfly garden, waterfalls and beautiful wats.

Koh Samui is blessed with great beaches and plenty of entertainment. There are things to do both day and night. While not the cheapest place in Thailand, it still offers good value and bargains can still be found.

Thongsala is the principal town on the Thai island in Koh Phangan. Unlike the neighboring island of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan doesn’t have an airport (and seems unlikely to get one in the future) this means that most people arrive by ferry and disembark at Thongsala. As is commonly the case with port towns in Thailand, most tourists immediately get off the boat and jump in a taxi to take them to a beach. For many the only time they see Thongsala is when they arrive and depart.

This is a shame because Thongsala is an interesting town with plenty of facilities that can make a good base from which to see the rest of the island.

The second biggest town in Koh Phangan is Haad Rin. This is where the world famous Full Moon Party is held. It is a commercialized area full of bars, restaurants, travel agents and hotels. Haad Rin has the most expensive prices for everything and is largely geared towards catering for those who want to party 24 hours a day.

In contrast Thongsala has more of a Thai feel to it. There is a small night market and several cheap roadside restaurants serving authentic Thai food. The road running parallel to the main road is called ‘walking street’. It is also China town. Here there are a few old wooden Chinese style fishermen’s houses still intact, and it is here that you will find the best sea food restaurants.

It is convenient to stay in Thongsala. There is the main post office, banks, DVD rental shops, book stores, travel agents, jeep hire places and the newly opened Tesco Lotus Supermarket. For people intent on self-catering Thongsala has the best variety of foods on offer.

Thongsala also has some good restaurants and bars. There’s the Bangers and Mash pub that has live music every Monday and Thursday night. For western cuisine there’s A’s café and the Food Factory. For Mexican food there’s the Ando Loco on the road out to Ban Tai. On the Hin Kong road there is the Mason’s Arms that is in a mock Tudor style and serves a wide array of imported foreign beers.

Near Thongsala is Koh Phangan’s oldest Temple, Wat Phu Khao Noi. It marks the first settlement of monks on the island more than 600 years ago and has a great view of the area.

Thongsala is the access point for the west coast of Koh Phangan. It is a little explored part of the island. There are the mud flats of Hin Kong that are a haven for wild life at low tide. There is Laem Son, Koh Phangan’s largest lake and a national park. There are also the diving and snorkeling beaches of Haad Yao, Mae Haad and Haad Salad.

Thongsala is also just 10 minutes away from Bantai Village in the south of the island. Bantai has a long stretch of white sand and is famous for holding the Half Moon Party and the Jungle Experience party in the jungle nearby.

And of course, Haad Rin is just 20 minutes away from Thongsala. There are regular taxis between the two towns.

There are several hotels in Thongsala itself to stay in. The best accommodation in Thongsala is just out of town: A’s Beach Place and the Grand Sea Resort. The former offers comfortable air-con beach bungalows; the latter is a big resort with swimming pool and bungalows featuring Thai architecture.

In short, it is a pity that more people don’t stop to explore Thongsala when they get off their ferry. They would surely discover a whole new side to Koh Phangan.

Further research: Thongsala