Updated Apr 2011
Natural arch below Khao Kwai Hill bunglaows Ao Khao Kwai (Buffalo Bay).
Ko Phayam is a small-scale attractive isle situated close Ranong together with the Burmese border, with several prissy beaches together with a skillful render of one-time style budget bungalow resorts.
But it is an isle inwards development. When I starting fourth dimension visited inwards 2006 aircon together with pools were largely absent. In 2008 some had appeared. In March 2011 they were to a greater extent than wide-spread.
However it is nonetheless a pretty relaxed place. Often on my latest March 2011 see I was the alone somebody on 400m or thus of beach. I've never seen a 4 wheeled vehicle on the isle (but I've heard at that topographic point is i working vehicle for heavy stuff). The 2 primary beaches don't have got line-fishing villages together with thus longtail dissonance is real limited. There are no 7/11s or fast nutrient places inwards the compact village. And budget travellers outnumber midrange tourists markedly. One other grouping finds the isle pop - expats doing a few days on an isle after a visa run into nearby Burma.
Area map- modified Google globe prototype showing Ranong Islands region.
I modified this Google globe prototype to demo concrete roads (white) together with dirt-sand tracks (yellow). The pier is at the village. For scale it is 5km from Ao Yai to the hamlet using the primal route (well these roads are genuinely concrete tracks simply broad plenty for a 4 wheeled vehicle).
Phayam map from
A meliorate to a greater extent than detailed map from Bamboo Bungalows is here.
THE BEACHES
Ao Yai
Oblique Google globe prototype of some of the Ao Yai places mentioned on this page. It's three km from destination to end. The hamlet together with pier are most 5km upward the primal road, a petty less along the far one. About 250m from the beach on the primal route is a cluster of stores together with restaurants. In March 2011 at that topographic point was a sizable 2 storey modern construction going inwards close the beach destination of this route - looked similar it could live shops with accommodation over.
Ao Yai is the most pop beach on the isle with over a dozen places spread along its three km length, summation a duad of small-scale bars. It faces southward of west, with skillful views of the Sun setting over the large Burmese islands farther out.
On all three visits it had no problems with lack of sand at high tide or rocks at depression tide, together with away from each destination the H2O was deep plenty for skillful swimming closed offshore at lowest tide. The sand together with H2O seemed to live real create clean my starting fourth dimension 2 visits, but on the final sand was definitely nicer along the southern half. However sand atmospheric condition tend to vary according to wind, tide, currents, moving ridge assail thus don't allow this position y'all off staying due north of the primal access route if your inquiry finds a probable house there.
Water clarity may vary likewise - people who see at the start of the flavour simply after the monsoon ends may discovery less clear H2O because of still-heavy discharge from the nearby major river betweeen Thailand together with Burma. My visits were belatedly Jan together with mid March (2).
There is a lot of shade at the dorsum of the beach from trees peculiarly southward of the primal access road. Virtually no long tail boats, thus this beach was genuinely quiet. Lots of large line-fishing boats working at nighttime agency offshore with the commons display of magic lights.
Ao Yai from close the southern access road. This is a belatedly Jan '08 shot, 11am, non precisely busy.
Something I’ve rarely seen inwards Thailand dry out flavour - on my starting fourth dimension see inwards '06 at that topographic point was a small-scale moving ridge breaking, held upward nicely past times the offshore easterlies together with skillful for trunk surfing. I normally acquire bored trunk surfing, but I must acknowledge I enjoyed a one-half hr session several times a day. Board riders should non acquire excited - the waves tended to closed out together with had no workable shoulder. However a duad of locals were having a smashing fourth dimension on Bamboo Bungalow’s wave-ski. Wave-skis are similar that.
Those waves made for a prissy dissonance at night.
I used to locomote existent low-cal dorsum inwards those days, thus I have got no surf shots.
There is no shortage of ACCOMMODATION along Ao Yai. Ragers volition likely bask Rasta Baby together with budget neighbours similar Long Beach Bunglows at the northern destination the most. Places most probable to live booked out are Coconut Beach Resort together with Bamboo Bungalows simply southward of the cental access road. Bamboo is the livelier, Coconut to a greater extent than suited to couples, families. For chill Big Tree Bungalows all past times itself at the far southern destination looked a probable budget choice, although nearest (distant) neighbor Silver Sands seems pretty relaxed.
Mid-range has come upward to Ao Yai - latest trip I noticed novel to me Phayam Lodge - this is situated on northern Ao Yai most one-half agency betwixt the access route together with Rasta Baby fairly closed to Hornbill Hut.
Google should discovery Phayam Lodge's website - house looked pretty skillful to me. If y'all click to expand shot y'all tin give the sack reckon some of the bungalows right-background.
COCONUTS was my pick starting fourth dimension see inwards '06 together with was a pretty skillful house to stay. The bungalows are located non likewise closed together inwards three rows simply behind the beach inwards a fairly prissy garden setting . I got me a 300baht i - which was typical Thai timber beach bungalow style. Not huge but non likewise squeezy for 2 people together with their gear, with a queen size bed (double+), musquito mesh inwards skillful status together with sufficient hooks together with shelves for your stuff. Back thus at that topographic point was no fan on line of piece of work organisation human relationship the generator didn't run all night. This did non worry me, I never run a fan at nighttime . The house was clean, but was showing a chip of article of apparel together with tear.
The bath was big, but had a squat toilet. Once i time to a greater extent than this didn't worry me, but I know some people freak. There was a large mirror over the basin.
The bungalow’s verandah was a skillful size, had a broom but no light. Mine was the alone 300 without a hammock. Whaah!!! Away for cleaning, they said. I beloved swinging inwards a hammock belatedly afternoon with a bottle of Mae Khong. Until I autumn out.
Coconuts also had some large attractive 400 baht concrete bungalows, together with 200 baht bamboo style ones at the back. These were a chip smaller than mine. They had a verandah low-cal - acquire figure.
When I took a facial expression latest March 2011 the bungalows were basically the same from the exterior but had been refurbished there. Didn't do an interior inspection.
One of Coconut's bigger bungalows (image - www.andaman.com)
Something novel to me inwards 2011 - Coconut at nowadays has this snazzy novel restaurant.
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Ao Khao Kwai (aka Buffalo Beach)
The other primary tourist beach on Phayam is AO KHAO KWAI inwards the due north due west of the island. This is a chip longer than Ao Yai, has around the same divulge of bungalow places together with is quieter together with to a greater extent than set back. The bay is sheltered from whatsoever swell coming upward from the Indian Ocean together with was dead apartment on those days Ao Yai had surf. Some large offshore line-fishing boats were using it for a daytime anchorage most times I've spent there.
Ao Khao Kwai tin give the sack live divided into 2 parts - AKK South (right inwards this oblique GE image) together with AKK North, separated past times most 4oom of stone inwards front end of a primal headland on top of which are located the funky budget places Khao Kwai Hill together with Contact bungalows (Googles house marking would alone allow Con to check on image). The shore below the headland tin give the sack live walked nether one-half tide. Places shown are those mentioned on this page. For scale, the walk along the shore from Arjan Pan far left to Buffalo Bay Vacation Club is 3km.
Khao Kwai South beach
This is KK South, the southern beach on Buffalo Bay. Khao Kwai Hill Bungalow together with Contact are on the loma middle backgound below which are the rocks separating this beach fromKK North. The handball mesh belongs to Vujit Bungalows, i of Phayam's most pop places.There are 5 other bungalow places on the beach. For flashpacker-midrange consider Buffalo Bay Beach Club or Payam Cottage. More chill, Payam Cabana or June House. Lotus like Vujit seemed flashpacker-budget from memory. You gotta retrieve that I don't cheque every house similar a Lonely Planet researcher. Buy your guidebooks together with cheque travelfish.org. folks.
Khao Kwai South suffers the depression tide blues - this also was shot inwards front end of Vujit's a few hours later. The alone house y'all tin give the sack acquire a swim relatively closed to shore is correct downward the northern destination close Khao Kwai Hill's headland access path. Another 400m rock-hopping inwards front end of the headland (plenty of sand patches betwixt the rocks at depression tide makes this easy) volition acquire y'all to deeper H2O at KK North beach.
The Central Headland Area of Khao Kwai.
This high heavily forested surface area which divides the 2 Khao Kwai beach areas has 2 budget resorts overlooking the rocks below, Khao Kwai Hill and Contact. I forgot to position Contact's access rails on the GE map upward page - it runs to the correct of Mr Gao's.
Contact has a pretty sweetness petty eating topographic point - I shot this from a sitting platform real closed to the border of the lowish cliff.
You tin give the sack climb downward steps to the rocky surface area where at that topographic point are several small-scale patches of sand for sunbathing at depression tide. Bungalows looked pretty skillful (click expand to reckon top correct to a greater extent than clearly) but were to a greater extent than expensive than far neighbor Khao Kwai Hill's. All 8 or thus booked out inwards March '11 when I called inwards for a beer.
In 2008 I stayed at Khao Kwai Hill Bungalows.
Outlook from Khao Kwai Hill Bungalow's eating topographic point - Burma islands faintly on horizon.
I wrote this at the time:
I couldn’t acquire a autobus from Khao Lak to Bangkok i nighttime belatedly this January. So I went to Plan B together with jumped a 2nd grade to Ranong to revisit Ko Phayam. Pretty skillful Plan B.
Kiwi Guesthouse following the bus-station at Ranong is a serenity create clean house with pokey, exxy rooms (250baht), inexpensive internet, skillful nutrient together with novel friendly/efficient local administration - simply the affair when y'all bail out of a autobus close midnight.
They gave me a 50baht elevator to the pier following morning time (100b inwards 2011!) for the horrendously ho-hum ferry out to Phayam - with a lot of mucking around offloading passengers together with materials at the southern beach on petty Ko Chang this crate took almost three hours to acquire the thirty strange km. At 150 baht this aint no value trip (although nonetheless 150b inwards 2011) . Add the fact that the seats are uncomfortable wooden slabs together with cheapskate tezza had no reluctance to brand the render trip on the speedboat which at nowadays goes correct to Ranong rather than the pier significantly farther downward the coast - most 30minutes for 350 baht.
Last trip I stayed on the prissy south-west beach, Ao Yai thus this fourth dimension I decided the other primary bungalow area, Ao Khao Kwai inwards the north-west was the go. Research on Khao Kwai Hill Bungalows suggested it could live my sort of house thus I jumped on i of the motorbike taxis at the pier together with nosotros set a course of didactics of 45degrees due west of north.
Wow, what a prissy setting! Buffalo Bay genuinely has 2 beach sections separated past times a small-scale hilly promontory together with Khoa Kwai Hill Bungalows is built on this forested hillside overlooking the bounding main together with rocks with straight access to the due north destination of the southern beach on a set of skillful steps to the left.
I walked into the opened upward sided tiled together with wood beamed eating topographic point perched on the border of the cliff most fifteen meters higher upward the rocks together with was pretty impressed past times the tree filtered views out to the large Burmese islands together with dorsum downward the southern beach. But I noticed they alone have got 8 bungalows dispersed upward the hillside - promise there’s a vacancy. No problems, I tin give the sack have got my pick of 5!! - all are trad style wood together with tiled roof jobs with concrete together with tiled bathrooms, clean, skillful status together with reasonably spacious. three are genuinely perched on the cliff-side similar the restaurant, but those are already taken. I’m thinking okay, these are the sort of places I used to pay 300-350 simply a few years dorsum inwards other places, would live 600-1000 on Phi Phi correct at nowadays - bet they’re 400+ fifty-fifty hither on serenity Phayam. Nope, the guy tells me 200!!!! Ummm, well, certain I mightiness simply have got i - how long? Well at prices similar this to a greater extent than than a duad of days. (note - 300b inwards March 2011 - nonetheless skillful value).
200baht chez tezza at Khao Kwai Hill Bungalows.
Clean, simple, plenty of room for 2+gear - three a chip squeezy, large bath with skylight, sink+plug, large mirror, theatre mattress together with pillow, squat toilet, skillful H2O pressure, towels, musquito coils, bin, no fan (not hot following to sea), lights good, grounds create clean together with paths good lit at night, generator 6pm-11am, splish-splash of wavelets on rocks at night. ph 0066-(0)81-8476285
I normally don’t waste product a lot of fourth dimension hanging around my accommodation, but I gotta acknowledge I did similar spending fourth dimension inwards KKH’s restaurant. You got those tree filtered maritime views. Nice vibe. Very serenity with the nearest longtail waaay out going across the bay mouth, together with no nearby road. Good food. Prices towards depression side of normal budget restaurants - small-scale Changs 30b. (Update - nonetheless real inexpensive inwards 2011). Service quick together with friendly. English linguistic communication non smashing except for owner, but everything gets done. Great hammocks out close the apex of the point, looking dorsum on southward Buffalo Bay, perfect house for a swing or five-hundred swings with the obligatory bottle of Maehkong.
Checking the stance from Khao Kwai Hill Bungalow's restaurant. That's the southern destination of Buffalo Bay background top right.
Something novel inwards 2011 - simply left of the eating topographic point KK Hill has added this sitting platform overlooking the rocks 15m below.
Get tired of that, walk downward the real skillful concrete stairs to southward Ao Khao Kwai beach - prissy expanse of sand, hardly whatsoever people fifty-fifty at peak beach time, H2O non likewise shallow fifty-fifty at depression tide to swim laps non all that far off the beach inwards the close department (although the mid department of the beach looked very shallow a long agency out at depression tide).
To acquire to North Ao Khao Kwai beach y'all have got to hold off to depression tide for an slow walk across the stone platform* which separates the two, but i time there, to a greater extent than of the same. Two sections of beach of equal appeal. (UPDATE - nope, I've decided Khao Kwai due north beach is considerably nicer after staying at that topographic point inwards 2011).
* this walk looks a chip intimidating when y'all approach - similar 400m of rock-hopping. But i time into it, y'all reckon that 90% is sand betwixt the rocks - slow street trendsetters!!
Khao Kwai North beach
This is shot from most the middle of Ao Khao Kwai due north beach looking dorsum towards Contact together with KK Hills' headland - KK southward beach inwards the far background. Be clearer if y'all click prototype to expand.
I reckon this is the nicest surface area to remain on the isle providing y'all don't desire to rage (and fifty-fifty thus at that topographic point are a duad of small-scale beach bars - but set back).
This beach does non endure the depression tide blues as badly as KK southward - skillful swimming non far out at its southward destination away from camera; non bad primal close photographic boob tube camera - wade out a bit; maybe the demand to leave of absence farther at the due north destination behind camera.
The beach has some prissy bungalow resorts, but as of March 2011 none going into the mid-range.
The 2 most pop are Mr Gao together with Jansom for meliorate budget towards flashpacker. Mountain gets skillful reviews together with is inwards a real serenity spot with what appears to live budget accommodation. But all the other places along the beach appeared to live pretty attractive to me.
For chill, Arjan Pan at the far due north destination looked fifty-fifty to a greater extent than relaxed than Mountain to me. Beachside eating topographic point higher upward pretty rustic-----my friend Fiona tells me Ajarn Pan is genuinely an ecology orientated resort with 300B bungalows - facilites real basic, traditional herbal industrial plant life remedies, mightiness live a skillful house to remain to do yoga, meditate, together with commune with nature.
As said, Arjan Pan's retaurant looks pretty rustic ---- but non as cool as their stone bar. This is a depression tide shot - I kinda similar the thought of sitting upward at that topographic point at high tide surrounded past times H2O together with (closer), volume bottles of Chang.
I'd e'er similar the looks of Jansom (aka Janson) thus I decided to remain at that topographic point on my latest March 2011 see to Phayam.
Jansom is built on the side of a depression loma a chip southward of mid-beach. This is the rather nicely positioned eating topographic point with skillful beach together with bay views out to the Burma islands. The 2 dozen or thus bungalows are positioned inwards 2 rows to left of the eating topographic point inwards an informal garden setting. As y'all tin give the sack reckon the beach inwards front end of Jansom is rocky, but at that topographic point are prissy patches of sand for sunning. Water straightaway behind photographic boob tube camera prissy for swimming - non likewise shallow depression tide.
Jansom's eating topographic point is multi-level. This is taken from the primary deck towards i of 2 cool lower outriggers. Good house for hanging with a volume together with a drink.
Restaurant prices higher than average budget bungalow place, chip non ridiculous. Food good. Service quick. Reception staff a chip taciturn but efficient.
For some argue I forgot to have got a shot of my bungalow thus I cropped a full general shot from the beach to demo these front end rowers. My 2nd rower was identical except it cost 400b as against 500 together with had inferior views.
Interestingly prices are the same as they quoted when I called around inwards Jan 2008.
These are superior bungalows - flashpacker criterion except for no hot H2O or aircon. Big, clean, solid, plenty of room for three adults incl large king-size (hard) mattress. Excellent fitted mozzie net. Big bathrooms simply remodelled, prissy tiles, basin, skillful shower, freckle tickler, western even out privy together with a urinal. I've never seen that inwards bungalow or other accommodation bathrooms Thai or western before. Paper, towel, soap.
Plenty of storage incl clothe rack. Big veranda.
Cloud-filtered sunset behind Burmese islands from beach below Jansom resort. Those rocks disappear high tide.
Funky looking Hippy's Harbour beach bar together with eating topographic point - this was most 400m due north of Jansom but non as far as Mountain Resort. I didn't withdraw heed whatsoever dissonance on serenity nights. I'm non certain if this is constituent of a resort or an independent joint.
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PP Land Beach
PP Land is an eco-resort on the due east coast of the isle most 2km from the village. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 discontinuous strip of sand runs from simply southward of the hamlet to the island's due north due east corner - PP Land's beach is a small-scale department of this.
As y'all tin give the sack see, the beach is null to acquire gruntled about. I wonder if the ethos of eco-resorts is to non interfere if nature wants the prevailing easterlies of dry out flavour to dump flotsam together with jetsam on exposed beaches?
PP Land resort itself is a grade human activity although if y'all Google the website it is far from budget. The puddle is following the every bit prissy eating topographic point (where prices were petty if whatsoever higher than Janson).Nicely landscaped gardens. Superior looking bungalows but no aircon on line of piece of work organisation human relationship of eco-credentials. I dunno most hot water. Lots of recycling bins, non certain most other eco measures - similar a dill, I didn't facial expression for solar H2O or electricity panels. Nice immature Thai duad running the joint.
Sign shows some of the things on offer. Path at correct is typical of narrow concrete "roads".
That's my rent-a-wreck bike cowering behind post - trying to acquire inwards difficult for me to boot the bastard. That's the 2nd trip inwards a row I've hired a crate - cheque my rant most the starting fourth dimension i downward page.
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Location of PP Land together with Sabai Sabai
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Sabai Sabai beach.
Sabai Sabai is a boutique bungalow articulation on a piece of the due east coast beach simply southward of the village.
I shot this from the destination of the arrivals pier. Not certain how prissy the beach is but the articulation looks pretty sweetness together with gets skillful write ups from users. I can't discovery a website on Google, but it does throw upward the fact the articulation is on facebook.
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THE VILLAGE
This house is pretty depression key together with consists of 2 streets - i running away from the pier inland together with some other to the correct (north) which runs amongst the bay. Both are lined with typical tourist together with domestic businesses, summation a duad of full general stores. There is no bank, together with despite my retentivity of someone on a locomote forum mentioning an ATM at last, I didn't reckon i latest trip. But I must acknowledge I forgot to facial expression for one. Some trip reporter! Anyway, for the fourth dimension existence I'd live bringing plenty cash from Ranong if I were you.
Main street leading downward to pier.
I wrote this after my March 06 visit:
The primary hamlet at the pier has a few small-scale “supermarkets”, some restaurants, motorbike hire etc, together with Oscar's Bar run past times a Brit together with a pop hang for long term traveller/expat types. I took refuge at that topographic point during a mid-afternoon downpour, sat inwards a huge one-time leather armchair nether shelter inwards the exterior beer garden with a lovely drinking glass of Aussie cherry-red together with was immensely entertained as these characters shot the bull.
After Jan 2008 visit: Okay, had to have got the obligatory see or 2 to Oscar’s Bar, run past times expat Brit Richard, who I noticed seemed to have got an novel off-sider this trip.
Not a bad house to pass an afternoon (or later) hr or 2 - plow correct off the ferry pier together with walk maybe 100m. As was the illustration final trip, the house had a mixture of all-nations travellers from immature ferals as nosotros telephone band them inwards Oz (you maybe telephone band ‘em hippies) to older long-term travellers together with expats. More than i expat bungalow possessor seems to similar to telephone band in. Plus the commons handful of mature-age Brits both singles together with couples who are e'er skillful value with their funny stories together with irreverent mental attitude to things inwards general. Which sums upward host Richard pretty well.
Richard e'er has some red-wine available for which tezza, starting to endure withdrawal symptoms from the absence of Chateau Cardboard inexpensive Oz cherry-red paintstripper, does non hesitate to pay a whole 70baht.
After March 2011 visit: Okay, maybe that drinking glass of Oz cherry-red at Oscars wasn't thus obligatory. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 eating topographic point maybe 50m farther on from Oscars had set upward a novel to me bayside seating surface area which had prissy views across to the mainland together with a meliorate adventure to cheque the passing parade on the street. So I had a prissy drinkable hither (yep, they had vino at a reasonable toll - South African, non likewise bad to this philistine). Quite a few others were doing the same including some expat looking dudes. Oscars seemed pretty devoid of a crowd the duad of times I passed it.
The hamlet itself seems scarcely bigger than 2008. This house e'er has a bustle of travellers together with locals despite beach areas existence real uncrowded.
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GETTING AROUND. Phayam has a real efficient motorcycle taxi set up. These guys together with a few gals are e'er waiting at the nation destination of the pier together with volition have got y'all to whatsoever bungalow house for 50 baht. Similarly if y'all hail i when walking or band i from your bungalow purpose they volition have got y'all anywhere for 50. This toll has non increased since 2006.
There are no songthaews or 4 wheel taxis.
Motorcyle hire is pop with close novel mopeds at 150b a twenty-four hours inwards March 2008.
And bicycle touring. First trip I industrial plant life hire-bicycles agency scarce - 2nd see (Jan 08) they were available from a restaurant-internet house most 30m past times Oscars, from the speedboat booking articulation 30m upward the primary route inland from the pier together with from a full general store on the concrete route on the agency downward to Ao Yai non far from the cross-roads close town (and the turn-off for the rails into Khao Yai Bungalows).
I got me an 8obaht fer 24hours i - howdy for i time I didn’t have got to do the commons mini rebuild - alone work was it had a large click when pedalling, the lawsuit I figured of the main-bracket bearing having never been adjusted. Hell, the chain looked similar it hadn’t received a lick of oil since it left the factory.
Anyway, I much preferred touring the isle on a pushie compared to the motorbike final see - I’m non a existent experienced motorcylist but I’ve done heaps of bicycling, thus super oil sections together with steep hills don’t throw me. Well sometimes steep hills do throw me - literally. But non likewise often. Not that Phayam has likewise much existent steep stuff. And I reckon y'all can’t trounce a bike for cruising a beach at depression tide. So I managed to do simply most every chip of rails together with most of the beaches on Phayam, including some I missed final trip.
Pretty cool, except I was negotiating i rougher than normal department together with the right-hand pedal crank-arm savage off!! WTF!! - it was clear the fastener had loosened way back together with the slack bastards had done nothing, resulting inwards it shearing inwards two. No agency could my basic tool kit ready that.
Okay, commons Thai hire practise is if it breaks, you pay for it.
Stuff that, I’m non gunna pay for slack maintenance together with maybe the mis-use of previous hirers letting the bike autumn over or stacking it (I NEVER stack bikes - ummm, don’t bother reading my Jum or Tao pages) - thus I did the world’s fastest pit halt inwards town, swapped to a novel crate thus quick the dudes inwards the restaurant/internet café didn’t reckon a thing. Too busy playing Donkey Kong.
I abhor slack bastards never ready bikes!!
Now some of y'all upright people are likely thinking this is all pretty underhand. But I figure my bike-hire karma is inwards surplus large fourth dimension on line of piece of work organisation human relationship I normally have got to do a mini-rebuild at the start together with mitt them dorsum a meliorate bike ix times inwards 10. Okay, this i was a 10.
But if yer nonetheless incensed, no problems, y'all tin give the sack give them my details: Terezza Tryhardy - Golden Shore Chalet, Paradise Beach, Sunshine Island, Queensland Oztsraya. Trust me, that volition discovery me. Island alone has 4000 chalets, facial expression for the pile of busted Cannondales.
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I'm non going to bore y'all with the rent a bomb gave me such grief latest trip. Thing is motorbike hire is serenity reasonable dissimilar most out of the agency islands. Give the bicycles on Phayam a miss!!
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GETTING THERE
Ferries.
FROM RANONG
- The service leaves around 0900 together with 1400 from the Saphan Plaa pier. Times tin give the sack vary a chip depending on tides which tin give the sack leave of absence the ferries high together with dry out at dead depression tide. I've heard of ferries non leaving until after 4pm some days. Returns at 0830 together with 1400. There is at nowadays a bigger ferry which is to a greater extent than comfortable together with peradventure a chip faster. But the one-time smaller i nonetheless does some runs. Cost 150 baht 2011, the same as inwards 2008.
- There is also a speedboat service from the same pier at 1000, 1400 together with 1700. Return runs 0900 1300 1600. Cost 350b which is worth the fourth dimension saved - around thirty minutes v 2 hours or so.
Way to go. The alone argue I'm on the large boat is that the speedboat doesn't telephone band inwards at Ao Siad on Little Chang's southward coast from where I'd come.
FROM LITTLE KO CHANG
- y'all tin give the sack hop onto the ferry from Ranong inwards the bay opposite southern Little Chang's Ao Siad/Lek . You acquire shuttled out inwards a small-scale boat which your Chang bungalow volition arrange. Tommy's Garden has its ain bigger shuttle to the Ranong ferry - reckon pic Little Chang page.
Big ferry nonetheless costs 150 but the shuttle from shore is included.
- from Ao Yai the most pop beach on Chang, Ko Chang Bungalows run a mid-size ferry to the Phayam pier at around 0900 returning 1600. They volition transportation a small-scale boat to pick y'all upward anywhere on 3km+ Ao Yai for an extra 50b.
Ko Chang's Bungalows' ferry out of Ao Yai to Phayam. Nice 1 hr cruise downward the less seen mountainous due west coast of Little Chang. Sure beats the acquire dorsum to Ranong, alter ferries, leave of absence to Phayam (4+ hours) I did inwards 2006.
GETTING TO RANONG
Flights
Google Ranong Air for daily flights from Bangkok together with Phuket.
UPDATE early DEC 2011 - seems Ranong Air is out of action. However Happy Air is running Mondays, Wednesdays together with Fridays from Bangkok.
UPDATE OF UPDATE (crikey!!) - from December fourteen 2011 Ranong Air is running i time to a greater extent than Wednesdays, Fridays together with Sundays.
Buses
FROM BANGKOK - at that topographic point are quite a few services from the Southern Bus Station to or thru Ranong. The trip is most 10-11 hours. There is an overnighter leaving around 8pm which according to people makes Ranong inwards fourth dimension for the morning time ferry.
FROM PHUKET - daytime buses run to a greater extent than or less hourly. 5 to vi hours.
FROM SAMUI/PHANGAN/TAO - at that topographic point are buses together with minibuses run across to Ranong from Surathani together with Chumpon. Note Chumpon autobus station is most 5km out of town which makes the minibuses to a greater extent than convenient.
FROM KRABI AND PHANG NGA - at that topographic point are a few straight buses to Ranong from Krabi autobus station. These tend to telephone band inwards at Phang Nga. If the timing is bad y'all tin give the sack acquire to a greater extent than frequent services to Takua Pa together with alter for Ranong.
FROM RANONG BUS STATION TO SAPHAN PLAA PIER
This is most 5km. I paid lxx baht inwards the contrary administration inwards March '11 for a motorbike taxi - no doubtfulness agency likewise much but I was inwards a hurry to brand a local cherry-red rattler to Kuraburi for the Surin islands.
I read a website post early on 2011 from a traveller managed to create do a taxi downward to lxx for her menage unit of measurement from the autobus station to the pier. Seems pretty skillful to me.
I have got twice used Kiwi Guesthouse's SUV shuttle which takes guests downward to the ferries inwards the morning time for 100 each. Kiwi is at the destination of the northern-most of the three broad lanes that sew to the autobus station from the primary route - its rooms are non smashing together with overpriced but I have got used it twice after arriving on a autobus from Phuket around 11pm - couldn't live bothered looking for a articulation uptown that late. The lady who runs the articulation is real efficient - knows the best deals on the isle together with tin give the sack 'phone for vacancies together with volume y'all in. She seems to acquire skillful prices.
Note the Ranong minibus station is inwards some other constituent of town, farther from the pier although I reckon the 70baht motorbike taxi fare would nonetheless easily work.
There is a songthaew starts from town primal together with runs along the primary route close the pier - but negotiating the zig zag backstreets to the pier is a chip of a play a joke on on foot.
Leaving Phayam - this is the novel bigger ferry out of Ranong.
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UPDATE MARCH 09 - Mc Deli simply spent a duad of weeks on Phayam together with sent this smashing update:
"We expected Koh Phayam to live real quiet. Buffalo bay nonetheless was serenity but Ao Yai beach had some pumping bars - together with nosotros ended upward correct following to one.
On Phayam at that topographic point was quite a curious mix of expats, long termers, older european couples, the strange family, immature singles together with option types. This may live the Thailand of your dreams - especially if y'all similar a chip of juggling together with the strange 3am rave up.
Last calendar week (we were at that topographic point 2 weeks) it was nonetheless OK for me. The gorgeous sweep of sand never feels crowded. The atmosphere was real nice, together with most of the resorts are spread ot plenty that they out of earshot of the pumping bars. It seems inevitable that it volition change. The busy 'strip' that runs from the 'middle road'; with BBQ bar i side (pretty loud random music every evening), continues with Smile Hut (bungalows real closed together- don't live fooled past times the promo pictures), Bamboo Bungalows (very skillful character but busy eating topographic point but some ace bungalows at the front), Phayam Beach resort (new house that has alone been able to position upward tents), Joker bar (cheap huts), together with South Star Bar; tin give the sack experience pretty busy - much busier than I was expecting. Mostly because of the music policy. One nighttime Phayam Beach has alive music, the following South Star turns upward the reggae until 2am, thus Joker has a promo - it seems to live spiralling louder. After i large South Star political party at that topographic point were complaints from other resorts but I wonder if reallythe other owners would similar the placetogeta political party party reputation. Monkey Bar is simply opening on some other constituent of the isle together with 2 novel to a greater extent than upmarket large concrete bungalow places are most to live completed inwards the Northern one-half of Ao Yai beach - thus the house is changing.
We stayed inwards Coconut Beach (next to South Star Bar). We got a front end rower for 400 (bamboo) though they by together with large have got bigger concrete jobs at the front. We got pretty annoyed past times the dissonance but (apart from the i large night) no i else seemed to notice - the meliorate built concrete bungalows on the seem to hold out whatsoever belatedly nighttime bass rumble. We had thought most staying at Aow Yai, following downward the beach, but our impression was that it was a chip of a mess.Maybe the serenity of Koh Jum had made facial expression likewise much quiet.
Anyway Ao Yai beach is stunning. The waves are gorgeous. The adventure to bring together genuinely friendly volleyball games was nice. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bonus was the stretch of shops simply upward the 'middle road'. Pratsai was a tiny eating topographic point serving large together with delicious curries for 60b - all fresh veg together with they ready anything to firm all much much cheaper than whatsoever of the resorts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few stores downward was a skillful library (15b twenty-four hours per book) with regular acoustic music. And lastly at that topographic point was a novel (ish) farang-owned minimarket.
The LP's description of a 'more sociable crowd' on Phayam is apt. I tin give the sack genuinely reckon the attraction if y'all desire to run across people, larn to juggle, perfect your German, have got access to ex-pat goodies but live away from large crowds. I'm joking a chip but it was a smashing atmosphere. I simply worry that following twelvemonth it mightiness start to acquire a chip overbearing for people who similar it quieter together with desire the unadulterated sounds of the waves.
Koh Phayam carry tip - at the Phayam pier simply exterior Ranong at that topographic point is a vibrations going on where people inwards large shiny novel trucks accuse farang 50b to acquire dorsum to Ranong. The songtaew is alone 15. The state at that topographic point are no songtaews or it is far to walk. These people are non taxi drivers earning a living. They are opportunists inwards flash novel cars ripping of tourists past times lying to them. From the Phayam pier the songtaews are a 200m walk from the mainroad clearly singposted Phaym Pier. And, if the on the render journey, the tide is depression together with y'all are dropped off the boat at the line-fishing boat dock. There is a songtaew queue simply 150m upward the road. We felt similar correct idiots driving inwards the shiny SUVs past times them - after existence lied to."
BILLP from TT gave this info:
"Coconut, Bamboo, Vijit volition all adapt carry (from Ranong) if y'all contact them, I think. But the ferry leaving at ix AM from Ranong isn't expensive, together with that agency y'all tin give the sack hire a moto taxi together with facial expression around earlier y'all settle on a house to stay. I thought Koh Phayam was real beautiful with lovely beaches together with an interior total of cashew plantations.
The primary beach, Ao Yai, is real broad together with clean, with well-spaced resorts dorsum inwards the palm trees. Like Tezza, I liked Coconut best of all, but trendy immature people seem to flock to Bamboo. Rasta Baby is for those who similar to party, together with I've heard that Vijit is pretty nice.
Ao Kwai is an fifty-fifty quieter beach. Mountain Resort is a beautiful house arranged on a pristine hillside higher upward a deserted sandy cove.
No cars on the isle (except for i vehicle they seem to have got brought inwards to assist with heavy work), alone motorcycles. The locals built a motorbike "highway" through the middle of the island, abruptly ending at a sand dune. Look for Richard, who owns a eating topographic point inwards the strip of shops close the port, for all the latest isle news."
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For some prissy pix reckon monkgonemad's Nov-Dec 09 Trip Report in the new Reader's Trip Report department here.
If y'all desire to burn downward inwards a trip written report on Phayam or whatsoever other location delight transportation text and/or captions summation whatsoever pix to lajolla22@hotmail.com. Hopefully nosotros tin give the sack hold information upward to engagement without me having to render to dozens of islands every 2nd year.
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If y'all see Phayam y'all mightiness also live interested inwards nearby:
LITTLE KO CHANG ANDAMAN SIDE
SURIN ISLANDS
KO PHRA THONG
KO KHO KHAO
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If y'all reckon whatsoever mistakes or have got extra info, delight post below. If y'all have got whatsoever questions, delight enquire them inwards THE FORUM rather than below. I don't acquire a adventure to cheque all threads daily, but unless I'm travelling I'll attempt to monitor THE FORUM regularly. Sumber http://tezzasthaiinfo.blogspot.com/
Natural arch below Khao Kwai Hill bunglaows Ao Khao Kwai (Buffalo Bay).Ko Phayam is a small-scale attractive isle situated close Ranong together with the Burmese border, with several prissy beaches together with a skillful render of one-time style budget bungalow resorts.
But it is an isle inwards development. When I starting fourth dimension visited inwards 2006 aircon together with pools were largely absent. In 2008 some had appeared. In March 2011 they were to a greater extent than wide-spread.
However it is nonetheless a pretty relaxed place. Often on my latest March 2011 see I was the alone somebody on 400m or thus of beach. I've never seen a 4 wheeled vehicle on the isle (but I've heard at that topographic point is i working vehicle for heavy stuff). The 2 primary beaches don't have got line-fishing villages together with thus longtail dissonance is real limited. There are no 7/11s or fast nutrient places inwards the compact village. And budget travellers outnumber midrange tourists markedly. One other grouping finds the isle pop - expats doing a few days on an isle after a visa run into nearby Burma.
Area map- modified Google globe prototype showing Ranong Islands region.
I modified this Google globe prototype to demo concrete roads (white) together with dirt-sand tracks (yellow). The pier is at the village. For scale it is 5km from Ao Yai to the hamlet using the primal route (well these roads are genuinely concrete tracks simply broad plenty for a 4 wheeled vehicle).Phayam map from A meliorate to a greater extent than detailed map from Bamboo Bungalows is here.
THE BEACHES
Ao Yai
Oblique Google globe prototype of some of the Ao Yai places mentioned on this page. It's three km from destination to end. The hamlet together with pier are most 5km upward the primal road, a petty less along the far one. About 250m from the beach on the primal route is a cluster of stores together with restaurants. In March 2011 at that topographic point was a sizable 2 storey modern construction going inwards close the beach destination of this route - looked similar it could live shops with accommodation over.Ao Yai is the most pop beach on the isle with over a dozen places spread along its three km length, summation a duad of small-scale bars. It faces southward of west, with skillful views of the Sun setting over the large Burmese islands farther out.
On all three visits it had no problems with lack of sand at high tide or rocks at depression tide, together with away from each destination the H2O was deep plenty for skillful swimming closed offshore at lowest tide. The sand together with H2O seemed to live real create clean my starting fourth dimension 2 visits, but on the final sand was definitely nicer along the southern half. However sand atmospheric condition tend to vary according to wind, tide, currents, moving ridge assail thus don't allow this position y'all off staying due north of the primal access route if your inquiry finds a probable house there.
Water clarity may vary likewise - people who see at the start of the flavour simply after the monsoon ends may discovery less clear H2O because of still-heavy discharge from the nearby major river betweeen Thailand together with Burma. My visits were belatedly Jan together with mid March (2).
There is a lot of shade at the dorsum of the beach from trees peculiarly southward of the primal access road. Virtually no long tail boats, thus this beach was genuinely quiet. Lots of large line-fishing boats working at nighttime agency offshore with the commons display of magic lights.
Ao Yai from close the southern access road. This is a belatedly Jan '08 shot, 11am, non precisely busy.Something I’ve rarely seen inwards Thailand dry out flavour - on my starting fourth dimension see inwards '06 at that topographic point was a small-scale moving ridge breaking, held upward nicely past times the offshore easterlies together with skillful for trunk surfing. I normally acquire bored trunk surfing, but I must acknowledge I enjoyed a one-half hr session several times a day. Board riders should non acquire excited - the waves tended to closed out together with had no workable shoulder. However a duad of locals were having a smashing fourth dimension on Bamboo Bungalow’s wave-ski. Wave-skis are similar that.
Those waves made for a prissy dissonance at night.
I used to locomote existent low-cal dorsum inwards those days, thus I have got no surf shots.
There is no shortage of ACCOMMODATION along Ao Yai. Ragers volition likely bask Rasta Baby together with budget neighbours similar Long Beach Bunglows at the northern destination the most. Places most probable to live booked out are Coconut Beach Resort together with Bamboo Bungalows simply southward of the cental access road. Bamboo is the livelier, Coconut to a greater extent than suited to couples, families. For chill Big Tree Bungalows all past times itself at the far southern destination looked a probable budget choice, although nearest (distant) neighbor Silver Sands seems pretty relaxed.
Mid-range has come upward to Ao Yai - latest trip I noticed novel to me Phayam Lodge - this is situated on northern Ao Yai most one-half agency betwixt the access route together with Rasta Baby fairly closed to Hornbill Hut.
Google should discovery Phayam Lodge's website - house looked pretty skillful to me. If y'all click to expand shot y'all tin give the sack reckon some of the bungalows right-background.COCONUTS was my pick starting fourth dimension see inwards '06 together with was a pretty skillful house to stay. The bungalows are located non likewise closed together inwards three rows simply behind the beach inwards a fairly prissy garden setting . I got me a 300baht i - which was typical Thai timber beach bungalow style. Not huge but non likewise squeezy for 2 people together with their gear, with a queen size bed (double+), musquito mesh inwards skillful status together with sufficient hooks together with shelves for your stuff. Back thus at that topographic point was no fan on line of piece of work organisation human relationship the generator didn't run all night. This did non worry me, I never run a fan at nighttime . The house was clean, but was showing a chip of article of apparel together with tear.
The bath was big, but had a squat toilet. Once i time to a greater extent than this didn't worry me, but I know some people freak. There was a large mirror over the basin.
The bungalow’s verandah was a skillful size, had a broom but no light. Mine was the alone 300 without a hammock. Whaah!!! Away for cleaning, they said. I beloved swinging inwards a hammock belatedly afternoon with a bottle of Mae Khong. Until I autumn out.
Coconuts also had some large attractive 400 baht concrete bungalows, together with 200 baht bamboo style ones at the back. These were a chip smaller than mine. They had a verandah low-cal - acquire figure.
When I took a facial expression latest March 2011 the bungalows were basically the same from the exterior but had been refurbished there. Didn't do an interior inspection.
One of Coconut's bigger bungalows (image - www.andaman.com)
Something novel to me inwards 2011 - Coconut at nowadays has this snazzy novel restaurant........................................................................
Ao Khao Kwai (aka Buffalo Beach)
The other primary tourist beach on Phayam is AO KHAO KWAI inwards the due north due west of the island. This is a chip longer than Ao Yai, has around the same divulge of bungalow places together with is quieter together with to a greater extent than set back. The bay is sheltered from whatsoever swell coming upward from the Indian Ocean together with was dead apartment on those days Ao Yai had surf. Some large offshore line-fishing boats were using it for a daytime anchorage most times I've spent there.
Ao Khao Kwai tin give the sack live divided into 2 parts - AKK South (right inwards this oblique GE image) together with AKK North, separated past times most 4oom of stone inwards front end of a primal headland on top of which are located the funky budget places Khao Kwai Hill together with Contact bungalows (Googles house marking would alone allow Con to check on image). The shore below the headland tin give the sack live walked nether one-half tide. Places shown are those mentioned on this page. For scale, the walk along the shore from Arjan Pan far left to Buffalo Bay Vacation Club is 3km.Khao Kwai South beach
This is KK South, the southern beach on Buffalo Bay. Khao Kwai Hill Bungalow together with Contact are on the loma middle backgound below which are the rocks separating this beach fromKK North. The handball mesh belongs to Vujit Bungalows, i of Phayam's most pop places.There are 5 other bungalow places on the beach. For flashpacker-midrange consider Buffalo Bay Beach Club or Payam Cottage. More chill, Payam Cabana or June House. Lotus like Vujit seemed flashpacker-budget from memory. You gotta retrieve that I don't cheque every house similar a Lonely Planet researcher. Buy your guidebooks together with cheque travelfish.org. folks.
This is the puddle at Payam Cottage Resort. This house has upgraded over the years (the receptionist told me they refurbish together with extend every depression season) together with looked pretty sweetness with newish eating topographic point together with bungalows, both attractive. Prices seemed reasonable - Google volition discovery the website.
Khao Kwai South suffers the depression tide blues - this also was shot inwards front end of Vujit's a few hours later. The alone house y'all tin give the sack acquire a swim relatively closed to shore is correct downward the northern destination close Khao Kwai Hill's headland access path. Another 400m rock-hopping inwards front end of the headland (plenty of sand patches betwixt the rocks at depression tide makes this easy) volition acquire y'all to deeper H2O at KK North beach.The Central Headland Area of Khao Kwai.
This high heavily forested surface area which divides the 2 Khao Kwai beach areas has 2 budget resorts overlooking the rocks below, Khao Kwai Hill and Contact. I forgot to position Contact's access rails on the GE map upward page - it runs to the correct of Mr Gao's.
Contact has a pretty sweetness petty eating topographic point - I shot this from a sitting platform real closed to the border of the lowish cliff.You tin give the sack climb downward steps to the rocky surface area where at that topographic point are several small-scale patches of sand for sunbathing at depression tide. Bungalows looked pretty skillful (click expand to reckon top correct to a greater extent than clearly) but were to a greater extent than expensive than far neighbor Khao Kwai Hill's. All 8 or thus booked out inwards March '11 when I called inwards for a beer.
In 2008 I stayed at Khao Kwai Hill Bungalows.
Outlook from Khao Kwai Hill Bungalow's eating topographic point - Burma islands faintly on horizon.I wrote this at the time:
I couldn’t acquire a autobus from Khao Lak to Bangkok i nighttime belatedly this January. So I went to Plan B together with jumped a 2nd grade to Ranong to revisit Ko Phayam. Pretty skillful Plan B.
Kiwi Guesthouse following the bus-station at Ranong is a serenity create clean house with pokey, exxy rooms (250baht), inexpensive internet, skillful nutrient together with novel friendly/efficient local administration - simply the affair when y'all bail out of a autobus close midnight.
They gave me a 50baht elevator to the pier following morning time (100b inwards 2011!) for the horrendously ho-hum ferry out to Phayam - with a lot of mucking around offloading passengers together with materials at the southern beach on petty Ko Chang this crate took almost three hours to acquire the thirty strange km. At 150 baht this aint no value trip (although nonetheless 150b inwards 2011) . Add the fact that the seats are uncomfortable wooden slabs together with cheapskate tezza had no reluctance to brand the render trip on the speedboat which at nowadays goes correct to Ranong rather than the pier significantly farther downward the coast - most 30minutes for 350 baht.
Last trip I stayed on the prissy south-west beach, Ao Yai thus this fourth dimension I decided the other primary bungalow area, Ao Khao Kwai inwards the north-west was the go. Research on Khao Kwai Hill Bungalows suggested it could live my sort of house thus I jumped on i of the motorbike taxis at the pier together with nosotros set a course of didactics of 45degrees due west of north.
Wow, what a prissy setting! Buffalo Bay genuinely has 2 beach sections separated past times a small-scale hilly promontory together with Khoa Kwai Hill Bungalows is built on this forested hillside overlooking the bounding main together with rocks with straight access to the due north destination of the southern beach on a set of skillful steps to the left.
I walked into the opened upward sided tiled together with wood beamed eating topographic point perched on the border of the cliff most fifteen meters higher upward the rocks together with was pretty impressed past times the tree filtered views out to the large Burmese islands together with dorsum downward the southern beach. But I noticed they alone have got 8 bungalows dispersed upward the hillside - promise there’s a vacancy. No problems, I tin give the sack have got my pick of 5!! - all are trad style wood together with tiled roof jobs with concrete together with tiled bathrooms, clean, skillful status together with reasonably spacious. three are genuinely perched on the cliff-side similar the restaurant, but those are already taken. I’m thinking okay, these are the sort of places I used to pay 300-350 simply a few years dorsum inwards other places, would live 600-1000 on Phi Phi correct at nowadays - bet they’re 400+ fifty-fifty hither on serenity Phayam. Nope, the guy tells me 200!!!! Ummm, well, certain I mightiness simply have got i - how long? Well at prices similar this to a greater extent than than a duad of days. (note - 300b inwards March 2011 - nonetheless skillful value).
200baht chez tezza at Khao Kwai Hill Bungalows.Clean, simple, plenty of room for 2+gear - three a chip squeezy, large bath with skylight, sink+plug, large mirror, theatre mattress together with pillow, squat toilet, skillful H2O pressure, towels, musquito coils, bin, no fan (not hot following to sea), lights good, grounds create clean together with paths good lit at night, generator 6pm-11am, splish-splash of wavelets on rocks at night. ph 0066-(0)81-8476285
I normally don’t waste product a lot of fourth dimension hanging around my accommodation, but I gotta acknowledge I did similar spending fourth dimension inwards KKH’s restaurant. You got those tree filtered maritime views. Nice vibe. Very serenity with the nearest longtail waaay out going across the bay mouth, together with no nearby road. Good food. Prices towards depression side of normal budget restaurants - small-scale Changs 30b. (Update - nonetheless real inexpensive inwards 2011). Service quick together with friendly. English linguistic communication non smashing except for owner, but everything gets done. Great hammocks out close the apex of the point, looking dorsum on southward Buffalo Bay, perfect house for a swing or five-hundred swings with the obligatory bottle of Maehkong.
Checking the stance from Khao Kwai Hill Bungalow's restaurant. That's the southern destination of Buffalo Bay background top right.
Something novel inwards 2011 - simply left of the eating topographic point KK Hill has added this sitting platform overlooking the rocks 15m below.Get tired of that, walk downward the real skillful concrete stairs to southward Ao Khao Kwai beach - prissy expanse of sand, hardly whatsoever people fifty-fifty at peak beach time, H2O non likewise shallow fifty-fifty at depression tide to swim laps non all that far off the beach inwards the close department (although the mid department of the beach looked very shallow a long agency out at depression tide).
To acquire to North Ao Khao Kwai beach y'all have got to hold off to depression tide for an slow walk across the stone platform* which separates the two, but i time there, to a greater extent than of the same. Two sections of beach of equal appeal. (UPDATE - nope, I've decided Khao Kwai due north beach is considerably nicer after staying at that topographic point inwards 2011).
* this walk looks a chip intimidating when y'all approach - similar 400m of rock-hopping. But i time into it, y'all reckon that 90% is sand betwixt the rocks - slow street trendsetters!!
Khao Kwai North beach
This is shot from most the middle of Ao Khao Kwai due north beach looking dorsum towards Contact together with KK Hills' headland - KK southward beach inwards the far background. Be clearer if y'all click prototype to expand.I reckon this is the nicest surface area to remain on the isle providing y'all don't desire to rage (and fifty-fifty thus at that topographic point are a duad of small-scale beach bars - but set back).
This beach does non endure the depression tide blues as badly as KK southward - skillful swimming non far out at its southward destination away from camera; non bad primal close photographic boob tube camera - wade out a bit; maybe the demand to leave of absence farther at the due north destination behind camera.
The beach has some prissy bungalow resorts, but as of March 2011 none going into the mid-range.
The 2 most pop are Mr Gao together with Jansom for meliorate budget towards flashpacker. Mountain gets skillful reviews together with is inwards a real serenity spot with what appears to live budget accommodation. But all the other places along the beach appeared to live pretty attractive to me.
For chill, Arjan Pan at the far due north destination looked fifty-fifty to a greater extent than relaxed than Mountain to me. Beachside eating topographic point higher upward pretty rustic-----my friend Fiona tells me Ajarn Pan is genuinely an ecology orientated resort with 300B bungalows - facilites real basic, traditional herbal industrial plant life remedies, mightiness live a skillful house to remain to do yoga, meditate, together with commune with nature.
As said, Arjan Pan's retaurant looks pretty rustic ---- but non as cool as their stone bar. This is a depression tide shot - I kinda similar the thought of sitting upward at that topographic point at high tide surrounded past times H2O together with (closer), volume bottles of Chang.I'd e'er similar the looks of Jansom (aka Janson) thus I decided to remain at that topographic point on my latest March 2011 see to Phayam.
Jansom is built on the side of a depression loma a chip southward of mid-beach. This is the rather nicely positioned eating topographic point with skillful beach together with bay views out to the Burma islands. The 2 dozen or thus bungalows are positioned inwards 2 rows to left of the eating topographic point inwards an informal garden setting. As y'all tin give the sack reckon the beach inwards front end of Jansom is rocky, but at that topographic point are prissy patches of sand for sunning. Water straightaway behind photographic boob tube camera prissy for swimming - non likewise shallow depression tide.
Jansom's eating topographic point is multi-level. This is taken from the primary deck towards i of 2 cool lower outriggers. Good house for hanging with a volume together with a drink.Restaurant prices higher than average budget bungalow place, chip non ridiculous. Food good. Service quick. Reception staff a chip taciturn but efficient.
For some argue I forgot to have got a shot of my bungalow thus I cropped a full general shot from the beach to demo these front end rowers. My 2nd rower was identical except it cost 400b as against 500 together with had inferior views.Interestingly prices are the same as they quoted when I called around inwards Jan 2008.
These are superior bungalows - flashpacker criterion except for no hot H2O or aircon. Big, clean, solid, plenty of room for three adults incl large king-size (hard) mattress. Excellent fitted mozzie net. Big bathrooms simply remodelled, prissy tiles, basin, skillful shower, freckle tickler, western even out privy together with a urinal. I've never seen that inwards bungalow or other accommodation bathrooms Thai or western before. Paper, towel, soap.
Plenty of storage incl clothe rack. Big veranda.
Cloud-filtered sunset behind Burmese islands from beach below Jansom resort. Those rocks disappear high tide.
Funky looking Hippy's Harbour beach bar together with eating topographic point - this was most 400m due north of Jansom but non as far as Mountain Resort. I didn't withdraw heed whatsoever dissonance on serenity nights. I'm non certain if this is constituent of a resort or an independent joint.--------------------------------------------------------
PP Land Beach
PP Land is an eco-resort on the due east coast of the isle most 2km from the village. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 discontinuous strip of sand runs from simply southward of the hamlet to the island's due north due east corner - PP Land's beach is a small-scale department of this.
As y'all tin give the sack see, the beach is null to acquire gruntled about. I wonder if the ethos of eco-resorts is to non interfere if nature wants the prevailing easterlies of dry out flavour to dump flotsam together with jetsam on exposed beaches?
PP Land resort itself is a grade human activity although if y'all Google the website it is far from budget. The puddle is following the every bit prissy eating topographic point (where prices were petty if whatsoever higher than Janson).Nicely landscaped gardens. Superior looking bungalows but no aircon on line of piece of work organisation human relationship of eco-credentials. I dunno most hot water. Lots of recycling bins, non certain most other eco measures - similar a dill, I didn't facial expression for solar H2O or electricity panels. Nice immature Thai duad running the joint.
Sign shows some of the things on offer. Path at correct is typical of narrow concrete "roads".That's my rent-a-wreck bike cowering behind post - trying to acquire inwards difficult for me to boot the bastard. That's the 2nd trip inwards a row I've hired a crate - cheque my rant most the starting fourth dimension i downward page.
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Location of PP Land together with Sabai Sabai----------------------------------------------------
Sabai Sabai beach.
Sabai Sabai is a boutique bungalow articulation on a piece of the due east coast beach simply southward of the village.
I shot this from the destination of the arrivals pier. Not certain how prissy the beach is but the articulation looks pretty sweetness together with gets skillful write ups from users. I can't discovery a website on Google, but it does throw upward the fact the articulation is on facebook.-------------------------------------
THE VILLAGE
This house is pretty depression key together with consists of 2 streets - i running away from the pier inland together with some other to the correct (north) which runs amongst the bay. Both are lined with typical tourist together with domestic businesses, summation a duad of full general stores. There is no bank, together with despite my retentivity of someone on a locomote forum mentioning an ATM at last, I didn't reckon i latest trip. But I must acknowledge I forgot to facial expression for one. Some trip reporter! Anyway, for the fourth dimension existence I'd live bringing plenty cash from Ranong if I were you.
Main street leading downward to pier.I wrote this after my March 06 visit:
The primary hamlet at the pier has a few small-scale “supermarkets”, some restaurants, motorbike hire etc, together with Oscar's Bar run past times a Brit together with a pop hang for long term traveller/expat types. I took refuge at that topographic point during a mid-afternoon downpour, sat inwards a huge one-time leather armchair nether shelter inwards the exterior beer garden with a lovely drinking glass of Aussie cherry-red together with was immensely entertained as these characters shot the bull.
After Jan 2008 visit: Okay, had to have got the obligatory see or 2 to Oscar’s Bar, run past times expat Brit Richard, who I noticed seemed to have got an novel off-sider this trip.
Not a bad house to pass an afternoon (or later) hr or 2 - plow correct off the ferry pier together with walk maybe 100m. As was the illustration final trip, the house had a mixture of all-nations travellers from immature ferals as nosotros telephone band them inwards Oz (you maybe telephone band ‘em hippies) to older long-term travellers together with expats. More than i expat bungalow possessor seems to similar to telephone band in. Plus the commons handful of mature-age Brits both singles together with couples who are e'er skillful value with their funny stories together with irreverent mental attitude to things inwards general. Which sums upward host Richard pretty well.
Richard e'er has some red-wine available for which tezza, starting to endure withdrawal symptoms from the absence of Chateau Cardboard inexpensive Oz cherry-red paintstripper, does non hesitate to pay a whole 70baht.
After March 2011 visit: Okay, maybe that drinking glass of Oz cherry-red at Oscars wasn't thus obligatory. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 eating topographic point maybe 50m farther on from Oscars had set upward a novel to me bayside seating surface area which had prissy views across to the mainland together with a meliorate adventure to cheque the passing parade on the street. So I had a prissy drinkable hither (yep, they had vino at a reasonable toll - South African, non likewise bad to this philistine). Quite a few others were doing the same including some expat looking dudes. Oscars seemed pretty devoid of a crowd the duad of times I passed it.
The hamlet itself seems scarcely bigger than 2008. This house e'er has a bustle of travellers together with locals despite beach areas existence real uncrowded.
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GETTING AROUND. Phayam has a real efficient motorcycle taxi set up. These guys together with a few gals are e'er waiting at the nation destination of the pier together with volition have got y'all to whatsoever bungalow house for 50 baht. Similarly if y'all hail i when walking or band i from your bungalow purpose they volition have got y'all anywhere for 50. This toll has non increased since 2006.
There are no songthaews or 4 wheel taxis.
Motorcyle hire is pop with close novel mopeds at 150b a twenty-four hours inwards March 2008.
And bicycle touring. First trip I industrial plant life hire-bicycles agency scarce - 2nd see (Jan 08) they were available from a restaurant-internet house most 30m past times Oscars, from the speedboat booking articulation 30m upward the primary route inland from the pier together with from a full general store on the concrete route on the agency downward to Ao Yai non far from the cross-roads close town (and the turn-off for the rails into Khao Yai Bungalows).
I got me an 8obaht fer 24hours i - howdy for i time I didn’t have got to do the commons mini rebuild - alone work was it had a large click when pedalling, the lawsuit I figured of the main-bracket bearing having never been adjusted. Hell, the chain looked similar it hadn’t received a lick of oil since it left the factory.
Anyway, I much preferred touring the isle on a pushie compared to the motorbike final see - I’m non a existent experienced motorcylist but I’ve done heaps of bicycling, thus super oil sections together with steep hills don’t throw me. Well sometimes steep hills do throw me - literally. But non likewise often. Not that Phayam has likewise much existent steep stuff. And I reckon y'all can’t trounce a bike for cruising a beach at depression tide. So I managed to do simply most every chip of rails together with most of the beaches on Phayam, including some I missed final trip.
Pretty cool, except I was negotiating i rougher than normal department together with the right-hand pedal crank-arm savage off!! WTF!! - it was clear the fastener had loosened way back together with the slack bastards had done nothing, resulting inwards it shearing inwards two. No agency could my basic tool kit ready that.
Okay, commons Thai hire practise is if it breaks, you pay for it.
Stuff that, I’m non gunna pay for slack maintenance together with maybe the mis-use of previous hirers letting the bike autumn over or stacking it (I NEVER stack bikes - ummm, don’t bother reading my Jum or Tao pages) - thus I did the world’s fastest pit halt inwards town, swapped to a novel crate thus quick the dudes inwards the restaurant/internet café didn’t reckon a thing. Too busy playing Donkey Kong.
I abhor slack bastards never ready bikes!!
Now some of y'all upright people are likely thinking this is all pretty underhand. But I figure my bike-hire karma is inwards surplus large fourth dimension on line of piece of work organisation human relationship I normally have got to do a mini-rebuild at the start together with mitt them dorsum a meliorate bike ix times inwards 10. Okay, this i was a 10.
But if yer nonetheless incensed, no problems, y'all tin give the sack give them my details: Terezza Tryhardy - Golden Shore Chalet, Paradise Beach, Sunshine Island, Queensland Oztsraya. Trust me, that volition discovery me. Island alone has 4000 chalets, facial expression for the pile of busted Cannondales.
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I'm non going to bore y'all with the rent a bomb gave me such grief latest trip. Thing is motorbike hire is serenity reasonable dissimilar most out of the agency islands. Give the bicycles on Phayam a miss!!
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GETTING THERE
Ferries.
FROM RANONG
- The service leaves around 0900 together with 1400 from the Saphan Plaa pier. Times tin give the sack vary a chip depending on tides which tin give the sack leave of absence the ferries high together with dry out at dead depression tide. I've heard of ferries non leaving until after 4pm some days. Returns at 0830 together with 1400. There is at nowadays a bigger ferry which is to a greater extent than comfortable together with peradventure a chip faster. But the one-time smaller i nonetheless does some runs. Cost 150 baht 2011, the same as inwards 2008.
- There is also a speedboat service from the same pier at 1000, 1400 together with 1700. Return runs 0900 1300 1600. Cost 350b which is worth the fourth dimension saved - around thirty minutes v 2 hours or so.
Way to go. The alone argue I'm on the large boat is that the speedboat doesn't telephone band inwards at Ao Siad on Little Chang's southward coast from where I'd come.FROM LITTLE KO CHANG
- y'all tin give the sack hop onto the ferry from Ranong inwards the bay opposite southern Little Chang's Ao Siad/Lek . You acquire shuttled out inwards a small-scale boat which your Chang bungalow volition arrange. Tommy's Garden has its ain bigger shuttle to the Ranong ferry - reckon pic Little Chang page.
Big ferry nonetheless costs 150 but the shuttle from shore is included.
- from Ao Yai the most pop beach on Chang, Ko Chang Bungalows run a mid-size ferry to the Phayam pier at around 0900 returning 1600. They volition transportation a small-scale boat to pick y'all upward anywhere on 3km+ Ao Yai for an extra 50b.
Ko Chang's Bungalows' ferry out of Ao Yai to Phayam. Nice 1 hr cruise downward the less seen mountainous due west coast of Little Chang. Sure beats the acquire dorsum to Ranong, alter ferries, leave of absence to Phayam (4+ hours) I did inwards 2006.GETTING TO RANONG
Flights
Google Ranong Air for daily flights from Bangkok together with Phuket.
UPDATE early DEC 2011 - seems Ranong Air is out of action. However Happy Air is running Mondays, Wednesdays together with Fridays from Bangkok.
UPDATE OF UPDATE (crikey!!) - from December fourteen 2011 Ranong Air is running i time to a greater extent than Wednesdays, Fridays together with Sundays.
Buses
FROM BANGKOK - at that topographic point are quite a few services from the Southern Bus Station to or thru Ranong. The trip is most 10-11 hours. There is an overnighter leaving around 8pm which according to people makes Ranong inwards fourth dimension for the morning time ferry.
FROM PHUKET - daytime buses run to a greater extent than or less hourly. 5 to vi hours.
FROM SAMUI/PHANGAN/TAO - at that topographic point are buses together with minibuses run across to Ranong from Surathani together with Chumpon. Note Chumpon autobus station is most 5km out of town which makes the minibuses to a greater extent than convenient.
FROM KRABI AND PHANG NGA - at that topographic point are a few straight buses to Ranong from Krabi autobus station. These tend to telephone band inwards at Phang Nga. If the timing is bad y'all tin give the sack acquire to a greater extent than frequent services to Takua Pa together with alter for Ranong.
FROM RANONG BUS STATION TO SAPHAN PLAA PIER
This is most 5km. I paid lxx baht inwards the contrary administration inwards March '11 for a motorbike taxi - no doubtfulness agency likewise much but I was inwards a hurry to brand a local cherry-red rattler to Kuraburi for the Surin islands.
I read a website post early on 2011 from a traveller managed to create do a taxi downward to lxx for her menage unit of measurement from the autobus station to the pier. Seems pretty skillful to me.
I have got twice used Kiwi Guesthouse's SUV shuttle which takes guests downward to the ferries inwards the morning time for 100 each. Kiwi is at the destination of the northern-most of the three broad lanes that sew to the autobus station from the primary route - its rooms are non smashing together with overpriced but I have got used it twice after arriving on a autobus from Phuket around 11pm - couldn't live bothered looking for a articulation uptown that late. The lady who runs the articulation is real efficient - knows the best deals on the isle together with tin give the sack 'phone for vacancies together with volume y'all in. She seems to acquire skillful prices.
Note the Ranong minibus station is inwards some other constituent of town, farther from the pier although I reckon the 70baht motorbike taxi fare would nonetheless easily work.
There is a songthaew starts from town primal together with runs along the primary route close the pier - but negotiating the zig zag backstreets to the pier is a chip of a play a joke on on foot.
Leaving Phayam - this is the novel bigger ferry out of Ranong.-----------------------------------------------
UPDATE MARCH 09 - Mc Deli simply spent a duad of weeks on Phayam together with sent this smashing update:
"We expected Koh Phayam to live real quiet. Buffalo bay nonetheless was serenity but Ao Yai beach had some pumping bars - together with nosotros ended upward correct following to one.
On Phayam at that topographic point was quite a curious mix of expats, long termers, older european couples, the strange family, immature singles together with option types. This may live the Thailand of your dreams - especially if y'all similar a chip of juggling together with the strange 3am rave up.
Last calendar week (we were at that topographic point 2 weeks) it was nonetheless OK for me. The gorgeous sweep of sand never feels crowded. The atmosphere was real nice, together with most of the resorts are spread ot plenty that they out of earshot of the pumping bars. It seems inevitable that it volition change. The busy 'strip' that runs from the 'middle road'; with BBQ bar i side (pretty loud random music every evening), continues with Smile Hut (bungalows real closed together- don't live fooled past times the promo pictures), Bamboo Bungalows (very skillful character but busy eating topographic point but some ace bungalows at the front), Phayam Beach resort (new house that has alone been able to position upward tents), Joker bar (cheap huts), together with South Star Bar; tin give the sack experience pretty busy - much busier than I was expecting. Mostly because of the music policy. One nighttime Phayam Beach has alive music, the following South Star turns upward the reggae until 2am, thus Joker has a promo - it seems to live spiralling louder. After i large South Star political party at that topographic point were complaints from other resorts but I wonder if reallythe other owners would similar the placetogeta political party party reputation. Monkey Bar is simply opening on some other constituent of the isle together with 2 novel to a greater extent than upmarket large concrete bungalow places are most to live completed inwards the Northern one-half of Ao Yai beach - thus the house is changing.
We stayed inwards Coconut Beach (next to South Star Bar). We got a front end rower for 400 (bamboo) though they by together with large have got bigger concrete jobs at the front. We got pretty annoyed past times the dissonance but (apart from the i large night) no i else seemed to notice - the meliorate built concrete bungalows on the seem to hold out whatsoever belatedly nighttime bass rumble. We had thought most staying at Aow Yai, following downward the beach, but our impression was that it was a chip of a mess.Maybe the serenity of Koh Jum had made facial expression likewise much quiet.
Anyway Ao Yai beach is stunning. The waves are gorgeous. The adventure to bring together genuinely friendly volleyball games was nice. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bonus was the stretch of shops simply upward the 'middle road'. Pratsai was a tiny eating topographic point serving large together with delicious curries for 60b - all fresh veg together with they ready anything to firm all much much cheaper than whatsoever of the resorts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few stores downward was a skillful library (15b twenty-four hours per book) with regular acoustic music. And lastly at that topographic point was a novel (ish) farang-owned minimarket.
The LP's description of a 'more sociable crowd' on Phayam is apt. I tin give the sack genuinely reckon the attraction if y'all desire to run across people, larn to juggle, perfect your German, have got access to ex-pat goodies but live away from large crowds. I'm joking a chip but it was a smashing atmosphere. I simply worry that following twelvemonth it mightiness start to acquire a chip overbearing for people who similar it quieter together with desire the unadulterated sounds of the waves.
Koh Phayam carry tip - at the Phayam pier simply exterior Ranong at that topographic point is a vibrations going on where people inwards large shiny novel trucks accuse farang 50b to acquire dorsum to Ranong. The songtaew is alone 15. The state at that topographic point are no songtaews or it is far to walk. These people are non taxi drivers earning a living. They are opportunists inwards flash novel cars ripping of tourists past times lying to them. From the Phayam pier the songtaews are a 200m walk from the mainroad clearly singposted Phaym Pier. And, if the on the render journey, the tide is depression together with y'all are dropped off the boat at the line-fishing boat dock. There is a songtaew queue simply 150m upward the road. We felt similar correct idiots driving inwards the shiny SUVs past times them - after existence lied to."
BILLP from TT gave this info:
"Coconut, Bamboo, Vijit volition all adapt carry (from Ranong) if y'all contact them, I think. But the ferry leaving at ix AM from Ranong isn't expensive, together with that agency y'all tin give the sack hire a moto taxi together with facial expression around earlier y'all settle on a house to stay. I thought Koh Phayam was real beautiful with lovely beaches together with an interior total of cashew plantations.
The primary beach, Ao Yai, is real broad together with clean, with well-spaced resorts dorsum inwards the palm trees. Like Tezza, I liked Coconut best of all, but trendy immature people seem to flock to Bamboo. Rasta Baby is for those who similar to party, together with I've heard that Vijit is pretty nice.
Ao Kwai is an fifty-fifty quieter beach. Mountain Resort is a beautiful house arranged on a pristine hillside higher upward a deserted sandy cove.
No cars on the isle (except for i vehicle they seem to have got brought inwards to assist with heavy work), alone motorcycles. The locals built a motorbike "highway" through the middle of the island, abruptly ending at a sand dune. Look for Richard, who owns a eating topographic point inwards the strip of shops close the port, for all the latest isle news."
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For some prissy pix reckon monkgonemad's Nov-Dec 09 Trip Report in the new Reader's Trip Report department here.
If y'all desire to burn downward inwards a trip written report on Phayam or whatsoever other location delight transportation text and/or captions summation whatsoever pix to lajolla22@hotmail.com. Hopefully nosotros tin give the sack hold information upward to engagement without me having to render to dozens of islands every 2nd year.
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If y'all see Phayam y'all mightiness also live interested inwards nearby:
LITTLE KO CHANG ANDAMAN SIDE
SURIN ISLANDS
KO PHRA THONG
KO KHO KHAO
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If y'all reckon whatsoever mistakes or have got extra info, delight post below. If y'all have got whatsoever questions, delight enquire them inwards THE FORUM rather than below. I don't acquire a adventure to cheque all threads daily, but unless I'm travelling I'll attempt to monitor THE FORUM regularly. Sumber http://tezzasthaiinfo.blogspot.com/