Overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Chumporn: 10 hours
Bus to ferry port: 1/2 hour
Ferry to Koh Pha Ngan via Koh Tao: 4 hours
Taxi from Thong Sala to Haad Rin: 15 mins
Taxi Boat to Haad Tien: 5 mins
And so we arrived, tired, grimy and hot at our destination for the next four to five weeks, the island of Koh Pha Nagn in the the Gulf of Thailand. I had actually been to Koh Pha Ngan previously when I was backpacking back in 2001. I was prepared to find it a lot more commercialised, albeit my somewhat hazy memories of this place last time round possibly aren't the best thing to judge it by.
Koh Phan Ngan is known as a party island due to the infamous “full moon parties” held on HaadRin, but given Charl's course instructor has asked them to avoid alcohol for the duration of the course, and what I'm expecting to be a rigorous training schedule at the boxing camp, I'm expecting it'll more than likely be a more sober experience this time round.
The bay we are staying in is basically a set of three beaches separated by rocky headlands. Haad Tien, Haad Yuan and Why Nam are accessible only by taxi boat or a particularly hairy 4x4 journey over the mountainous interior from the nearest town, Haad Rin.
Haad Tien Beach
We arrived by taxi boat to the central bay, Haad Tien, on the beach in front of the centre where Charl's Yoga course is being held, The Sanctuary. Expecting to find a low key, chilled out quiet little beach retreat we were a bit fazed to discover it teeming with people.
It didn't take us long to work out that we'd arrived the day after a big beach wedding and even though we'd arrived at midday they were all just finishing up partying from the night before. To add to our feeling of dislocation it seemed like we'd just walked onto the set of one of those American high school soaps were large numbers of impossibly good looking people hang out on the beach wearing designer sunglasses.
It turns out it was a gay wedding between two dancers from Vegas, hence the guest crowd of what appeared to be dancers, models, DJ's. In fact the wedding sounded like a real (camp) extravaganza, showgirls from Vegas, fireworks, body art , the works. It's disappointing we missed it as I think everyone on the beach wether local or tourist was invited along and it sounded like one hell of a party.
The downside of all this was that it also meant was this place was now properly busy, and accommodation was in short supply. The only hut we could find to start with was tiny and could just about fit both of us and our backpacks in, plus it didn't have it's own bathroom. Realising sometimes you've just got to take what's on offer we paid for two nights and hoped for better luck then.
Our First Bungalow & the Beam restaurant
Charl's work had kindly paid for a 3 night upgrade to our accommodation which we thought we'd take at the end of the time here but with the lack of decent places decided to try to find a slightly better hut for the whole stay rather than a really nice place just for a a few nights.
The next day our accommodation concerns were eased as I (perhaps somewhat foolishly – watch this space) committed myself to a full month's worth of training at Horizon Muay Thai camp (I.e. Thai boxing / kickboxing). They have their own huts, a little run down but spacious, with bathrooms and sea views from the hammock on the veranda. I took a package which included the hut, breakfast and all my training. It's cost us about 5oo quid for the month all in, not too bad but what's galling is it should have been closer to 350 if we weren't being stitched up too badly by the poor exchange rate on the pound.
View from our new hut
Initial impressions then of Haad Tien:
It's a what I'd describe as a proper little alternative community. The bay is dominated by the Sanctuary, a bar / accommodation complex that runs courses in Yoga, dance, healing & a whole host of funny sounding alternative therapies.
A lot of people are here doing these courses for a month or so so it gives the place more of a settled feel then a lot of the other beaches we've stayed at. There's also a lot of people who obviously just never left after arriving here twenty years ago and probably moved to this beach when Haad Rin got too hectic.
Local birdlife - a Hornbill
There's a distinct lack of haircuts amongst the males of the beach, a definite overuse of the word “energy” in conversations, and a lot of people who have names that sound like they've been taken from the “Lord of the Rings”.
It is though very relaxing, people are generally friendly and at this stage in life infinitely preferable to me that the Magalouf-esque Haad Rin. I find all the new age stuff and self seeking (Charlotte's course excepted obviously!) down on the beach a little contrived, but then most of my days are going to be filled with punching bags and trying to ignore the pain from the bruising on my shins so I'm sure it won't be too much of a problem for me.
The island interior
We've just checked into Horizon, it's chilled out, seemingly down to earth and comes complete with a couple of kickboxing three year olds who jump on you as soon as you go into the veranda / eating area so it should provide a good balance to the magic roundabout down on the beach !
