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Secret Rooftop Bar In Bangkok
Want to spend your last night in Bangkok on the roof of a tall building overlooking the city in all of its glory?!
Secret rooftop bar In Bangkok
Want to spend your last night in Bangkok on the roof of a tall building overlooking the city in all of its glory?! Of course you do, but do you also want to share that rooftop experience with a huge crowd of tourists? Probably not..
If you're interested in finding a quieter rooftop bar in Bangkok that allows you to relax and take in the sights in peace, you might find it here.. I cannot guarantee it hasn't been overrun by tourists now, but I checked in 2018 and it was still pretty chilled.
The name of the bar/restaurant is River View Guest House, and can be found here on google maps. This rooftop bar features a spectacular view over Bangkok river with a perfect angle to watch the sunset.
The Entrance
The entrance to the bar is located down a small alleyway that might be a little hard to find, but using google maps you should be fine, just look for this place in the photo above, the entrance in a hotel style reception, just tell them you are going to the rooftop bar and proceed to the lift.
Be sure to get there early to see the sunset, but don't forget to stay late to see some epic sights like above, if your lucky you might see lightning in the distance. With the river populated by brightly coloured tour boats of all colours and the sky flashing striking shows of electricity this will be sure to make a night to remember.. AND ITS FREE!!
For more Bangkok info check out: Cheapest ATM In Bangkok
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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Abandoned Buildings - Rayong Coast
Along the coast a few hours from the bustling chaotic streets of Bangkok rests the small town of Rayong, a urban explorers dream come true..
Abandoned Buildings - Rayong Coast
Along the coast a few hours from the bustling chaotic streets of Bangkok rests the small town of Rayong and if you keep travelling (via local songthaews) you can reach the beach village of Hat Mae Rumphueng. An area built for tourism at only one time of the year it seems.. for as soon as the holidays are over the whole area becomes completely void of tourists.
I stayed in this hotel along with about 3 other guests.. Private room for 200 baht!!
Of-course, the locals still live here and go about their daily lives, but there is a completely different feeling from the normal backpacker routes of Thailand. During my week here I only saw about 3 other non-locals!
I'm not too sure on the full story, but it seems like this place had hopes to become a well known tourism hot spot.. But the dreams obviously didn't come into fruition..
The coast line is littered with abandoned buildings, apartments and huge hotels like the one above! There are hotels that have stayed open, but they remain almost empty and running a skeleton crew for most of the year.
This makes it particularly easy to stroll into any of these hotels and just take the elevator straight to the roof, no one is really paying any attention and you can get away with pretending you are staying there by just looking confident!
Sneaking into the tallest abandoned hotel
The hotel is basically this place on google maps, you will be able to spot it instantly if you turn on satellite view. The whole building is completely overrun by nature and is an amazing place to explore, the parking lot looks like something out of the game 'The Last Of Us' or the film 'I Am Legend'.
The inside of the building is completely gutted, and is probably the home to a few homeless people.. which for a solo explorer makes the place that much more eerie not knowing what will be around the next corner..
The views from the windows on the upper levels are incredible! A clean unspoiled coastline on one side, and a lush green expanse of villages with a mountain overlooking them on the other side.
If your interested in abandoned buildings and places a little off the normal beaten track then Rayong is definitely worth a visit.
For more travel photography check out: 14 Photos That Will Inspire You To Travel
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
Cheapest ATM In Bangkok
Currently charging only 150 baht rather than 220 like most other atm's, these are the cheapest places to withdraw cash..
Cheapest ATM In Bangkok
Aeon atm's are the cheapest to withdraw cash from, currently charging only 150 baht rather than 220 like most other atm's.
Unfortunately they aren't as common as many other cash points.. Scroll down for help finding the most central Aeon atm in Bangkok, within walking distance of Khao San Road.
This is what the outside of the shop looks like that you will be searching for, the atm is located just inside the door.
Something along the lines of this, look for a purple atm.
Good luck and stay hydrated!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
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Cycling Around Angkor Wat, The Sacred Temples Of Cambodia
This is a city run by tuk-tuks, you will have a hard time finding other transport, but it is possible..
Cycling Around Angkor Wat, The Sacred Temples Of Cambodia
Arriving in Siem Reap you will be greeting by a city that is run by tuk-tuks, they are everywhere and they will do anything to get your business, which is fair enough in a poor country and in the grand scale of things they are very affordable. But when you have just forked out $60 for a 3 day pass to visit the Angkor Wat temples, a $15 tuk-tuk for the day can be a bit heavy (especially if your a backpacker on a budget).
This is your typical tuk-tuk in Siem Reap. One of the things I love about SEAsia is the variety of tuk-tuks from town to town, they all have their own styles.
By choosing to cycle yourself around the temples you will not only save a lot of money, but you will also have free reign of what you want to see and how long you want to stay places. I spent $1 a day on my bike!
An elder monk sat with a young apprentice, they were both talking when I spotted them and saw the epic framing that was just asking to be photographed! Its always polite to ask for a photo as some monks do not want to be photographed.
The sun rising behind the temples, this is one of the most popular spots to watch sunrise and if you hate crowds you will hate this. It is an incredibly beautiful spot though with the crystal clear reflection pool.
I arrived at the temple that everyone visits during sunrise at about midday and found the place empty, I almost had the temple to myself apart from 3/4 people!! Considering the 1000's of people visiting daily this was the thing that convinced me that taking a bike was truly the best option.
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The sunset at Phnom Bakheng temple, this place sits on top of a large hill that will take you about 10/15 minutes to walk up, but the views from the top a definitely worth it! It is a very popular spot and they only allow 300 people up onto the temple at a time so make sure you get there in advance!
On the road towards Angkor Thom you will be surrounded by jungle, if you're lucky you might spot a group of monkeys hanging out on one of the grass banks. Keep an eye out for people stopped on the side of the road, this usually means their feeding the monkeys.
If you do head to Angkor Wat for sunrise then you may be in for a treat, a parade of monks walking in a long line around the temple in their bright orange robes. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!
This is the big reservoir called Jayatataka that surrounds Neak Pean , this is one of the furthest temple you can go to and will definitely test you if your on a bicycle! I turned up just before sunset and had some really nice views, but then I had to cycle the 2 hour trip back as it got darker and darker..
Make sure to take a big ol' bottle of water with you, but don't worry about running out as there are plenty of stalls on the sides of the roads offering ice cooled drinks for $1 or less (depending on your bartering skills).
This is the sunset at Prae Roup Temple, another top spot to watch from as it has a high platform at the top with nice views. Beware though that the guards close this temple as soon as the sun hits the horizon, so the most beautiful sunsets will have to be watched from down at the entrance (that's where this photo was taken).
This is a truly must see collection of temples and although the entrance price can be steep there are ways of making the whole experience a lot cheaper.
Quick Facts:
Angkor Wat entrance fee: 1/3/7 day pass - $37/$62/$72 USD.
Bike hire: $1 to $2 a day.
Tuk-tuk hire: $15 to $25 a day.
Accommodation: $2 to $5 for a bunk in a hostel dorm room.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
More South East Asia:
The Mindfulness Project - An Experimental Community
If you're interested in trying something a little different from the usual backpacking routines then you're gunna want to check this out..
The Mindfulness Project - An Experimental Community
After hearing about The Mindfulness Project in Thailand through word of mouth while I was backpacking around Australia, I knew I had to investigate. When I finally got to Thailand I checked their website and booked myself 10 days at the retreat (the minimum amount of days they require you to pay for on arrival) costing me only 2000 baht.
By staying at this place you will be a volunteer, you pay 200 baht a day for the yoga and meditation lessons and work a few hours in the morning in return for your bed and food.
The work includes a whole range of things from gardening to web design, work is usually from around 9am until 1pm. Working days are usually 4/5 a week with 1 free day and 1 Buddha day every week, sometimes you will spend the day creating and celebrating if anyone is having a birthday.
Each morning starts at 5:30am with one of the volunteers gently waking everyone up with the projects gong, then begins 1 hour of yoga followed by 1 hour of meditation which you are free to sleep through if your not in the mood.
During the morning meeting, anyone who is leaving (or is having a birthday) will sit in the centre of the circle, this is followed by a big group hug! If your not into that kind of thing then your not forced into it, but I do recommend just giving it a go and seeing how much joy it can give you.
Food is prepared twice a day, breakfast and lunch, then the leftovers are eaten for dinner. All the food is either vegetarian or vegan and volunteers are free to come up with whatever they want using what's in the kitchen if that is your daily job.
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During my stay at the project I took part in a monthly visit to a local school to help teach English to the students, if you get the chance to help out during one of these visits don't hesitate as they are limited to around 10 places (the retreat usually homes around 30 volunteers).
There are also weekly visits from a local primary school for basic English lessons, these are fun laid back lessons if your not confident enough to take on the high school just yet!
If you've never tried meditation before then this is a great place to try it, peaceful vibes and quietness, coupled with a no drink/drug policy will help you on your path to enlightenment.
If your interested in learning some valuable building skills then don't be afraid to volunteer for those types of jobs, there will always be someone willing to teach you. Many of the buildings built here have been done so without any power tools, but if you've got a valuable skill you would like to share then make it known and there might be something that the team needs you to do.
The sleeping quarters are basic, a mattress and a mosquito net in a dorm with the whole camp, But I don't have any complaints! The showers are a bucket of cold water, which is extremely refreshing on the days when your working hard in the heat!
If you're interested in trying something a little different from the usual backpacking routines then I'd urge you to look into this kind of thing, there are many different places to go to around the world!
Thanks everyone for having me, I will definitely be back!
If your interested in visiting the Mindfulness Project go here.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
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What To See And Do In Otres Beach, Cambodia
Arriving at this laid back, sun soaked stretch of beach you will be greeted by the kind of visuals you only see in those photo-shopped Instagram's..
What To See And Do In Otres Beach, Cambodia
You made it to Otres beach, or you'r just about to get there? Either way you've made a great choice! Arriving at this laid back, sun soaked stretch of beach you will be greeted by the kind of visuals you only see in those photo-shopped Instagram's.
This area is a favourite with the locals and the beach is a really nice mix of foreigners and local family's, all enjoying the clear warm water, great food and a cheeky cocktail from the line of beach bars.
The Beach..
Otres beach is a long stretch of chilled out bliss, and I recommend taking a stroll up/down it and soaking in all the sights and vibes.
This is a very friendly place and you will be spoken to by almost every group of local kids wanting to try out their English, and you might even get the chance to join in on a game of football or volleyball.
I personally got stopped by a very friendly group of Cambodians who where celebrating their mates wedding; they handed me beer after beer and we proceeded to clang our cans together and cheer 'CHOL MUOY!!' for most of the afternoon.
The beach can sometimes get a bit of trash wash up from the ocean (that's just how it is in a lot of SE-Asia unfortunately), but the locals care about the beach and regularly clean it, even resorting to raking the sand! You have a good chance of spotting some sea life on the shore if you keep your eyes peeled, which you probably would want to, as to avoid stepping on a beautifully dangerous sea urchin, as pictured above..
Be sure to grab yourself a 'cambodia' while you chilling in Cambodia!
Finish your day soaking in the last of the sun while you watch it slowly recede beyond the horizon.
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Where To Stay..
The beach front is lined with a good variety of little resorts and hostels, each of them with their own vibe to suit everyone's need. I was personally drawn to a place that claimed to be a authentic Italian restaurant named 'Papa Pippo's' which has its own bungalows too! Being a pizza/pasta fanatic I had to take a look and test this claim..
Well, if your into your pizza's then I highly suggest you try this place out, the pizza is some of the best I've ever had (which is crazy considering its a small beach town in Cambodia). The prices range from around $16-$25 for a private bungalow located a few short steps from the sea front. Photos below:
Be sure to check out their website for more details: www.papapippo.com
I can also recommend visiting the small off-the-grid island Ko Ta Kiev. Its a truly different experience with no internet, and supplies arriving only once a day on the same small boat that takes you there.
You will be met by a very eclectic group of westerners and locals living on the island and 'working' in the beach bar. You will sleep in a open aired 'dorm' and you will find yourself connecting to others easily as there are no distractions here. Photos below:
The People.
The captain of one of the tiny motor boats that will take you out across the bay to the various islands.
The beach has its fair share of locals trying to sell you something, and whilst some of it is tat, some of the food on offer is amazing! You can get a full bag of pineapple, mango and banana for $1.50!
The supply boat getting ready to leave for Ko Ta Kiev, where the workers will carry your luggage to the boat if your scared of getting it wet!
Locals inviting me to drink with them. They were so generous, offering me countless beers and food while we sheltered from a storm!
I hope this article helps make your stay in Otres beach enjoyable. Now go relax, and soak it all in.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
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The Life In Pai, Thailand
The journey to Pai is a 3 hour ordeal up & over a mountain, full of sharp turns, speeding vans and insane Thai drivers..
The Life In Pai, Thailand
Having heard on the backpacker grapevine that Pai was a must visit, Hannah & I booked our minivan and headed for the home-made hippie village in search of good food, chilled vibes and some great views.
The journey to Pai from Chiang Mai is a 3 hour drive up and over a mountain where you can expect hundreds of sharp turns, sped around at wheel screeching speeds by your insane Thai driver. You may want to pop a few motion sickness pills if that's your thing.
During the drive I spotted this monk getting a dubby. We overtook them seconds later!
The view over Pai from Yun Lai viewpoint; you'll need a scooter to find this place but its certainly worth it and its only 20 baht for entry!
Pai Canyons aren't so as big as you would expect a canyon to be, but they are certainly a great sight to check out. I have to say I had more fun exploring and climbing the narrow walkways with drops either side than the actual views!
Exploring Lod caves is really interesting and I would really recommend it! It will take about 2 hours to get there by scooter and there are some crazy steep hills going up and down.. But its so much more fun than getting a tour bus there, plus you can arrive a little later in the day and get the cave to yourself pretty much!! (We were joined by 3 people, normally the cave is full with 50+ people!).
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Mo Paeng waterfall is a really refreshing place to visit just outside of Pai, but we had more fun petting the SUPER friendly cows that live there; they just kept licking us and this one above was going in for a kiss with Hannah!
If you like animals, be sure to visit a elephant sanctuary and help fund the people saving elephants from torture & riding parks.
The White Buddha statue sits at the top of a big ol' flight of stairs, but once you reach the top the views are pretty epic and its a great place to watch the sunset. If your into temples, check out Bangkok's many grand temples!
This old western looking house, known as the 'Yellow House' is found on the road towards Pai Canyons. Its pretty interesting to stop off at and take a look around as there really isn't anything like it!
The food in Pai is amazing. We were treated to some of the freshest, most healthy snacks we've had in Thailand! There is a big hippie vibe in town and in turn, a lot of vegan and vegetarian places to eat, all cheap as chips too.
I urge you to rent a scooter (if your able to drive one safely) and just explore the area, turn off on random roads and just keep following them. We found some jems that we didn't even know existed just through a little adventure!
Our little red underpowered scooter!
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about Pai!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
More Photo Journals:
Liberated Elephants - The Muddening
The sad thing about all this is that these elephants will never be released back into the wild, primarily because..
Liberated Elephants - The Muddening
Visiting elephant in Thailand was always something I was extremely wary about, there are so many places that treat these beautiful creatures badly that still in 2017 get tourists visiting them.. It really does blow my mind to see posters advertising elephants riding and actually think that people my age are doing this sort of stuff!
The big problem is ignorance. People just simply don't care enough to do any research into what they throw their money at. If anyone was to actually look into the kind of practices that take place to condition these elephants into submission so that they allow people to ride them, they would be horrified! But then again, if people were to look into the kind of life a cow or chicken is given before its turned into food they would probably never eat factory farmed meat again.. But then again this brings up the subject of the horse meat scandal in the UK, where people value one animals life higher than another, people can be disgusted by the treatment of elephants and then happily sit down for lunch to eat a animal which suffered all the same. (PS: I don't believe eating meat is a bad thing, if you eat meat that has come from an animal that lived a good life and wasn't mass farmed or stuck in small cages then that's fair enough)
Anyway, the elephants, that's why we're here! As you can probably guess, I visited a elephant sanctuary where a small number of elephants who used to be used for riding are now free to roam the fields and do whatever they like (as long as they like getting muddy, swimming in the lake and eating lots of food fed to them by humans).
The owners who used to make money from the riding tourism have been visited by the Elephant Nature Park founders, who introduced them to the idea of tourism that means no harm to the elephants. This way the owners are happy, the elephants are happy and the tourists can leave happy!
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The day consisted of feeding the elephants breakfast followed by a hour or so of 'free time' in which the elephants just roamed around their fields and ate grass, this was an amazing experience being able to just walk freely amongst these massive creatures, it was also a great opportunity to photograph them behaving naturally.
Then it was time for the humans to be fed, we walked with the elephants towards our little shaded hut and had a great vegetarian lunch. Afterwards was time for the muddening to begin.. we gathered around the mud hole and awaited their arrival, sure enough they came.. and they sure got muddy! And so did everyone there, the elephants kicked and squirted mud everywhere and we threw some mud back at them.
Bathing time was up next, we joined them in the river to splash about and enjoy the sounds of enjoyment coming from them! The day finished with another feeding session, and then we watched them wander off to enjoy the rest of their day as we left..
The sad thing about all this is that these elephants will never be released back into the wild, primarily because they will just be caught again, they have become tame to humans and this is there downfall, capturers will have an easy time luring them back into captivity. At least with this current trend towards 'no riding' in the tourism business, elephants who once faced a life of performing, torture and captivity can now enjoy a life of less misery.
Planning on visiting a elephant sanctuary while in Asia? Let me know how it went in the comments..
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Latest articles:
Epic Water Festival In Chaing Mai, Thailand - Photo Essay
"you will find yourself amongst groups of people from all races and walks of life, all smiling and laughing together as you spray, throw and drench each other in water!"
Epic Water Festival In Chaing Mai, Thailand - Photo Essay
Upon arriving in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, we were met with the craziness that is the Thai new year water festival, Songkran. This world famous week-long festival takes place all over Thailand but is known by many to be especially great in Chiang Mai, and it certainly didn't fail to blow us away (with water that is).
This ancient tradition that involves dousing everybody you see in water is a time of unity and people who have moved away return home to their loved ones, the pouring of water represents purification and the washing away of sins and bad luck. Of course, since this has become a must-see attraction for people all over the world the main bulk of the festival involves a huge water fight, and ancient traditions of pouring water over hands has been replaced with firing water guns at peoples faces while they drive past on their scooter..
Nether the less this is an epic water fight that is not to be missed if you get the chance, it really does bring everyone together, you will find yourself amongst groups of people from all races and walks of life, all smiling and laughing together as you spray, throw and drench each other in water!
Two young Thai girls waiting on the side of the road for someone to soak.
Joining in with the craziness and getting completely soaked! We joined this big group who stood by the side of the road and awaited victims to pass by..
The street market in Chiang Mai is epic in size, after walking for 30 minutes we still had not got from one side to the other, let alone seen all the stalls! Pictured above: a mother and daughter selling small trinkets to try and make a living.
Chiang Mai's centre is surrounded by a huge moat, this used to be the old perimeter of the city with some of the old walls still standing.
A group of friends and family stand outside their shop with hoses and water guns, laughing as they spray everyone that walks by.
Street food is a massive part of Thai culture, there a stalls everywhere and you can get just about anything, including full grilled squid for $2...
The temples around the city are a true work of art, and to keep them looking that way requires a lot of maintenance. Here is a classic example of Thai scaffolding, bamboo tied together with string.. If you work in health & safety, this picture must be giving you anxiety!
A sample of the artwork found inside the temples.
A young Thai girl sings her heart out while playing guitar, trying to earn money for scholarship fees.
A young monk on his way to class at the temple, we joined in with their English learning class by having a discussion with one of the monks. Interested in more temple photography? Check out 'Temple Hopping In Bangkok'.
My favourite picture from the water fight, this could easily be seen as a photo of a protest if the water guns were replaced with actual guns.
So are you ready for Songkran? I hope this article has inspired you to take the trip to Thailand and experience it for yourself!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
More wanderlust:
Temple Hopping In Bangkok - Photo Essay
No visit to Bangkok would be complete without a few temple visits, these shines are absolutely beautiful...
Temple Hopping In Bangkok - Photo Essay
No visit to Bangkok would be complete without a few temple visits, these shrines are absolutely beautiful and although no picture can ever do them justice (in some places photos are forbidden anyway) you can still get a good idea for the kind of jaw dropping sights you can expect when you visit.
The two temples visited in this article are Wat Pho, home to the reclining Buddha and Wat Saket, which towers above the city.
Almost every surface is covered with small coloured mosaic tiles, its truly an awesome sight to see they amount of work that has gone into every detail.
The bright orange robes worn by the monks at the temples are one of the most iconic symbols of South-East Asia.
The reclining Buddha is a HUGE statue that resides in Wat Pho, the sheer size of it will blow you away. One of the things I was fascinated by was the detail on the feet as you can see above.
Work started on the reclining Buddha in 1824 and took about 25 years to complete, it stands 15 meters high and lays 46 meters long.
Above: Bangkok's skyline as viewed from Wat Saket rooftop.
Fun fact: The name Bangkok is just a name used by foreigners, its real name is Krung Thep, this is an abbreviation from its full name which translates into:
"The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn."
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The gardens are as you would expect are stunning, they are full of colours and water features. The contrast of the white wall against the bright green and pink in the picture above really stood out to me.
The sun shining through the leaves and flowers during the walk up to the top of Wat Saket, this place is a tropical jungle placed right in the centre of the city.
Towering pillars inside Wat Pho that are covered head to toe with decorative flowers and colours.
Little monks having a bit of fun with the gong on the rooftop of Wat Saket.
Another interesting feature at Wat Saket was a row of incredibly realistic monk figurines, they look like the kind of thing that collectors would love!
Back to Wat Pho and the main attraction is the huge central building home to this insanely detailed Buddha shrine, the colours and details can really hold your attention. I sat in front of the shrine for a good hour just taking it all in.
Whilst sitting at the shrine a group on monks started to fill up the sitting area next to everyone and started to chant their prayers, it was both interesting and relaxing to sit and listen.
Hope you enjoyed that sneak peek into what Bangkok has to offer, hopefully you will be inspired to take the trip yourself!
For more info on Thailand, check out this guide to seeing the sights of Koh Phangan island by scooter.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
More wanderlust:
Koh Phangan By Scooter - Travel Guide
So your thinking of visiting Koh Phangan? Well if you aren't, you surely will be when you see this..
Koh Phangan By Scooter - Travel Guide
So your thinking of visiting Koh Phangan? Well if you aren't, you surely will be by the end of this article.
Koh Phangan is an island in South Thailand that's world famous for its massive full moon party's, but the party is only a small part of what the island has to offer. This smallish tropical island is fringed with palm laden beaches with clear blue cool waters, stunning view points and some brand new smooth roads that are just perfect for the scooters that South East Asia is famous for.
Check back to this map for reference points on the locations the pictures were taken.
ไปเลย! - Here we go!
Renting a scooter on Koh Phangan is kind of essential to seeing most of the islands hidden treasures; sure you can jump in the back of a 'taxi' but you will end up spending much more! As of 2017 scooters prices on the island are 250 Bhat a day which is more than most places in Thailand, but this island is notorious for its reckless backpacker crowd.. If you rent for more than 4 days you can barter and get a much better deal, for instance, I managed to get mine for 150 a day.
After jumping on your new mode of transport and most likely making a stop at the petrol station upon realising the garage gave it to you empty, you will find there is a pretty easy to follow route around the island, but stopping every now and then to check google maps might come in handy. Starting from the pier, one of the first sights (1) is this great lookout above which gives a great view of the coral reefs.
Your ride will then take you along a long stretch of road meters away from the water, which is where you can also spot a few (2) leaning palms that are doing a tremendous job of supporting themselves far out over the sea. If you're here during the low periods (in-between full moon party's) then you will have no trouble getting some awesome photos without too many people getting in your way.
One of the next stops you will see is at the top of a steep hill climb, where you can pull over on the roadside to get a (3) awesome view of the bay that is home to Secret beach and the crazy 'desert island' looking restaurant built right on the edge of the rocks! Definintly one worth checking out.
Upon reaching the north-west of the island you will find (4) a beach that has a small sand pathway leading to a tiny island named Ko Ma. It's a pretty picturesque place and is also home to some great snorkelling sites.
When you hit the north of the island you will come to (5) Chaloklum Bay which is home to a small fishing village which is a lot quieter than the rest of the island. The sand here is clean and white and the water is bright blue. This is a great place to stop for a bite to eat as its cheaper than the more built up areas where the hostels are located.
Coming down through the centre of Koh Phangan you will want to make a stop at (6) Phaeng waterfall, after a good few hours of riding in the sun, the refreshing water pools will be just what you need to cool off in. During the wet seasons (September to January) these falls will be flowing nicely, but during the dry season as pictured above the water is but a trickle.. still, the pools will be deep enough to go for a little swim!
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The next section of the island will probably be best to visit on your second day, although if you are short on time and don't mind quick visits then you can see it all in a day, I wouldn't recommend it though, I came here for a few days and ended up spending 3 weeks! Anyway, you will be heading to the east of the island this time, with your first stop being (7) Than Sadet waterfall, a fast flowing rocky place that doesn't have much room for swimming but great for just dipping your feet in.
A few minutes down the road you will come to (8) another section on the river which has much bigger spaces for swimming, it also has this awesome pile of balanced rocks (a cairn). Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee this will be here when you visit :P
Finally you will reach (9) Haad Than Sadet beach. This is an awesome place for swimming considering most of the beaches on the west side are extremely shallow, this beach drops off quite rapidly. It also comes complete with amazing palm trees, an awesome swing and great views from the surrounding rocks like above!
After a full days adventuring your gonna be feeling hungry... and Koh Phangan has some (10) amazing food markets! This one in particular, located in the central built up area quite close to the pier, has all kinds of foods and is much cheaper than any road side restaurant on the island. Be sure to try the insects if your not vegetarian..
Now for the sunsets..
After finishing your awesome meal at the local market you will want to head straight for a great place to watch the sun set over the sea. Koh Phangan is regularly surrounded by storms out at sea and this can make for some incredible colours lighting up the clouds! The above picture is taken at a little bar called (11) Apichada Lookout which is an incredible place to come at any time of the day giving you a panoramic view of the jungle below, the sea out in front and the opposite island Koh Samui. This little bar is pretty under the radar, is never crowded, they play chill out tunes and serve great fruit shakes. Be sure to say hello to the owner Eigo!
(12) Zen Beach is where this beauty was photographed. Its a quiet beach that is known for having people play live music during the sunset and practice all kinds of activities, and its got a very old skool hippie vibe to it. The sun sets right in front of you, giving one hell of a show if your lucky! Oh and its also a nudist beach ✌
Finally my favourite sunset from my time on Koh Phangan was watched while sitting next to the awesome (13) leaning palm from earlier in the article. The water here is extremely calm which makes the colourful reflections even more beautiful.
And there you go, you're all set to have an incredible adventure on this epic island!
For more great information about this beautiful island, check out Local Nomad’s complete travel guide!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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Taran & Makoto here, together we form Nomader How Far photography.
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