The beach of Thong Nai Pan Noi in Koh Phangan is leading the way in providing luxury accommodation for high end visitors to the island. It is a beach with 3 luxury hotels to stay in - Anantara Rasananda, Panviman and Santhiya. They all have private pool villas and offer 5 star service and accommodation. A night's stay in one of these 3 hotels can cost as much as $1,000 a night, especially if someone does not book through a travel agent.
The success of Rasananda, Santhiya and Panviman is largely based on package holiday deals. They have minimal walk in trade. The people staying at these hotels are not just rich Europeans but also Chinese, Koreans and Russians. Still few Japanese high end tourists come to Koh Phangan.
For the rich the amenities of Santhiya et al. is a welsome thing. However, the beach has largely become taken over by these hotels. There are now only Phuwadee Resort and Spa, Thong Tapan Resort and the sister Tapan Noi Resort left on the beach in the mid-range of accommodation options. Thong Tapan is not cheap - it's 1,000 Thai Baht a night.
Thankfully a new accommodation option is now available in Thong Nai Pan Noi. It is Sunrise Villa. It is a 2 storey luxury villa located on a hill behind Thong Tapan Resort. The villa has 3 double bedrooms. They are air-conditioned and have en-suite bathrooms with hot water showers. One of the bedrooms is on the second floor and has floor to ceiling windows. From here and also from the large wrap around balcony the amazing view of the bay can be enjoyed.
Sunrise Villa has a fully fitted kitchen, dining area and a comfortable lounge. There is also furniture on the balcony.
The villa is set in 1,000 square meters of landscaped garden, which makes it possibly the largest private garden on Koh Phangan. At the bottom of the garden is a parking area.
Sunrise Villa is in a quiet residential area. Staying at the villa you can hear the sound of the ocean, but not the noise of the bars at night. There are a number of different species of eagles and other birds to spot from the balcony. The area is rich in nature. You can find cashew trees, pineapples, banana plants and coconut plants in the garden.
Sunrise Villa in Thong Nai Pan Noi can accommodate 6 people. The cost to rent Sunrise Villa for 1 night is 5,000 Thai Baht. Divided by 6 people that makes $28 a night. That is cheaper than renting a small bungalow at Thong Tapan Resort. And yet the villa offers privacy and excellent amenities, as well as being only 800 meters from the beach. That is great value for money.
Sunrise Villa
