Plaay Laem Beach Review

Plaay Laem is located in the south-west of Koh Phangan. It is an area of the island that is much less visited than other parts, especially the south-west where the twin beaches of Haad Rin dominate the tourist scene. In many ways this is a good thing because part of the undoubted charm of Plaay Laem for the visitor is that it is an empty beach.

It is not easy to reach Plaay Laem. You cannot simply hop on a motorbike and drive there. A short ride from Thongsala there is a footpath that is inaccessible by normal bike. A visitor must walk the final ten minutes to get to Plaay Laem beach. The alternative is to hire a longtail boat in Thongsala and take the sea route to the beach.

Plaay Laem is a beautiful white sand beach with a great sunset and view of Angthong National Park in the distance. Behind the beach rises the mountain of Khao Hin Nok. The mountain appears to overflow from the land and spill at into the sea. The result is giant granite boulders scattered around the bay of Plaay Laem. Consequently the best place to kayak in Koh Phangan is Plaay Laem. It is great fun exploring the rocks just off the coast. It is also possible to organize sailing and windsurfing if you stay at Plaay Laem

80 meters off the shore there is a coral reef that is great for snorkeling. The only downside to the beach at Plaay Laem is that the sea shelf gets deep gradually before the corals. This makes swimming best during the higher tidal months between November and April.

Accommodation in Plaay Laem

The cheapest place to stay in Plaay Laem is Cookies Bungalow. They have basic fan bungalows starting at 300 Thai Baht a night. They also have better air-con bungalows available. It is at Cookies Bungalow that you can organize sailing and windsurfing.

Recommended is Sabai Beach Resort. They have clay and Thai thatched bungalows both beachfront and sea view. Some of the bungalows are directly on the beach; others command impressive views as they are elevated. Sabai Beach Resort offers basic bungalows as well as air-con bungalows with TV, fridge and DVD player. Bungalows at Sabai Beach Resort cost between 900 THB and 2,500 THB. They also have a restaurant.

Click here to find out more about Sabai Beach Resort

Another good accommodation option at Plaay Laem is Amsterdam Bar and Stone Hill Resort. The Amsterdam reference might not be lost on all; and yes, Plaay Laem is a very laid back place. Amsterdam Bar is accessed from the main road and is built on a giant rock. The veranda at the bar has the best views of the spectacular sunset at Plaay Laem.

Near the bar there are a few air-con bungalows including a family bungalow suitable for 4 people. All the bungalows have large balconies and are great places to enjoy the view.

Click here to find out more about Amsterdam Bar and Stone Hill Resort

Conclusion

Plaay Laem might not have the best beach in Koh Phangan, but it does have one of the quietest beaches. It is a great place to relax and escape the crowds. Plaay Laem is also a good place to enjoy water sports such as kayaking, sailing and windsurfing. Plaay Laem is ideal for couples and for those who like to be near all the amenities of Thongsala but want to enjoy a beautiful beach locale.

Club 9 Review

Club 9 Newest Club addition

Club 9 is the newest club in Koh Phangan. It is also the largest club on the island. Although having an indoor club is not a new idea, it does seem to be quite novel for Koh Phangan where people tend to gather and revel outside. The FMP, the Half Moon Party, the Jungle Experience and the Black Moon Party are all outdoor events with either the jungle or the beach providing the ‘walls’.

Better than Brandon

Although it is not a new idea to charge a cover charge, it is a new idea to use some of that money to get someone famous to play. The other events take the punters money and put on the very non-famous Brandon Block or Graham Gold: both of whom nobody outside of Koh Phangan has heard of. Already in the short life of Club 9 they have hosted Dub Pistols, LTJ Bukem and (disappointingly) Brandon Block.

It is sincerely hoped that this trend in investing in music talent to come to Koh Phangan is a good thing. The derivative sound of progressive/hard trance/techno that the same small band of Thai and ex-pat DJs play for every event in Koh Phangan is frankly monotonous. It is just a re-hash of Goan trance that seemed good back in the late 1990s and has since vanished.

If Koh Phangan is going to persist in championing trance why not get Paul Oakenfold or Tiesto to play more often?

Drink deals

Club 9 has drink deals sometimes available. Something along the lines of pay 1,500 THB to drink as much as you want and get a breakfast. Considering a bucket usually costs 250 THB that means you have to be able to drink 6 buckets to get your money back!

Hostel next door

The club has something called Skittle Vodka and serves pizza. There is also a VIP room available for hire. Next door is a tie-in hostel, House 9 for those who prefer noise to a private beach bungalow.

Angthong National Marine Park

Excursion from Koh Phangan

One of the best excursions from Koh Phangan is to the nearby group of small islands known as the Angthong National Marine Park. It is a protected area that was not open to the public until 1980. It is a collection of over 40 islets that are mostly uninhabited and have a good selection of wildlife and marine life. It also has some splendid scenery and a breathtaking inland lake.

Until 1980 the collection of islands known collectively as Angthong was a naval base for the Thai navy. Now it is a national park. It costs 200 Thai Baht for foreigners to enter (40 Thai Baht for Thai nationals).

About Angthong National Marine Park

The 42 islets cover an area of 250 sq km. The islands are the peaks of limestone mountains that finish in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The islands have wonderful rock formations from which they take their names such as Sleeping Cow Island and 3 Pillars Island. There are also dramatic cliffs, hidden beaches and lush forest.

Wildlife in Angthong

The islands are home to a variety of animals including 40 types of tropical birds, dusky langurs, short tailed macaques and sea otters. The sea around the islands is also rich in corals and marine life. One of the best diving and snorkeling spots is around Koh Sam Sao. It is an area that has fan corals and a wealth of fish to spot. Sometimes dolphins can be seen in the area too. Most diving schools on Koh Phangan have trips to Angthong Marine Park year round except in July when the currents change and make visibility bad. Recommended diving specialists in Koh Phangan is H2O Scuba School.

The park headquarters is on the largest island, Koh Wua Talab. Here it is possible to hire guides to see something of the interiors of the islands. On the same island there are treks to impressive viewpoints of the archipelago. Also on Koh Wua Talab is a camping ground with tents for hire. Staying the night in Angthong is wonderful because you have beautiful beaches all to yourself like you were Robinson Crusoe.

Golden Basin Highlight

The highlight of a trip to Angthong National Park is a visit to Koh Mae Ko. It is an island that contains a big lake with turquoise water. Surrounding the lake is a golden basin (‘angthong’ in Thai) that gives the name to the archipelago.

Other activities in Angthong

As well as trekking, snorkeling and diving, other popular activities include sea canoeing and exploring limestone caves. The whole area has pristine natural scenery that is well worth the effort getting to the island.

Other than the park headquarters the only other inhabited island is Koh Paluay that is a semi-permanent home to sea gypsies.

Costs

A number of dive schools and travel agents arrange trips to Angthong Marine Park. A trip typically costs about 1,500 Thai Baht (excluding entrance fees). If you have your own boat or yacht it is an ideal area to moor in a bay and enjoy your own private beach.