Koh Pha Ngan...is It Safe?

[moondragon]

Hey all,

Wanted to rent a house on Koh Pha Ngan for a month in July and enjoy the island life. But with all the unrest in the south is it still safe?

Love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,

moon

[davethailand]

YES

[farang62]

I do work and stay there a lot, never a problem. It is very safe

Take Care

Farang62

[sbk]

As opposed to where?

There is a Muslim community on Koh Phangan, many of whom are very good friends of mine and they absolutely abhor the violence in the South, do not agree with the fundamentalists and have no interest in a seperate Muslim state. They are all very relaxed and easy going (I call them "island Muslims"), decent, honest neighbors. A few years ago an agitator from the south came to the island and tried to get the locals involved in making trouble for tourists. He was promptly ejected from the island and told not to come back.

So, short answer is "yes, probably much safer than other places in the country". As for other kinds of problems you may encounter, one bit of advice: You don't make trouble, you won't find yourself in trouble.

[meadish_sweetball]

As for other kinds of problems you may encounter, one bit of advice: You don't make trouble, you won't find yourself in trouble.

Amen. Amen. Amen. If more people learned this exceedingly simple lesson, a lot of unneccessary excrement could be avoided.

[moondragon]

Hey SBK,

Good advice....I want NO trouble...I'm coming there to relax, drink, party on the beach, repeat

BTW - is there any Wi-Fi access for computers. I don't plan to use it much, but I would like to keep in touch with family and friends.

Cheers,

Moon

[sbk]

Not that I know of, your best bet would be Hadrin. Although there are about ten gazillion internet shops all over the island, many offering dsl for about 1 baht a minute.

[moondragon]

Anyone been to the FULL MOON PARTIES?

Any advice on what to avoid and what not to miss?

Moon

[seville]

If you are not staying in Had Rin. Try and get a taxi from the bungalows that you are staying in both there and back. The drivers from the bungalows are trust worthy and will tell you when and where to meet to go home. Many of the drivers work together from the different villages, so you can find out who to ride back with. If you can get there by boat, that would be my choice. Do not!! Ride in on a motor bike it's really dangerous.

Don't carry any drugs on you especially in a taxi. The police love to stop the taxis and bust farangs. I even know of a guy that had a cop try and plant some weed on him while he was patting him down last year.

As far as what not to miss, sorry, I stay pretty far away from Had Rin during full moon party, but all the people I know that go always go to The Back Yard Bar after party the next morning and into the following night.

[moondragon]

Seville,

Thanks for the info...do you live on the island?

I've rented a house in the northern part of the island in July/August. Any recommendations where/from whom I should rent a moped for the month I'm there?

Moon

[seville]

No, don't live there. I'm just there a few times a year. There are plenty of places to rent bikes. I stay on thong Nai pan and Had Tien for the most part, but the rental for bikes as far as I know are the same all over.

[Jose]

MD,

Like any other place in Thailand, you can find good and bad bikes around. I definitely wouldn't rent a bike from falang-town Haad Rin, and I would stay away from the dying (and expensive) two-stroke trail bikes.

The best place I've found for renting a Honda Dream moped in Koh Pha-Ngan (specially if renting longer-term), is Seamew Restaurant, opposite the new pier at Thong Sala.

The owner there is very kind, usually has reasonably well-kept bikes, and his weekly rental rates are the best I have found on the island.

Take care on the roads - the hospital there is only good for minor injuries.

jose '-)

[moondragon]

Thanks Jose!

I'll look up Seamew when i get there. As to the bad roads - well I'm one of those slow-poke drivers that piss everyone off *hehehe* in other words I don't take too many chances and I always look out for idiots on the road

I'd rather take chances with the bars than with the roads

Moon

[sbk]

Full Moon Party, well for most people it is a must see, and if you are there, why not at least go and check it out? Seville has a very good point, do not drive to the party yourself. Your best bet is a taxi, unfortunately, I would have to disagree with her idea that they are trustworthy, most of them are not from the island and are renting the taxis they drive, so they have no compunction about ripping people off. It sounds like you will be staying in the Srithanu area, there is no boat service to Hadrin from there. Your best bet would be to get a taxi from the bungalow nearest to your rental house, then arrange with the others in the taxi to all meet at a prearranged time and place to come back together thus avoiding paying the exorbitant prices you would have to pay for coming back alone.

Bike rental, seamew is fine, but feel free to check around with other places in Thong Sala. Check the mileage on the bike as well as general condition (the newer the better). Also make sure to tell the rental place that you will be renting for a month, you should get a better rate. Also, be a careful driver as you will be held financially responsible for any damage to the bike.

[meadish_sweetball]

Another take on it - rent a very simple bed near Had Rin just for the night - two years ago, I was able to live with a local family who rented out matresses on the floor with mosquito nets over them for 150 baht per one night.

If you take me up on this advice, make sure you dont bring anything valuable.

You won't have to worry about going back to your house before the next day, which might make sense depending on how drunk you plan on getting.

Generally, don't bring stuff you can't afford to lose, and take only as much cash as you plan on using. Have fun. Yah Yah. Dance dance. Little box, big box. Ooo-ts, oo-ts, oo-ts!

My two satang.

[moondragon]

meedish,

great advice!

Moon

[sbk]

Meadish always has something sensible to say

Good point about renting some place to stay. However, availability will depend on what time of year you come. Dec , Jan, Feb, Mar and April there is no way you will find a room in Hadrin the day of the party. You could also get a room in Ban Kai, take a taxi there, the taxis run past there all night long and into the next day so it wouldn't be hard to get back to Ban Kai.

[royar2002]

Pha-Ngan is safer than many place in Thailand. I lived there many years, no problem at all. Fullmoon party is not the best party in pha ngan. Try the Blackmoon

party in Ban Tai or some of the local party. Rent a house? Try chalooklaam a small fishing village in north. Friendly people cheapest and best house bikes. Taxi service to fullmoonparty.A honda dream vill cost you 3000 pr month a house 4-5000. The house are new and one of the best value for rent. PM if you want and I will give you tlf nr to the best houseowner and also the best place to rent bike.

[moondragon]

Hey Seville,

I've alerady rented the house....in the north of the island...I think it's near the big waterall there...

But I'd love to have any info about renting bikes as well as any good restautants ... not the tourist restaurants, but the best ones

Also, thanks for the tip on the Blackmoon party....I'll check it out too!

Moon

[seville]

Hi Moon,

Well I didn't suggest Black Moon, but was there once. I would check it out if there is one when your there. That party is on again, off again. I have to say that I tend to stay pretty close to where I'm staying and just hang at my local bars.

Someone else might be able to suggest a place to rent a bike long term. I don't ever rent them, as I'm too chicken to drive 'em.

Restaurants... there are so many and so many places to go. I spend most of my time on Had Tien and Thong Nai Pan. Dare I say follow your nose...

If you want Indian food Om Ganish was outstanding when I was there last, but have heard that if the big boss isn't there, it's not so good. That's in Had Rin.

The best Thai food... look for where all the Taxi drivers and other Thai people are eatting. The best Som Tom I've had is from the Som Tom lady that has the stand in Thonsala. Also in Thonsala there is the place next to the Yellow Cafe. Really good food.

You'll get into your own groove as soon as you get there and all of this information will slowly melt away as you meet people. Just get there have a wonderful time keep Jai Yen and everything will be sabai sabai