Is Koh Phangan really sold out?

[LaosLover]

Looking at Agoda for Zen Beach and the one next to it to be near the yoga and gyms, I'm not seeing a lot of vacancies.

 

My budget is up to 2,500 baht a night. Beach front is not a requirement.

 

If I just turn up, will I likely find a 3 week rental around March 15th? What's a reasonable discount to ask for for a 3 week stay?

[delgarcon]

I'm sure you'll find a rental mid March, especially with your budget. It's true that KP is busy right now, but we're bang in the middle of high season. March is generally much quieter.

[LaosLover]

Thanks for your prompt and sympathetic reply.

 

If I want a one bedroom a/c, walkable to the walking street in say 5-10 minutes, what might that cost for 3 weeks?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I think many hotels only allocate a portion of their rooms to Agoda. Agoda can exhaust their allocation before the hotel is fully booked.

 

You might try contacting the hotel directly and asking.

[delgarcon]

2 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I think many hotels only allocate a portion of their rooms to Agoda. Agoda can exhaust their allocation before the hotel is fully booked.

 

You might try contacting the hotel directly and asking.

I agree, contact resorts directly. To answer your question, I wouldn't expect to pay more than 15000 baht for the 3 weeks.

[steelerian]

It should get a bit more quiet a few days after the Full Moon Party, which is on 07/03.

[LaosLover]

I just found that I am attending that Full Moon Party on 7/3 (long story). In Had Rin Beach, no less

 

To book a cab to drive me around for 2-3 hours -how much and where to book? I am assuming that this is fairly fixed-price situation like in Phuket.

 

Thanks one and all for your generosity and I will update this for other's benefit when I get back.

[delgarcon]

When you arrive at the pier, there will be people representing resorts and taxi drivers and you will be able to negotiate prices, particularly with the taxis. When I came to KP 11 years ago, I stayed at the Siam Healing Centre, which I would think is about a 30 minute walk from the pier. It's run be a very friendly Thai couple and they have some nice 1 bedroom bungalows, build round a small lake. They would be worth a call just to get an idea of prices.

[iaminwa]

10 hours ago, LaosLover said:

Thanks for your prompt and sympathetic reply.

 

If I want a one bedroom a/c, walkable to the walking street in say 5-10 minutes, what might that cost for 3 weeks?

Agoda is not good for booking Thailand hotels - call hotels direct and book.

 

The price shown on Agoda is not the checkout price - they add VAT (7%) + 10% booking fee just as you hit the checkout button.

[Taco]

Yes it’s been full for the last 2+ months. The island is on fire at the moment and prices have jumped fast.  I have heard multiple stories of people showing to to resorts prepaid from booking.com and being told no room and I know multiple people who have given up looking and moved to Samui. Spend time looking before you come and don’t expect any discounts.

[n00dle]

14 hours ago, LaosLover said:

walkable to the walking street

the walking street? Srtithanu is not Pattaya

[crazykopite]

The prices for accommodation on the island has gone crazy I went to my old landlady yesterday to ask if she had a house available when I lived there it was 15,000 baht per month plus electric for a bed and a fridge  not even a rea spoon was in the place 15,000 for a 1 bedroom villa I thought was okay at the time as I was getting more baht to the £ yesterday she gave me the price of 25,000 baht. It as I had stayed there a long time she would do it for my friend at 21,000 baht per month and you pay for the electric the prices have rocketed since the Russians arrived on the island 

 

[crazykopite]

12 hours ago, LaosLover said:

I just found that I am attending that Full Moon Party on 7/3 (long story). In Had Rin Beach, no less

 

To book a cab to drive me around for 2-3 hours -how much and where to book? I am assuming that this is fairly fixed-price situation like in Phuket.

 

Thanks one and all for your generosity and I will update this for other's benefit when I get back.

We don’t have taxi service on Phangan only the B Beeps for two or three hours it will cost you a fortune rent a scooter and ride around yourself but I doubt you will get anything over that period  try some of the hostels in Thongsala or bring a tent and pitch up somewhere there are speedboats that run all night for Samui to the full moon you might have a better chance getting accommodation on Samui 

[LaosLover]

Thanks, but the last time I actively wanted to sleep in a tent, I was a boy scout and Nixon was president.

 

A visiting friend booked The Phangan Pearl Hotel months ago for the full moon party and told me we were going to Khao Yai National Park instead. Imagine my relief.

 

I'm a recent transplant to Chiang Mai who's feeling smoked out. I'm weighing just sitting it out here mostly indoors. I love my condo and my gym and the malls could extend my bubble further.

 

I'm not particularly a beach person, so maybe just leave it to the Russian hordes who are gagging for it and call it a day. I guess I'll go to KP when Hunter Biden's lap top declares the war to be over.

 

I'll def report back on what I see there. I'm spending a few days on either side of the full moon party.

Edited March 3, 2023 by LaosLover

[LaosLover]

Yeah, the Zen Beach area has nothing below 5K baht a night as far as the eye can see. Not a lot of inventory to begin with, with many long stayers who booked early not budging.

 

Had Rin Beach has devolved into being one of the tourist hell-beach scenes in the movie, The Beach.

 

Caveat: I was last there in '99. Still a fair few vacant store fronts from covid, including an empty 7/11. It looks like they're still gamely trying to sell off the shop-worn, pre-pandemic day glo orange tee shirts.

 

I'm not who it's for; I expected the full moon party to be more mixed ages, it was 90% under 25. Warning: they now want 200 baht to enter the beach during the FMP.

 

Glad I went, def a one and done. About half the young people has been in Thailand less than 3 days before heading down to the beach. So great to be among their blissed out energy.

 

Stayed at the bog standard Phangan Pearl, a decent option to be just far away enough from the noise, but close to the little strip of restaurants.

 

Happy Crab was the only repeat dining option, the other restaurants are mainly of the choose a curry, choose a protein variety. Inflation watch: No more shrimp pad thai, now it's mixed seafood pad thai.

[bignok]

On 3/10/2023 at 12:53 AM, LaosLover said:

Yeah, the Zen Beach area has nothing below 5K baht a night as far as the eye can see. Not a lot of inventory to begin with, with many long stayers who booked early not budging.

 

Had Rin Beach has devolved into being one of the tourist hell-beach scenes in the movie, The Beach.

 

Caveat: I was last there in '99. Still a fair few vacant store fronts from covid, including an empty 7/11. It looks like they're still gamely trying to sell off the shop-worn, pre-pandemic day glo orange tee shirts.

 

I'm not who it's for; I expected the full moon party to be more mixed ages, it was 90% under 25. Warning: they now want 200 baht to enter the beach during the FMP.

 

Glad I went, def a one and done. About half the young people has been in Thailand less than 3 days before heading down to the beach. So great to be among their blissed out energy.

 

Stayed at the bog standard Phangan Pearl, a decent option to be just far away enough from the noise, but close to the little strip of restaurants.

 

Happy Crab was the only repeat dining option, the other restaurants are mainly of the choose a curry, choose a protein variety. Inflation watch: No more shrimp pad thai, now it's mixed seafood pad thai.

Im seeing 740 baht for nice room near beach.

[KhunBENQ]

17 minutes ago, bignok said:

Im seeing 740 baht for nice room near beach.

But two months since the OP have passed and likely less tourists now.