8° SOUTH
The Recent #1
ABOUT BEACHES
&
SUNSETS
KOH PHALUAI
9°31'57.8"N 99°41'36.7"E
Gulf of Thailand
Koh Phaluai with currently about 250 people living on is probably the smallest and most remote island I´ve ever been to.
There is just one paved road to get around,
one store, about three hotels, one restaurant and a total of two other tourists.
I guess the fact that 2/3 of the island is covered in a nature reserve and that the locals really focus on waste reduction and sustainability is a major reason for the incredibly clean beaches.
Yet after four days of peace and nature, I was kinda glad to hear our ferry broke down and we had to leave one day earlier.
Koh Phaluai is one of the many small islands in the Gulf of Thailand, on the east coast of Thailand. The island is like I said kinda remote and rather unknown for tourism. I actually picked it out while looking around for hotels on Koh Tao, I did my research, couldn´t really find anything and knew this would be where we are going.
The remote location of Phaluai makes it a bit more complicated to get there compared to other popular islands in the Gulf but even we couldn´t find any information on how to get there it really wasn´t a big deal.
We took a flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui from there we had a ferry to Don Sak back to the mainland.
Our ferry, which leaves only once per day, would leave tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. so we booked a cheap hostel next to the pier where we stayed overnight.
Since the time of our arrival was at 6:00 p.m. I asked our host if there´s a rental somewhere wich he denied but he really was so kind to give us his own bike for the evening for free. So we explored the area around our hostel and found a temple on a hill and something like a lunar park where you can buy for sure illegal knives for about 3 Dollar.
The next day we left early to the pier to Koh Phaluai. We didn't really know where to go first but the, as always, extremely friendly locals set everything up real fast and we got our ride in the back of a pick up to the pier where we got our tickets. The ticket stand was not as, for Thailand's standards, "polished" as usual, more like a dude chilling in a plastic chair behind some old wooden table. Great vibes.
Some people were still loading ice on our ship so we had to wait for about half an hour before we finally got to board. But after they were done everything went down pretty quick and we set sail to Koh Phaluai.
THE PIER
OUR NEW PLACE
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you.
KOH PHALUAI
We arrived after a comfy one a half-hour sunbath on deck at the main pier. Our host, a very friendly middle-aged man, was already waiting for us in his, a bit dented but very charismatic, Toyota pick-up truck to pick us up. We got a lift to the hotel and, of course, every time I get the chance to ride on a pick-up I obviously do it the old fashion way: Stretched out on the bank in the back, looking at the blue sky and the palms passing by.
The whole 15min. drive to the hotel we didn't saw just a single car. I counted only two scooters and both the guys as the two kids packed on the back seat were waving in excitement to see us. Perfect! Chances are high that we will see no, or just a few tourists here. So eventually we got to our place for the week, unloaded the truck very quick and proceeded to the check-in. And, just as I suspected, the also very friendly lady on the desk, who turned out the be our driver's wife, told us that we are the only guests here right now. They also just upgraded us to a bungalow since we were the only guests anyways and all the rooms were free.
So we didn't just got the whole island just for us to explore, we also got a better room with an open-air bathroom and a cozy terrace with a hammock.
At this point, the sun was already about to set on us and I really wanted to explore the island for a bit before it would get dark so I stressed everybody out about it. We ended up just throwing our luggage into our rooms to sprint back to the desk where we asked for a scooter to borrow for the week.
Now if you're planning on traveling to southeast Asia you also should be fine with driving a scooter. Getting around by public transportation is possible for the most part but it really is just very complicated and way more expensive than just renting a scooter. So you often just end up searching forever for a bus or a train to go somewhere just to find out it's not going today because of a holiday or just misinformation and you are forced to take a Taxi or Tuk-Tuk which you have to pay for a lot more.. And don't get me wrong, I definitely had some good experience with public transportation in Thailand.. and if you are persistent enough there will always be someone who knows someone who knows where your bus is leaving and probably also where you can get your tickets cheaper. And most of the time it's not some shady rip-off but actually just kind people willing to call the brother of their cousin just to help you out. But as long as you don't know a local who can help you out, or especially if you are new to southeast Asia it can be more a pain in the ass then a way to save money or nerves. I know driving in the chaotic traffic here can seem dangerous and overwhelming at first, but after a little warmup phase and the realization of rule number one on Thailand's streets, you will just feel safe like a baby. The rule is there are no rules btw.. but it also helps to know Thailand's driver are really really careful, even tho it might not look like they are. Chances are 1000x higher to get run over by another tourist than a local.
But back to topic: Koh Phaluai is too small for any form of public transportation anyways so we didn't have to worry about that. The hotel also had bicycles to borrow, but the distances between the hotel and basically everything worth visiting and exploring are relatively far. Also, the streets are very steep for most parts of the island so we all agreed to not die riding a bicycle up a hill at 36°C for several kilometers. So we went up to the friendly lady at the desk and asked for a scooter to borrow whereupon the told us the hotel doesn't have scooter for rent and there also is no rental on the island but as always, she knew someone who had scooters to borrow. She made a call and 10 minutes later we got our whips.
The sun already was setting as we left so we decided to just check out where the main road is leading instead of visiting a beach or temple because we all were hungry fairly tired and still had to unpack our luggage. Now I tent to be wanting to do everything and as much as possible at once since I always have a fear of missing out so I was kinda mad about this decision at first but I eventually agreed to it wouldn't make much sense to search in the dark for some temple just to not see anything but pitch-black.. Hanging around on a beach in the dark is fun tho.. But main street it was, one of just three asphalted roads on the whole island and about six kilometers long. It was a really beautiful drive. Since there is basically no tourism and just a few people living here most of the island is almost untouched nature, and we were driving right next to and through the Asian rainforest for the biggest time. Past banana palms and cotton trees, first over the rolling hills and then as it got steeper under big cliffs with palms and cacti growing on top.
After about 20 minutes we hit the end of the asphalted road at the feet of a small mountain. From now on the road was a relatively fresh dirt path in the same dimensions as the asphalted road. It looked like they were extending the road here because a big digger was parked next to the road. But it looked like they stopped working for now so we continued to drive uphill on the dirt path. After some broken bones, springs and near-death experiences we stopped to watch the sunset and it was pretty amazing.
After watching the sun crashing into the waves we headed back to our crib. Even tho it was pitch-black 15 minutes after sunset it still was very warm and on the way back the crickets chirping. The sound of the Crickets always gets me happy and excited and just puts me in a great "summer nights" vibe and a part of me wanted to stay up for a bit, grab some drinks at the bar and have a chilled convo before we would fall in our beds but tiredness hit hard at this point and so my sleepy side won and we all just fell asleep instantly after unpacking our stuff.
That concludes our first day on Koh Phaluai..
Also, by the time I'm writing this some time has passed and I can't remember exactly what happened after our first day. So I will stop telling stories and start with the straight facts.
THINGS TO DO ON
KOH PHALUAI
So let's be clear. If you are searching for a place to throw wild parties at, Koh Phaluai is not an Island for you.
If you are searching for a place to meet other Backpackers and like-minded people, Koh Phaluai is not an Island for you. If you need a stable, always active 24-7 internet connection, or good restaurants.. or any restaurants at all to survive, Koh Phaluai might also not be an Island for you.
But if you are looking for a place to completely detach from the outside world, for a little paradise to explore, for a place to just let your soul dangle for a moment, Koh Phaluai is THE Island for you.
The first thing worth mentioning is, Wlan is only accessible from 6 p.m to about 12 p.m. The reason for that Koh Phaluais's impressive focus on renewable energy sources. The whole Islands power grid is exclusively powered by wind turbines and solar panels. This does contribute to the fact that the residents have to be economical with electricity, but you can always charge your devices in the Hotel "Lobby" and for emergency situations are generators available.
And for many people, this might not sound very rewarding, so it did for me since we all are kinda living with one eye always on the screen.. Hm stuck on an Island without any Internet reception. What am I gonna do all day if I cant distract myself with my phone? What is left to do when there's no electricity and internet connection? Right, exploring the Island!
And that's probably the best reason to go there if you need a little timeout from everyday life. The Island basically forces you to put your phone away for some time.
But now, what can you do when you put your phone down?
Also, these are the "main" attractions
we managed to discover..
there might be more idk
THINGS TO DO ON
KOH PHALUAI
THIS TIME FOR REAL
Probbably the most interesting place to see on
the Island.. and definitely one of the most beautiful
beaches I got to see through my trips to Thailand
THE WEIRD TEMPLE
Some weird, barrack-like temple, we discovered on our way to the beach. The whole thing is basically just a weird arrangement of wood planks and scraps of fabric. It has some weird energy to it and a smell which got us thinking there is a dead body lying around somewhere.
the beach
the viewpoint
the weird temple
the hotel
THE VIEWPOINT
In the center of the Island on top of a little mountain sits the viewpoint. It's a big beautiful wooden platform from where you can overlook almost the whole Island.
THE HOTEL
Our beautiful little hotel. Friendly host, decent food, has wlan sometimes and is probably the only hotel on the Island.
THE BEACH
The local "secret beach" is to be found on the most northern part of the island you can get to via bike. The road ends a couple hundred meters before the path that leads down to the beach. From there it´s just a, relatively new, broad dirt track, but it´s manageable. And as we went there we always saw some construction worker, working on the road. So chances are high that the road is finished by now.
Now if you make it to the entrance of the path and follow it, over some logs and boulders you will be rewarded with a little hidden gem. The sand on the beach is nearly white, there are flowering bushes that line the shore, crowded with butterflies, big dark rocks in the sand that set contrast to the white.
Right behind the forest that lines the bank are these great, rugged cliffs, that emerge from the ground. And to top it all up, there is a little, grown-over wich island, that rises out of the ocean, which encloses the bay.
On the downside, there is a lot of plastic on the beach but, come on it´s southeast Asia what did you expect? But it´s not that bad, so if you don't look that closely you might be able to keep the illusion of a perfect, untouched beach intact.
THE WEIRD TEMPLE
When you are driving from the south side of the island to the north, towards the beach and the second village. You drive over some steep hills. And almost on the top of one of the tallest hills is a little unremarkable gateway, next to it a sign with a temple symbol or something like that. The road going by the temple is basically the only road on the island and THE road you have to take if you want to go anywhere.
So we passed by the temple signs multiple times a day, but for some reason, we weren't that interested in checking it out. Eventually tho, as we checked almost all the marks of things to do, we decided to give it a visit. And, I didn´t expect there to be anything outstanding great. I wasn't expecting to see some hidden pearl of Southeast Asian culture and architecture. I was thinking that there would be, maybe a little shrine and some Buddha statues or something, nothing great but still kinda charming and worth a, made for tourists temple sign. But there is no little shrine. The temple on top of the hill is a wild, mixed-up bunch of wooden barracks. With all kinds of sacred statues, dispersed over the area. The center of the "Temple Complex" marks a pillar decorated with carved in figures of deities. The shrine itself is, well not that charming but come on, it´s a small island what do you expect. It´s fine honeslty. It´s on top of a hill with a great view, it has some statues and stuff, a nice carved wooden pillar and all that. But still, the whole experience felt really off, like something here is not right. I can´t quite explain it, but as soon as we entered the temple area we were getting these weird eerie vibes and there also was this smell of rot putrefaction in the air. All the doors and windows of these wooden shacks are covered with red fabric, just like curtains, so you cant see what's in there right away. So we both had the uneasy feeling that there is a body lying around somewhere behind the curtains. I was equally interested as scared, so went to check in one of the shacks to check. The room was completely empty and my mom convinced me, that I don´t want to check the other barracks in search of a body, so I was letting it be. Which probably was a good idea. after that we left the temple with a weird feeling but at least untraumatized. And that sums up the temple. Weird.
THE VIEWPOINT
On that day I also didn´t bring my camera so sadly I have no pictures to show. What is a shame because the viewpoint on Koh Phaluai is actually very pretty. It's right in the center of the accessible part of the island. There is a road leading up, but it´s unpathed with boulders laying around everywhere and very steep. Maybe that changed by now and you can easily drive it, but as you spent unironically half of your time on your bike anyways it was a welcome opportunity to take a hike. We hiked for about 20 minutes through the forest to the top, where this beautiful terrace awaits you. The whole thing is made of dark wood, including railings, stairs, and all that. Flower beds line the edge of the platform and a narrow wooden stair leads up on the terrace. The terrace itself is pretty big and is divided into two parts, two platforms. In between the two platforms is just the top of the mountain and a path leads from platform a, over the peak, where a heart-shaped bank stands to platform b. One platform is overlooking the northwest, where the nature reservoir and the beach is. The other one is facing the southeast. I think normally you have to pay an entrance fee to enter the terrace, but on the day we went to visit, there was nobody there so we didn't. There is also a small hut where you can buy snacks and drinks but it was also closed. So we made the 20-minute hike uphill, had not to pay for the entrance, and made it right at sunset.. so, was it worth the immense effort? Yes, definitely! The view is really great. Koh Phaluai is a wild mixture of small islands rising high up from the ocean, overgrown with all sorts of tropical plants, and rolling hills, suddenly turning into massive cliffs crashing down on the white shores of (nearly) untouched beaches. And on top of this mountain, you can see all at once. Koh Phaluais beauty summed into one picture. And speaking of picture. Writing this I regret more and more not bringing the camera on this day. You cant even look up "Koh Phaluai View Point", I´m sorry.
But just imagine: Green hills on the right and left, framing a beautiful topical valley with the opal blue ocean that shines and glitters in the evening sun. On the far right, in the distance, behind the green hill are big, mighty, rugged but beautiful white cliffs, and the sky is deep blue.
The island has some more things to offer, like a rubber tree farm, some shops and who knows.. the rest is left for you to discover. And now to wrap it up, the last point on the list is:
THE HOTEL
Our hotel was unironically one of two hotels I managed to find online. And I think was one of three I saw on the island. It´s located on the South of the island right ON the beach. The whole hotel is basically: The reception and kitchen, the big wooden pavilion where you can eat and most importantly, the little huts on stilts which are the rooms. Every hut is made completely out of wood, has a small terrace with a hammock and an open-air bathroom, including a shower. Electricity is only available in the evening and not throughout the night, so you have to schedule your charging of electric devices. And the kitchen closes sometimes in the afternoon, but not really. If you ask kindly the very hospitable host and his family will surely still cook something for you. They were very kind. Now I couldn't show all the pictures I took when I was on Koh Phaluai in this article, but if you want to see more graphic material, there is a page to
Phaluai in the Gallery
Now our time on Koh Phaluai was coming to an end and we packed our stuff, made ourselves ready for the pickup drive which would take us to the pier and to the ferry. From there we would go to Koh Tao. I really enjoyed the couple of days I spent on this little island, and it is the one place I ever visited that comes close to the things I imagined when I first dreamed of traveling to Asia. But on the other hand, I was kinda glad to leave early because, well there is really not much to do here. we actually left one day earlier as planned because we.. or I got kinda bored. But with the right people, this island can be a lot of fun. For a couple of days.. or weeks, depending on your interests. In every case, it's definitely worth a visit. It's the right place to just cut everything loose and chill for a while. Enjoy the nature, the sunsets, the ocean, and everything else this island has to offer.