Phangan Rainbow Bungalows, Koh Phangan, Thailand

Koh Phangan is a small island located off the Eastern coast of Thailand. We arrived, as many people do in Bangkok after spending a few days in the capital we made our way down the coast by coast to Koh Samui which is just a short boat hop away from Koh Phangan. We spent a week on the island relaxing and choose this nice complex to stay in, so here is my review.

We arrived from Koh Samui via a high speed boat journey, which cost a couple ...
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Koh Phangan is famous around the Thailand for it full moon parties, We arrived a couple of days after one and this may explain as to why our walk down the beach was so peaceful and we didn’t see another tourist in sight. This was just before the sun set and it was truly a picturesque setting.

Although we booked a two person chalet, we could have easily accommodated a third person, as we were given a queen size bed and then ... more

Koh Phangan is a small island located off the Eastern coast of Thailand. We arrived, as many people do in Bangkok after spending a few days in the capital we made our way down the coast by coast to Koh Samui which is just a short boat hop away from Koh Phangan. We spent a week on the island relaxing and choose this nice complex to stay in, so here is my review.

We arrived from Koh Samui via a high speed boat journey, which cost a couple of quid into port on the island. From here we simply boarded a shared mini bus taxi which was going in our general direction on the island. This again cost very little, but you can haggle down the price a little bit if you choose.

How did we hear of this place?

We booked most of accommodation for our trip online. For many of the Asian places we visited, we simply booked the first night. We took this approach simply because of our experiences in Hong Kong- where we booked what seemed to be a nice hostel and turned out to be the worst place I will ever stay! However this approach was changed when we spotted this place on Koh Phangan.

The rainbow bungalow was recommended by the lonely planet guide book and we booked this simply on their recommendations. We booked this on hostel world after reading the endorsement and seeing the ratings and comments left by other travellers.

So what do you get?

We booked a two person chalet. This is located on what seems to be a private beach as the resort in sandwiched between the two biggest settlements on the island. On the shoreline is a couple of hammocks and even a volleyball net. On our first afternoon there we simply choose to walk down the beach front and passed an endless amount of fisherman hunting for fish in the sea, while others were checking nets cast out in the morning.

Koh Phangan is famous around the Thailand for it full moon parties, We arrived a couple of days after one and this may explain as to why our walk down the beach was so peaceful and we didn’t see another tourist in sight. This was just before the sun set and it was truly a picturesque setting.

Although we booked a two person chalet, we could have easily accommodated a third person, as we were given a queen size bed and then a single. These beds were also extremely comfy. You are also given a fan in the our, and I believe that some of the rooms have inbuilt aircon in them, but you do pay a bit extra.

The bathroom was also in fine condition where we had a bath with an overhead shower. This was also one of the few places that provided towels for your stay.

Both the room and the bathroom were in prestige state and the small balcony which accommodates a couple of chairs and a table is cleaned daily.

So what can you do?

The resort is run an Australian man, who was himself away on holiday when we stayed there. However the Thai family working in his absence were extremely friendly. As I said the island is famous for its island parties, but apart from that there isn’t much more to do. You can hire motorbikes from the hotel and drive around the island, but after I cast my eyes on the beach in the morning, that simply did not cross my mind.

The setting looked amazing as we had to pass between two palms trees to get to the beach. It was amazing how shallow the water was as well, as we seemed to be able to just keep walking and walking out to sea and then simply sit down. This was one of my highlights of this stay was simply looking back at the island in admiration and I can remember thinking ‘I could easily do this for life’, while little fish kept swimming past me.

The resort also serves food for breakfast. Breakfast highlights had to be the fresh fruit pancake, which was served with mango and banana. This isn’t included in the price, but is an extensive menu. The bar is open all day and you can collect any drinks and pay for them later. The food also served here was some of the best that we ate in Thailand, except for street stalls in Bangkok. We enjoyed numerous Thai curries. This was the first place I tried a yellow Thai curry. All of this was reasonably cheap and big bottles of beer were kept in a big fridge at a refreshing temperature.

The hotel also provides several games for you to play when the sun disappears and also provides free internet access.

For many of the hostels around South East Asia, security is a big issue, but this place seemed to buck the trend. It was one of the few places that offered to keep our important documentation secure and the resort also employs a different kind of bouncer – some big dogs. These are harmless but alert everyone if someone arrives at the resort.

Disadvantages

There is only one disadvantage I can think of for this place. This is simply the isolation of the resort. For example if you didn’t like the food, you have no easy alternative options to choose from. However for me this was not a problem. This for me actually worked out to be an advantage. I loved the remote feeling that this resort offered after coming from the heavily touristy areas of Koh Samui

Cost

The cost of the room we booked worked out to be £6.62 per night, which for 2 people a night is truly amazing value. Alternatively you can book a deluxe cabin for double the money, which have air conditioning and bigger beds. However this is quite pricey and if you are on a real budget many cheaper alternatives can be found.

I can’t remember the cost of meals and drinks but I can remember that it was in keeping with what I was paying on another Island.

Overall

This was possibly the best place I stayed on my travels and would recommend it for any other travelers. I would even think about this place as a normal holiday as well.
 

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