|
THONG SALA AND SURROUNDINGS
Just on the old pier, lobster seafood is serving delicious seafood, but the prices are expensive as it is still the only restaurant in Thong Sala with a terrace right up the beach. Not far from this one, on a place right in front of the new multipurpose pier, you’ll find L’embuscade a small french restraurant serving delicious meal with mouth-watering home made bread in a typical "french bistrot" atmosphere. Westward, in front of Raja pier,
Yellow Café serves full English breakfast that should satisfy the most hungry ones. In the main road, the Green restaurant, a long time running shop, has good thai food at
reasonnable prices. Almost in front of the "green restautant", in the soï of the Krung Thai Bank, in front of it, actually, the A´s Coffee has big meals and real coffee, it is a clean and good place, try an home made ice-cream shake with their famous pizza baguette... In the same street, downward, you will find Pizza Fabio, serving very good Pizzas as from the original Italian recipe. The Italian manager is very nice and all the staff is helpful.
Back on the main road, northward, after the turn, next to "Phangan Meat", a small thai restaurant, despite its name, Don Danielito, is one of the best deals in Thong Sala. They serve good thai food, at
really competitive prices, as well as tasty pizzas and jacket potatoes (ask them very coocked...not to have them raw) for less than 100 bahts ! It's a favorite among foreigners living in Koh Phangan. The sign says Bantai, as they were there for few years in the early 2000's before coming in Thong Sala.
Continuing up to the end of the street, at the junction with the Chaloklum road, on the left side, try O' RestO, a small restaurant, managed by a charming french couple, serving devlicious and generous salads at incredibly low prices.
You will also find excellent dishes as the chiken in basquaise sauce, or chicken filets in various dipping, potato gratin, vegetable stews, not forgeting to mention the gorgious tapenade (spreading paste made of crushed olives), perfect as a starter to shere ! All this with a good glass of wine, finish with a Chocolate fondant and a real coffee, and for a very soft bill. A Highly recommended restaurant.
|
|
|
Out of Thong Sala, on the road to Haad Rin, just 100 meter from the red light, in front of the 7-Eleven, Mediterraneo is a recently opened Italian restaurant serving Greek and Italian dishes. Right next, Little Hanoï is the first Vietnamese restaurant in Koh Phangan, you will find delicious real fresh spring rolls among other special sets. The menu is made of Pictures allowing you to see the dish before you order it. A good and friendly address. Just opposite these restaurants, 2 shops from the 7-Eleven, Panette Bakery (formerly known as Golden Galette)
is the ONLY real French bakery in Koh Phangan. It just opened in April 2008, they were just near the Cool Runnings Bar, at that time and moved here in november 2008 for a much better setting. Fred, the owner, is preparing absolutly gorgeous pastries, and we can even say that they are of the same quality as a high grade pastry shop in Paris.
Yes, we have to confess that he really did surprise us with such a quality in Thailand, if you like sweets, you can not miss it ! Have some Viennese pastries for breakfast or one of their Black forest, Chocolate Eclair or Lemon tart for tea time here, you can be sure you definetely won´t be disappointed. Further to Haad Rin, few meters before the first bridge, on the right side of the road, you will find Ando Loco, a mexican restaurant serving real mexican meals and an excellent margharita. They propose interesting sets to allow you to try different dishes. All is tasty and the staff is friendly as well.
500 meters further, the Cool Runnings... Bar & Restaurant is a friendly Reggae bar and restaurant, with a large dining space, free pool table in a rear garden and free wi-fi in all the place. Managed by a french guy, who serves french
meals and of course, international dishes as well. There's a cheerful atmosphere here, you can chill out, sipping your cocktail, surrounded by tropical plants, while listening to good music, with a wide selection of reggae tunes. Just before the next bridge, on the same side of the road, the Chor Chang is a simple Thaï restaurant,
very well known by locals as they serve all kind of delicious food, unluckyly for them, most of the travellers do not go there as they are a bit aside the road. Give it a try, you might come back there every day.
|
| Back to the top |
Most of the Restaurants you will find on the west coast are actually from the bungalow settled on the beach. Some Thaï restaurants can also be found in the villages of Hin Kong and Srithanu. But, nevertheless, there are also few special places around that have opened years after years and that are worth to speak about.
HIN KONG
Once a very quite, not to say desertic, area, Hin Kong has known some success, with more and more people coming and living there. Thanks to the Agama Yoga School which did open a center there few years ago.
One of the very good deal of this coast is Angel Bay, another french restaurant, but of very high quality, nestled aside the road, directly on the beach, with a nice garden. They prepare french cuisine, of course,like
salads or beef with fries, but also some delicious Pizzas, some say they are the best of Koh Phangan...
For a classy lunch or dinner, a gastronomic restaurant has opened its doors in 2006, the Me´N´u, owned by a british chef, it serves fusion modern food in a typically british setting. This place is highly valued by many foreigners living here, but it might seem a little bit uppriced.
|
|
SRITHANU AND HAAD YAO
You will find many Thaï restaurants around, small bars to have a drink and some snacks in Srithanu. The most known place around is the long time runned now Green Vilage restaurant. They serve the classic thaï dishes as well as british grubs and meals.
Just after Srithanu, on the top of the hill, the Big Mountain serves gorgeous vegetarian food, including Indian dishes, at very cool prices, so that many of the yogis living around make it their favorite. Up north, in Haad Yao, on the road, hillside,
the Tantawan serves Thaï and French food in their very nice garden, aside the swimming pool. The pool is, by the way, available for all customers of the restaurant.
|
| Back to the top |
CHALOKLUM
Chaloklum is a fishermen village, so you won´t have any problems to enjoy some of the best seafood around. you will find many small Thaï restaurants in the village and most of them are on the sea side, offering fresh seafood with an amazing seaview.
The most renowned place around is without doubt the Sheesha Bar, this is a very white and clean building, they have seaview, of course and when you drop in, it seems you change of country,
for some mediterrean mystic lands. They offer international menu and a seaside BBQ. The fitting is very modern and trendy, as do the prices. As the name says, you will have the opportunity to have a "Sheesha session", with the flavoured tobacco of your choice, a must.
|
|
|
Back to the top |
In Koh Phangan, most of the the nightlife turns around the “Full Moon Party” and all the parties connected with the lunar cycle, on top of wich you have the "Shiva Moon" et and other
parties to be added, as well as the now famous "after-parties" at the Ban Sabaii !
For any informations about all these events, please check our special page Full moon & other parties of Koh Phangan.
But, anyway, whenever you plan to visit the island, you'll be able to party all nights and all night long (as Haad Rin is, indeed, the only place all around Thailand that remains open after 02:00 am) !!!
|
|
IN HAAD RIN
Most of the bars and "clubs" are located in Haad Rin East, the "full moon party" beach (but many other lively places are now flooding everywhere on the island
these last years, check the next paragraph).
Among the most popular places in Haad Rin, you'll find the Paradise, where the full moon party was originally launched, the Zoom Bar for Psy Trance experience addicts, further, you have the
Drop In club and the Cactus, both of them deliver a more commercial sound, as well as the Orchid at the end of the beach, Big Boom Bar is a favorite
among Thaïs. And just to name a few, because there are so many others. Most of them located, along the beach, so you'll just have to hang about from one bar to another to find the setting you're in the
mood for.
For a totally different experience, absolutly apart, in a really different world, head for Haad Rin West and go to Purple Haze Bar near the pier, just by the lake. they
prepare Shakes you can be sure you'll remember all your life long...
|
|
|
|
Inside Haad Rin town you'll find the Same-Same, a favorite among partigoers, with live music and a no techno-music policy...The Outback Bar and the Warm Up Bar are also popular choices.
At the entry of the soï leading to the Drop In Bar, The Eclipse a lounge bar, with resident DJ serves coktails and good food in a relaxing atmosphere.
Anyway, it is the same in town as on the beach, again there are so many places, you´ll just have to roam around to find the setting that suits you the best to spend the evening, or go from one bar to another, all night ´til the next morning.
|
| Back to the top |
OUTSIDE HAAD RIN
If you don’t fancy mixing with the crowds and just want to have a quiet drink in a more intimate bar, there are numerous tinny beer bars all along the main road from
Thong Sala to Ban Kai, where you could even be able to find a companion for a short time or for all night long... And if you even fancy to have a good meal surrounded by charming hostesses, just give a try to the Burgers Bar just outside of Thong Sala on the road going to Bantai, they serve very nice french food with delicious home made bread sandwich, wood fire oven Pizzas in a... really unique atmosphere !
If you're more in the mood for a buddy bar without "Thaï ladies" but with good music and lively atmosphere, where you can enjoy delicious meal as well, then head for the Cool Runnings... Bar, just out of Thong sala, on the road to
Haad Rin, they have free pool and Wi-Fi, you'll spend a nice evening, guaranted.
In Bantai, apart from the after parties at Ban Sabaii, the only alternative for nightlife is the Hide Out Bar, just at the junction to the Ban Sabaii, just close to Om Tattoo Shop
.
|
|
|
If you stay on the west coast, you'll have your count also, as the Pirate Bar at Haad Chao Pao organises
parties and special BBQ evenings, as does the Reggae Bar of Mr Lek (well-known figure for olders of Phangan) in Haad Salad,
with an 100% Jah Rastafari atmosphere guaranted !
For those in Chaloklum, leave the bike at your bungalow and have a walk to Café del Mar or Sheesha Bar, right by the beach or try the
Woodstock bar just out of town, for a more private ambiance. Outside of the village as well, you have the Wake Up Bar owned by a very friendly english guy who is serving english food and cold beer in a very chill out atmosphere.
To be sure to start the evening in the right way, many travellers meet each other at the Amsterdam Bar, on the West coast,
near Ao Nai Wok, to admire the stunning sunsets in a rasta atmosphere. You'll have to be strong to climb all the steps that lead to the top of the hill where the bar is located, but
once there, you'll understand that it was worth it !! The bar is very friendly and the viewpoint is absolutly breath-taking, all over the marine park ! just have a sit, chill out and enjoy the
show... It's playing from 06:00pm to 06:30pm all year long !
|
Back to the top
|
|
