Thailand - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 791

lush promontory. It also hosts courses in yoga and
meditation, and has a spa and a wellness and detox centre.
The beautiful timber restaurant serves up healthy plates
with a great selection of vegetarian food. Dorm B250 ,
double B770

best and most expensive are across the creek on the beach,
all with a/c, some with hot water. O n-site dive school and
kayaks and snorkels for rent. Double B600

DIRECTORY
In the dense tourist village of Hat Rin you will easily find
supermarkets, travel agents, motorbike rental places (from
B200/day), overseas phone facilities, dozens of internet
outlets and plenty of ATMs and currency exchange booths.
Books Bookazine on the southern transverse in Hat Rin.
Diving Lotus Diving has a dive resort on Ao Chaloaklam
( T 077 374142, W lotusdiving.net), plus an o ce at
Backpackers Information Centre in Hat Rin. A PADI Five-
Star centre, it offers frequent courses and trips to Sail Rock,
halfway between Pha Ngan and Tao.
Hospital 3km north of Thong Sala, on the road towards
Mae Hat; in Hat Rin, the Bandon International Hospital
operates a small clinic on the southern transverse, near the
pier ( T 077 375471-2).
Kitesurfing Cuttlebone, Holiday Beach Resort, about 2km
southeast of Thong Sala ( T 081 940 1902; W cuttlebone
.net), runs great kitesurfing classes.
Police The main station is 2km up the Ban Chaloaklam
road from Thong Sala ( T 077 377114), and there's a tourist
police o ce at the main pier in Thong Sala ( T 1155).
Post o ce About 500m southeast of the piers on Thong
Sala's old main street (Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon & 1-4.30pm,
Sat 9am-noon).

THE NORTH COAST
Bottle Beach II Bungalows Eastern end of Bottle
Beach T 085 654 4770. Two rows of old-school, bamboo-
clad huts with fans, cold showers and mosquito nets. This
is where to head for if you want total r elaxat ion on a quiet
and beautiful stretch of beach. Double B400
Coral Bay On a grassy promontory that divides Ao
Chaloaklam from Hat Khom T 077 374245. Friendly,
laidback outfit with plenty of space and great views. The
sturdy bungalows range from simple wooden affairs to
large pads with a/c and hot showers, some with funky
bathrooms built into the rock; snorkelling equipment can
be rented to make the most of Hat Khom's reef. Phone
ahead t o ask about their daily transfers from Thong Sala.
Double B400
Smile Resort Western end of Bottle Beach T 085 429
4995, W smilebungalows.com. Set on a rocky slope strewn
with flowers and trees on the western side of the beach,
with fun owners and a sociable bar-restaurant area. The
basic b ungalo ws come with wall fans and mosquito nets.
Double B450

10

THE WEST COAST
Ibiza Bungalows Hat Yao T 077 349121. Friendly,
central spot on a spacious lawn that's shaded by mature
trees, with a good restaurant. The thirty airy bungalows
run the full gamut, from fan and cold-water offerin gs near
the beach to a/c, hot-shower affairs. Double B400
★

KO TAO
Forty kilometres north of Ko Pha Ngan,
small, forested Ko Tao is the last and most
remote island of the archipelago, with a
long curve of classic beach on its west
side, Hat Sai Ree , and secluded rocky
coves along its east coast. It's a popular
travellers' destination, especially from
December to March. Ko Tao feels the
southwest monsoon more than Samui
and Pha Ngan, so June to October can
have strong winds and rain.
Blessed with clear seas (visibility up to
35m), a wide range of coral species and
other marine life, and deep water
relatively close to shore, Ko Tao is one
of hailand's premier diving locations.
Diving is possible year-round, but
visibility is best from April to July, and
in September (usually best of all) and
October; November is the worst time.
If you're just arriving and want to stay
on one of the less accessible beaches, it
might be a good idea to hook up with

Seaflower Ao Chaophao T 077 349090, W seaflower
bungalows.com. Quiet spot, set in a lush garden, with
good veggie and non-veggie food. En-suite bungalows with
their own hot-water bathrooms vary in price according to
their size and age. Kayaks are available, as well as fishing
and snorkelling day-trips and occasional overnighters to
Ang Thong National Marine Park (see p.790). Free pick-ups
from Thong Sala with advance notice. Double B600
Shiralea Hat Yao T 077 349217, W shiralea.com. On a
broad, grassy bank beneath coconut trees behind the
north end of the beach, the spacious, very attractive
thatched bungalows here all come with hot water, safety
boxes and hammo cks, an d there's a seductive pool and a
dive school. Double B600
Wang Sai Resort Ao Mae Hat T 077 374238,
W wangsairesort.com. Popular, friendly spot by a shady
creek at the south end of the bay. On a huge plot of land,
most of the en-suite bungalows are set back from the
beach, with fans and cold showers - pay B200 extra for
those that are up the slope, with great sunset views. The