| Ko Pha Ngan is at least ten years behind Samui
in terms of development, which lends the island a lot
of charm, and some would say it's more picturesque than
Samui itself. The main tourist beach Had Rin is busiest
on Full Moon nights, but is well worth a visit the rest
of the month too for its chaotic jumble of bars, clubs,
restaurants and handicraft shops.
The main selling point for the rest of the island is
pristine undeveloped beaches, with only a handful of
bungalows to disturb the peace. The most upmarket of
these is Tong Naipan, thanks to the presence of the
island's most luxurious resort, Panviman.
Wat Phra Yai is the home of the 12 metre high statue
of a seated Buddha that is the island's most popular
tourist attraction. Dramatically situated on a small
island at the end of an isthmus, the wat itself is surrounded
by shops, cafes and food stalls. The fairly modern statue
may not be the most exciting example of Buddhist art,
but its size is undeniably impressive. Visitors are
encouraged to make a donation, or pay to sign a brick
that will be used for renovating the temple. Big Buddha
Beach.
Located a short boat ride from Samui's south coast,
these two small islands often come together as a package
(with either fishing or snorkelling thrown in) offered
as a daytrip by local tour companies and individuals.
Ko Mudsum is basically one long beach that is unfortunately
rather dirty in places. There's also a dead reef directly
off shore, which makes swimming tricky, and a pearl
farm that's open to visitors.
Viewing these astonishing creations, even scientific
purists would be tempted to believe that nature too,
can be as whimsical as the most eccentric artist. Also
known as "Grandfather and Grandmother rocks";
entirely formed by the elements, two extraordinarily
accurate male and female genitalia-shaped rock formations
share a perch overlooking the sea.
The most famous dive site in the area is Sail Rock,
North of Ko Pha Ngan, which has an 18m natural rock
chimney swimthrough and is a good place to see whale
sharks. Other sites can be found in the North of Anthong
Marine National Park and close to the Gulf's diving
mecca Ko Tao, which has 21 sites off its shores. A day's
diving from Samui should get to two to three sites.
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