Wedding on Thong Nai Pan

A touching blog I read recently - My impromptu Wedding on Thong Nai Pan Noi. It is good to see the art of catering for strangers' needs is not dead. This Dutch couple got married on Thong Nai Pan Noi beach. Baan Panburi have been known to do a wedding or two in their time. Big up to Baan Panburi for sending newly weds off into the journey of matrimony on the right note!

Beginnings and Ends

The Doors Bar and Restaurant in Thong Nai Pan Noi has closed down. It is a shame - the beautiful wooden building was a positive asset to the beach. I guess the location was the biggest problem for the commercial viability of the business - it was simply too far from the beach front. The same can be said for the Otto Bungalows next door and the Pankaew Restaurant. These two businesses seem to survive on near zero customers.

Another change is the KP Property Office. Recently it was re-designed so the front entrance was facing the main thorough-fare in Thong Nai Pan Noi. Now rumour has it that it is closing down and the premises are to be taken over and turned into a cafe.

The final piece of news is that Thong Nai Pan Magazine now has links to hotel booking engines so you can read independent reviews about accommodation in Thong Nai Pan and then book on-line. Obviously, old school places such as Tapan Noi and Pen's Bungalows continue to opt out of internet booking schemes. If you want to book the very popular Dolphin Bungalows then you have to contact the owners by email.

The Gloves are Off with Ra Sa Nan Da pricing

The Ra Sa Nan Da is a swanky place with a daft name. Well it wouldn't be so daft if they hadn't parcelled off the syllables - ananda is sanskrit for "joy" (as many people know) and ras is sanskrit for "abolish, roar or scream". Perhaps Ras isn't sanskrit. Anyway I'm sure it means something to Thai people, but to us farang it's incomprehensible and made more so by splitting up the name. Ra Sa Nan Da goes one better than Santhiya. Santhiya is a massive hotel with a huge pool and it's own beach. But there's the caveat. Santhiya beach, as they like to falsely call it, is not so great. That's why Santhiya guests congregate around the pool instead. In comparison Ra Sa Nan Da has the lion's share of the best beach in Koh Phangan and arguably one of the best beaches in Thailand, Thong Nai Pan Noi. They are right on the beach. They have got cool modern tropical mini villas with small plunge pools and salas. The colouring is an opulent red. The theme of the resort is boutique and exclusive. And now the promotional phase has finished they have got outrageous prices to match. Gone are the moderately reasonable rates between 12,500 thb and 25,500 thb per night. Now they are asking between 22,000 thb and 50,000 thb for a night. Incredible when next door in Baan Panburi you can get a bungalow for as little as 550 thb a night. There's a contrast. It's the same beautiful white sand beach, the same tropical scenery, the same bars and restaurants but the hoi polloi are kept at arms length while you lounge in your personal sala and stare at the stars. Ra Sa Nan Da does, however, have this quite amazing wine rack in the reception area, and an odd art piece red chair to match.