SAGA Holidays to Thong Nai Pan Yai

Things have indeed moved on since the first hippies discovered the tucked away beaches of Thong Nai Pan Noi and Thong Nai Pan Yai. The area seems to have by-passed the phase of being over-run with Israelis clutching their army pay and gone straight into the mainstream of tourism.

The latest tours by Saga include Siam Island Adventure. It is an 11 night tour that costs £1,549. For the same money I could travel around South America for 3 months. Nevertheless, for those who don't want to think about buying tickets or finding places to stay the package tour will always remain popular. The Japanese who fear that all the world is dangerous bar for their ugly city or town where they live, the guided tour is the norm when going abroad.

The 'Siam Adventure Tour' starts in Bangkok and takes in Hua Hin and Chumphon before hitting Koh Phangan. Tourists are treated to 2 nights at Havana Beach Resort in Thong Nai Pan Yai before visiting Than Sadet and then moving on to Koh Samui.

What is interesting about the Saga holiday to Koh Phangan is that it chose Thong Nai Pan rather than Haad Rin, Haad Yao or Ban Tai as its beach location. This is confirmation perhaps that Thong Nai Pan is the best beach on the island. It is also intersting to note that the price of £1,549 is not enough to stay at the better resorts of Santhiya, Panviman or Rasananda. In a way I'm pleased as I like the owners of Havana.

However, if you are reading this and you are thinking of going to Koh Phangan for the first time, then unless you are old don't waste your money with Saga. Thailand is one of the safest places to travel in the world. Why not make your own way down to Koh Phangan from Bangkok and why not give some of your money to the local businesses along the way instead of giving it to corporate entities in First World countries?

Rasananda Changes to Anantara Rasananda

Rasananda was completed in 2009. It offered the first luxury accommodation on the beach front of Thong Nai Pan Noi. The concept is individual pool villas in a modern Thai style that combines the best of the clean lines of minimalism with the features of traditional Thai accommodation. 

In 2010 Rasananda won "Best Luxury Resort" at the Luxury Travel Awards. Since then demand has soared for the boutique resort. In June 2012 Rasananda will add another 20 private villas to its resort.

As a result of increased demand, Rasananda has partnered up with Anantara Brand Management to improve the experience of staying at the resort. Anantara has over 4,800 rooms world wide and has resorts in such places as Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket, Bangkok and Hua Hin.

Ownership of Rasananda remains Thai. It is promised that the newly branded Anantara Rasananda will remain true to its cultural roots while bringing the wealth of know-how that Anantara have to make an even better resort in Thong Nai Pan Noi.

While this might disappoint some - seeing a brand slip into the accommodation mix in TNP Noi - it will be seen as a welcome development for guests at Anantara Rasananda as they will be provided with even more luxury.

History of how Thong Nai Pan Noi has Changed

Somebody once wrote that the only constant in history was change. This is as true of Thong Nai Pan Noi as anywhere else in the world. Even the Bhutanese are seeing change. It is very much open to debate as to whether change represents progress. It is also very debatable as to whether history is cyclical as the Hindus believe.

Change has happened quickly on the small beach of Thong Nai Pan Noi. Since it was first 'discovered' in the 1970s it was quickly dubbed as the best beach on Koh Phangan. This perhaps is why Thong Nai Pan Noi has changed so quickly. A new article on www.thongnaipan.info chronicles the changes to Thong Nai Pan Noi since 1997. It makes interesting reading. It is also a good thing that somebody is making the effort to record the change. People are much too reliant on wikipedia nowadays for their version of history.

Only by recording change can we hope to learn from our mistakes, and only by preserving the beauty of nature can people continue to profit from nature's beauty. Neither of these points can be made too strongly.

The picture above was taken in 1997. It7s what the walk from Sandee Bungalow (then Honey Bungalow) used to look like.