Dozing under a palm tree, the sound of a ceremonial drum breaks the silence as a speedboat carrying a pair of new guests pulls into shore.
It doesn’t take them long to disembark and, soon, calm is restored. I take a sip of my fresh coconut water and exhale.
It’s hard to believe I’m on Koh Phangan, the Thai party island famous for its raucous backpacker rite of passage: full moon parties.
Once a month, the island receives up to 30,000 tourists, who come ready to have fun from dusk to dawn on the golden sands of Haad Rin, on the island’s southeastern peninsula.
Covered in neon paint, partygoers sip from buckets full of alcohol and jump over flaming ropes while dancing on the beach. But here on the northeast coast, there’s not a wide-eyed backpacker or sound system in sight. The only clues to the bustling side of Koh Phangan are the party posters taped to the occasional palm tree.
Lauren Probert explores the quieter northern side of Koh Phangan in Thailand. She says, “This is far from a tough backpacker-style situation.”
But surrounded by lush jungle, the five-star Anantara Rasananda, where I stay, is a secluded oasis.
Located on the white sands of Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach, the resort is at the end of a small village of the same name, where therapists sit outside salons ready to hand out massages for £6.50 and tourists stream in. and they leave elegant cafes and the local art gallery.
This is far from a backpacker style place. The friendly hotel team greets us (me and my fiancé Josh) with a refreshing cold towel and a warm smile. Our “personal host” Kae is available for anything we need, such as booking restaurants and taxis.
Lauren checks in at Anantara Rasananda (seen here), which sits on the white sands of Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach.
Lauren calls the rooms at Anantara Rasananda “decadent.” Shown here is an Ocean Pool Suite
The rooms are decadent. Ours faces the ocean and features an indoor and outdoor shower, a private plunge pool, and bamboo, rattan, and palm tree furniture. Other guests are mostly couples, a mix of old and young, and a few families (although, thankfully, there is a pool designated for adults only).
You won’t find any hotel discotheques or children’s entertainers here. This resort is synonymous with calm, serenity and dining with sand between your toes.
Away from Rasananda, a feeling of calm comes over him. As we hop between bars with beanbags and hammocks, we find that most places on this side of the island close early. In this area, many restaurants are so calm and homely that you need to leave your shoes at the door.
Above is the uninhabited island of Koh Ma. Lauren points out that you can walk to the island along a strip of sand at low tide.
Locals are happy that Koh Phangan, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is slowly shedding its party image.
“Full moon parties are popular especially among young people,” says our waiter as he serves us drinks as we recline on the beach loungers. ‘They head to the south of the island and tend to stay there. People come here to relax and enjoy the beautiful beaches and calm seas.’
Mae Haad Beach, on the northwest side of the island, is a good place for swimming and snorkeling. Here, the beach ends with a sandbar that connects to the small, uninhabited island of Koh Ma, which can be reached by walking at low tide.
Lauren (pictured) says there is a “sense of calm” in the north of Koh Phangan
We arrived there by traditional, colorful speedboat, a half-hour trip through the blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand, enjoying the beautiful view of remote Bottle Beach along the way. In Mae Haad, the sea is warm and beneath the surface you can enjoy lots of patterned corals and tiny, shiny fish.
Back at the hotel, two-hour Thai cooking classes are offered. These take place in an outdoor kitchen, overseen by Chef Yadfa, who walks you through the essential Thai herbs and spices: lemongrass, galangal, chilli and kaffir lime leaves.
You learn how to make a Thai fish cake, a massaman curry and tom kha gai, a coconut chicken soup. Then you can devour the delicious batch.
However, cooking is a humbling experience. Despite my best efforts, my cut is messy and the presentation leaves a lot to be desired.
The rest of our days were spent relaxing, enjoying leisurely lunches on the beach, swimming and kayaking into the local bay to watch the sun slowly sink into the watery horizon.
It turns out that Thailand’s famous party island might be the most relaxing.