Reader’s E-mail:
I have always dreamed of going to a deserted beach and camping for the night. Can you suggest somewhere in Thailand where I can go?
Reply from Thailand Info
Try Haad Nam Tok on Koh Phangan. It is generally deserted as it is difficult to get to.
Camping For The Night
Many people camp here as there are no resorts or restaurants on this beach. Which means you need to take everything you need for the time you are there including water, food and tent to keep the insects away. This is a beautiful swimming beach at the bottom of a small waterfall. It is not on a road and access is by foot only. The nearest dwellings are on the hill a couple of hundred metres above the beach, and there are only a handful of local fisherman and coconut farmers living up there.
Getting to Haad Nam Tok
To get to Haad Nam Tok you need your own bike. From Thong Sala (the main port town) you drive toward Thong Nai Pan. The turning to Haad Nam Tok is about 5km up the Thong Nai Pan Road. The Thong Nai Pan Road starts near Baan Tai village on the Baan Tai Road. The turning to Haad Nam Tok is on the right about a kilometre after Jungle Flight. Follow the a sign on the turning to Kung Bungalow.
Walk The Last Stretch of The Road
The road you then take is a dirt track which you follow (about 3 km) as far as it possible to ride on a motorbike. Stop your bike there and carry on on foot. Make sure you stop your bike when it gets steep because you may have difficulties riding it back up the hill. From there it is about 30 minutes walk carrying on down the path crossing over the stream which has small waterfall and pools for its length until it reaches the beach. ‘Haad Nam Tok’ means ‘waterfall beach’ in Thai and it takes it name from this stream. The last part of the walk is steep and you should hang onto the rope which has been placed at the steepest last part of the path.