Koh Phangan : Fees, Getting There, Accommodation
FEES
We do our best to keep class fees relatively low (by ashtanga standards) and stable.
For 2016, we kept the 2015 prices (in baht).
– One month : 9000 Baht
– 2 weeks (10x class) : 5000 Baht
– 1 week (5x) : 2700 Baht
– Drop-in : 550 Baht
Beginners Intro (5 x classes, must be paid on the first day) : 3000 Baht
We do make work/study/sliding-scale arrangements every season for a few students who would like to study with us on a daily basis, but are restricted financially. We’ll ask you for some help cleaning the shala, arranging the altar, etc.
Koh Phangan : Getting There
By Air
From Bangkok: Look online (Bangkokairways) for flights going to Koh Samui. These range in price from 3,000-5,500 one-way. There are flights every hour. The first and last flight each day are the cheapest. The flight takes about an hour. From the airport, take a shuttle to the Big Buddha pier (10 mins drive). There are ferries going to Had Rin on Koh Phangan at 10 am/1 pm/4pm. The fare is 150 Baht and it takes 50 mins to Had Rin. You can also look at 1-2-3-Fly, which fly to Surat Thani from the Don Muang airport, then put you on the shuttle and ferry to Tong Sala for about $50-60 US.
From Kuala Lumpur: KL to Samui twice/week on Firefly Airlines.
By Train:
There are clean and comfortable sleeper (sleeping berth) trains leaving at around 6 pm from Bangkok’s Hualompong train station. You will arrive in Surat Thani about 12 hours later, and be put on a bus to the 8 am Koh Phangan ferry. The ferry arrives in Tong Sala on Koh Phangan around midday/1 pm. The train/bus/ferry ticket costs about 1400 baht to Tong Sala, and can be arranged at most travel agencies in Bangkok one or two days ahead. From Tong Sala, you will take a ‘songthaew’ through to Had Rin (100 baht/45 mins ride).By Bus: Buses go from Bangkok every evening, and the ticket price (400-600 Baht) includes the ferry through to Koh Phangan. You will arrive in Tong Sala on the same schedule as the train (see “By Train”). WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THE BUSES. Nearly everyone who takes a bus has their luggage looked through and valuables stolen. It is worth spending the extra money on the train!
FROM HAD RIN to HAD TIEN:
Had Rin Note: This is the last place to go to the ATM/bank. No atm or moneychanger on Had Tien.
Long-tail Taxiboat: These are always waiting next to where the Samui ferry drops you off, called “sunset beach”. The fare is 300 baht and the ride is 20-30 minutes.If the weather is bad or the waves are big, both the fare and time will be more.The last boat to Had Tien leaves at about 5 pm, before it gets dark. IF the weather is stormy, it is better to stay a night in Had Rin and wait until the morning. In any case, be sure to wrap your valuables and luggage in plastic rubbish bags, as they will usually get wet at this time of year. If the sea is flat like glass, you don’t need to cover them. You can expect to get a little wet as well. “Dry Bags”can be bought in Bangkok or Had Rin if you have a laptop or other valuables. ‘Best not to wear your best clothes for the last part of the journey. You will be dropped off on Had Tien Beach, and that means on the beach, so you will be carrying your own luggage. If you travel with alot of luggage, you might consider leaving some things in Bangkok (many hotels offer left-luggage facilities) or Samui. Students have often been surprised to arrive wet and with alot of luggage to carry themselves along the beach, so keep this in mind!
Truck: There is now a road from Baan Tai (between Tong Sala and Had Rin) to Had Tien. This is an alternative when the boats don’t go or when the waves are big. If they are driving, you can find them at the Had Rin ferry dock around when the ferries (Had Rin Queen) arrive. Be prepared for an extremely rough ride. The price is 300-400 baht. They will drop you off in front of the Sanctuary in Had Tien.
From Had Tien to the Yoga Terrace:
Important notes: We are NOT at the Sanctuary, so use these directions below! Or ask for Why Nam Beach, a 5-10 minute walk from Had Tien. Classes are no longer at the Had Tien house where Kirsten and Rolf first taught.
From Had Tien Beach, you will walk along the path going through the coconut grove away from the Sanctuary, parallel to the sea, which should be on your right. Walk for a few minutes, follow the path up the hill toward Why Nam Beach (you will see signs). Once you are at the top/there will be steps going down to Why Nam. You will see the Yoga Terrace halfway down the steps to your right, on the cliffs.
Koh Phangan Accommodation
Note: We list the following information as a guideline to help, but we don’t do bookings or travel arrangements. Be aware that it's very difficult to find accommodation around the full moon, so please plan accordingly to avoid arriving at that time, if possible. These prices are from 2015, so expect a 10-15% increase for some of these listings.
Had Tien
Walk away from Had Tien Beach with the Sanctuary area on your left. Keep following the path and you will see signs on ahead. Here you will find “Family” and “Love-Lip” Bungalows; both have basic bungalows set back on a hillside walk. Love-lip also has a dormitory (700-1000 bt). Beam Bungalows toward the far back of the coconut grove (on the way to Why Nam) has overpriced bungalows and a dormitory; be forewarned that you’ll have the nearby Friday night music all night since it’s closest to the party site. (Do not pay Beam in advance, by the way! ) The Had Tien Resort just next to the Sanctuary has decidedly basic bungalows and some very run-down ones as well; they are popular so they’re often full. They will let you keep your bag there for 1-2 hrs to look for something else if they’re full. The Sanctuary itself has the best amenities and style in the area, but is also the most expensive (from 400 for a dormitory to 6,000 for a house). “Spice” has rather nice bungalows from 900-1200; they’re usually booked, but it’s worth asking if this is in your budget.
Why Nam
Simple bungalows with a sea view, 800 bath. Under new management, with a bit of a 'hippie vibe' in the restaurant area.
Haad Yuan
“Bamboo Hut” is set in a nice garden and on the rocks; it’s the favorite for bungalows and food, but is nearly always full (450 baht). From the Bamboo Hut, follow the wooden walkway toward Had Yuan. Once you’re on Had Yuan beach, you have “Big Blue” Bungalows, which are well-kept (600-1000 bt) and have a range of accomodation from standard bungalows to a 2-rm house. Further down the beach is a relatively new resort,”Pariya”, with modern amenities and a pool (info/booking available online. $100-250 US) . Past the resort is “Barcelona”, which has the most spacious bungalows of all the beaches, most are standard but there are fancier ones as well, nice views (400- 600 bt). Finally, there is another wooden walkway with 3 different groups of bungalows on the rocks and up the hill that are simple but decent (approx. 400-900 bt) and some of the nicest views. “Eden” on the path between Had Tien and Had Yuan (10 mins walk) has simple bungalows (300-400 baht). It has a party atmosphere, loud music, a run-down vibe.