Travel:

ATTENTION: 30 day visa only on arrival by air in Bangkok or any other airport in Thailand. Short visa run gives 15 days only since nov.08 and have to be renewed every 15 day!

Bangkok Airways, many new destination (also from Ko Samui to Pattaya or Singapore) just still to expensive (at least for people living here (Thai and Farang's).

• Prices:(one way)
• Samui - BKK 3'680 - 5'000 Baht
• Samui - Singapore 7'500 - 8'900 Baht
• Samui - Pattaya 2'900 - 4'700 Baht

New: now also Thai Airways are flying to Samui, prices similar to Bangkok Airways. Cheaper to fly to Suratthani and take the Bus to the Pier (Donsak) and there take the Raja-Car-Ferry to Thongsala, Ko Phangan, Time-Schedule here!

Bus and Train, remains the same (evening departure in BKK, arriving early morning in Suratthani) buy Joint Ticket everywhere in BKK.

new: i.e. leaving @ Kaosan Road with VIP Bus to Chumphon (also possible with the train, but arriving at 3 or 4 a.m.) in Chumphon the newer Boat-Lines "Seatran" and "Lomprayah" leaving for Ko Phangan, with stop over on KO TAO about 700 Baht (prices changing due to actual gasoline situation possible)
Departure on Kaosan about 8:30h, arrival about 5:30 a.m. depending traffic on the highway and outskirt of BKK. Boat leaves at 07:00 a.m. and arrives at 11:00 a.m. in Thongsala, Ko Phangan. I prefer Seatran due to the space in the boat and on the deck. Lomprayah is a good choice too, but due to their professional management regarding ticket sale, the boat mostly full!

Bangkok:

• new Airport, Suvarnabumi, Architect's from Germany
• Paragon Shopping Center Siam Square and See World
• Skytrain and Metro, fast, cheap and modern transport system in the "newer" Bangkok area.

KO PHANGAN / PHA-NGAN

• Seven Eleven everywhere (new in Srithanu)
• Tesco/Lotus in Thongsala
• Street to Had Salad via Had Yao finished, beautiful street
• Street to Chaloklum completely new until the Elephant Trekking place and in the profile very large, great street now
• Street from Thongsala / Wogtum / Hinkong (costal street) enlarged
• Street to Hadrin enlarged again, safer now! But still a thrill
• A lot of new houses for rent and buy, mostly on the west coast
• fast internet and WiFi (WiFi on many places free, so bring your laptop)
• Girly Bars in Thongsala
• Limpipong is building a new shop on the street to Ban Tai (open)
• many new resort
• many swimming pools
• Had Yao is looking quite different (Had Yao Bungalows)

New Visa restriction: If you doing Visa-Border-Run you get now (since 4.12.08 only a 15 day visa! Otherwise you need to apply for a normal (2 month) Tourist-Visa somewhere outside of Thailand. Penang, Kota Baru for Malaysia (where they asked for a flight out of Thailand to your country and even a hotel confirmation earlier this year)! But this ha changed after a lot of problems with Tourist in Penang, and it is said that they went back to normal. For this please check with

Laos Vientiane embassy is also good for 2 entry tourist visa.
"THAI-VISA" the Web site and Forum for ex pats here in Thailand. Always "up to date" regarding the visa situation in Thailand. Good place for Visa is Vientiane too. The Cambodia Visa Run is not in my experiences yet. But seem s to be ok and fast. People living in Bangkok and Pattaya area using this one.

Ranong Border Visa Run is a fast one but the guy's (Immigration) on the other side in Burma (Myanmar) are completely nut's. If your Dollar bill is not absolutely new they refuse it. Idiots I tell you. Poor country!! And now with the new regulation (see above) not anymore convenient.

New short Border Visa Run now to the south in KHUANDON (near Hat Yai). Very nice small border to Malaysia. Leaving with the first Car Ferry, driving with a private car to the border and back. Catch the last Ferry at 17:00 p.m. (sometimes even possible to get the one at 4 o'clock) and the same day you are back "home" on Ko Phangan. Good drive on highway only. Last 1/2 through the hills and jungle near Malaysia.

Tickets by Mr. Kim Travel, Thongsala

• Private arrangements: Mr. Kim Travel, Thongsala
  5'100 Baht for the car, 3 People (sharing sedan car limousine)
• leaving with first car ferry (05:00 h) in Thongsala, or arrangement to go by night boat and start the trip around 5 in Suratthani Bandong pier and be back for the 14 or 16 h ferry.
• Driver pick up you at Donsak Pier (or night boat pier in Suratthani down town)
• Driving nonstop (just gasoline and maybe 7-11 short stop) to the border.
• Making Visa Run to the Malaysia Border Immigration Office. You can walk! and driving back to Donsak and get Raja-Ferry at 2. pm. or if delay at 4 p.m.
• Agency arrangement: Mr. Kim Travel, Thongsala
  (1850 - 2050 Baht) cheaper and more comfortable then the Ranong Visa Run.
• leaving with night boat (400 Baht included in the price)
• MiniBus picks you up at the Pier in Suratthani (Bandon Pier)
• Driving nonstop (just gasoline and maybe 7-11 short stop) to the border.
• Making Visa Run to the Malaysia Border Immigration Office. You can walk! and driving back to Donsak and get Raja-Ferry at 2. pm. or if delay at 4 p.m.
  

Chaopao Area (new Restaurants from "Falangs")

• Peppercorn Restaurant (Fridi former Dive Instructor by "Haad Yao Divers") makes very tasty "german" Gulasch and Spätzle, nice open place to go.
• Fellini Italian Restaurant

Paragon, deLuxe Hotel and Bungalows, Spa Resort in Had Chaopao with big Swimming Pool und AC Restaurant, but always empty.

A lot of choice to buy or rent land or even rent a whole resort

HAD YAO BEACH

Had Yao Bungalow was taken away and the place distributed under the 4 brother. So now there ar 4 brand new and nice "modern" resorts, but the prices are quite higher:

- See Through Boutique Resort
- Had Yao Bungalow
- Had Yao Beach Resort
- Had Yao Villa (also houses for rent at the hillside area)
see all resorts (pictures) here: click