Andaman Sea · Ranong · no cars

Koh
Phayam

Two long beaches, a network of concrete paths, and not a single car.

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No cars
Two long beaches
Cashew farms
Hammocks
Ranong ferries
Burmese border
Introduction

An island of paths, not roads

Koh Phayam lies off Ranong near the Burmese border, and it has stayed small on purpose. There are no cars — the island runs on motorbike taxis and narrow concrete paths through the cashew plantations — and the whole population is a couple of thousand people spread between two bays.

Sunset over the sea at Koh Phayam

Ao Yai on the west is the long sunset beach with the bungalows and the surf in season. Ao Khao Kwai in the north — Buffalo Bay — is quieter and calmer. Between them are cashew farms, a couple of bars that stay open late, and a rhythm that is genuinely slow rather than marketed as such.

Transport

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Tours

Tours & activities

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Quick facts

Koh Phayam

  • Off Ranong in the far northwest of the Andaman coast
  • Ferries from Ranong take 1-2 hours depending on the boat
  • No cars; motorbike taxis and rented scooters only
  • Season November to April; some places stay open all year
  • Ao Yai for sunsets and surf, Ao Khao Kwai for calm water
Beach on Koh Phayam
Getting there

Getting to Koh Phayam

Ranong is the gateway. Buses run from Bangkok overnight, or fly to Ranong from Bangkok in a little over an hour. From Ranong's Saphan Pla pier, the slow boat takes two hours and the speedboat about forty-five minutes.

From the Gulf coast this is one of the easier crossings: Chumphon to Ranong is a two-hour drive straight across the isthmus, which makes Phayam a natural pairing with Koh Tao on the other side.

Boats are less frequent in low season and can stop altogether in bad weather — leave a day of slack if you have a flight to catch.

Good to know

On the island

  • Power is limited on some beaches — a few places still run generators in the evening.
  • Bring cash; there is one ATM and it is not always working.
  • Scooters are the only practical transport, and the paths are narrow.
  • Ranong's hot springs make a decent stop on the way through.
Ferry on the Andaman coast
Highlights

What to do on Koh Phayam

  • Ao Yai — three kilometres of west-facing sand, and the island's sunset.
  • Ao Khao Kwai — Buffalo Bay, calmer water and fewer people.
  • Cashew farms — the island's other crop, and the reason for the inland paths.
  • Day trip to Koh Chang Noi — the smaller, even quieter neighbour.
Where to stay

Which bay on Phayam

Ao Yai for the long beach, the sunsets and most of the bars. Ao Khao Kwai for calm water and early nights. Both have simple bungalows and a few comfortable places, and nothing on the island is more than fifteen minutes away by scooter.

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Where next

Nearby islands

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