Resting in Haad Rin: Sarikantang Resort & The Cabin – Koh Phangan (Thailand)

Haad Rin is world-famous for its Full Moon Party: a place for parties until dawn, a place of debauchery, with tourists sleeping right on the beach half in a coma, endless buckets of alcohol. But because of (thanks to?) Covid, Haad Rin is turning into a ghost town, and that’s the only reason we’re setting foot there 🙂

Part 1: Travel Journal
Part 2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Journal

Sarikantang Resort and Silan Residence (where we’re currently staying) have the same owner. So when we received an offer from Sarikantang Resort, offering all Silan residents a 30-hour stay at the partner hotel for 1,700 baht. With this offer, we get 1,500 baht in vouchers at the restaurant, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to force ourselves to get out of our fishing village and explore the south of the island, which we didn’t know at all.

After checking with our scooter rental and the resort, we’re confirmed that the trip can be done by scooter. The road has been recently redone, but you have to brake with both brakes on the very steep descent, and be very careful on the way up. Indeed, there are hills where you have to accelerate to the max, but also watch out for sharp turns. Luckily, there’s not much traffic right now.

When you get almost to Haad Rin, you’ll see the Palais Hotel (Agoda link) on your right. It’s a copy-paste of the Angkor temples. It’s disrespectful (it’s like someone making a copy of Notre-Dame de Paris and turning it into a hotel), but the details are incredible. I looked at the photos online, the pool looks magnificent too. But the hotel is closed right now.

Sarikantang Resort

Upon arriving at Sarikantang Resort (Booking link, Agoda link), we’re extremely well received. We get a simple room with a sofa corner, a small work desk, and a hammock.

There are only digital nomads here. At the hotel restaurant, you see a parade of nomads, on client calls all day. They must have an offer for those living there by the month. The internet connection is very fast.

Unfortunately, the water isn’t very deep right now. JB tries snorkeling but there are too many waves, too many corals, and he gets several scrapes on his legs. Right now, there’s a storm offshore. Normally, the water is super calm and you can paddle without any worries.

I really like this hotel’s restaurant. Everything is good: Thai dishes as well as international ones. The duck à l’orange “fusion” style is to die for. The salad that comes with it is full of flavor. I highly recommend it if you’re ever homesick.

Haad Rin

The receptionist tells us that since Haad Rin beach is on the other side, the tides are opposite to our beach. So when we don’t have water, Haad Rin has water and vice versa. We finally find an open bar (no more Full Moon Party, no more tourists) and JB takes the opportunity to do some snorkeling here. The beach in front of a hotel is protected by nets, we don’t know why. JB snorkels around then grabs a rope from the net. It’s as sharp as a razor blade, and big drops of blood stream down his hand.

Luckily, even on excursions, we always have the EDC kit with us to treat minor injuries like this. One of our favorite bandage brands is Compeed (Amazon link). Ever since JB treated his heel with it, just before visiting the Taj Mahal, we always keep it in stock to be operational right away. These types of bandages contain hydrocolloid and act like a second skin, ensuring optimal hydration. In short, this deep wound healed in 3 days, changing the bandage once. I highly recommend always having them on you, in all sizes. And antibacterial wipes too.

We asked around and apparently the net is also there to protect tourists from box jellyfish, which are extremely venomous. In case of contact, you need to pour vinegar on the wound for at least 30 seconds within minutes. My mom once touched one and was rescued immediately, but she told me the wound took a very long time to heal, like an open and deep wound. At least she survived. Anyway, be very careful and don’t swim alone in July/August in Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.

The Cabin

We walk along the beach since the receptionist told us there’s a wooden bridge to see at the end of the beach. And we come face-to-face with this transparent pool and this swing that we find very appealing, at The Cabin (Booking link, Agoda link)

The most expensive bungalows (Beachfront, 41,000 bahts/week) face the beach with a private infinity pool, but I find them less extraordinary than this one.

You’re in awe and you think you could easily spend a week here. The hotel restaurant has plenty of tables, and the internet is super fast (40/50mbps). The village is a bit isolated and hard to reach (lots of hills to get here), which means we’ll have to make do with the hotel restaurant, especially in the evening. But a week is just fine. That’s why we decided to come back for a night here, a few days later. To try the Deluxe Loft room.

JB is having a blast in the transparent pool

This is his favorite spot, even though you have to trust the net’s sturdiness. It’s super comfortable, you can nap all afternoon without any worries.

Our lovely cabin:

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And the restaurant. Expect 200 bahts/person/dish.

The wooden pier

At the end of the beach, there’s a wooden pier that runs along the rocks. It’s really nice. It leads to other (private) houses.

From the pier, you can watch the blue crabs. When the water rises, I think we’ll be able to see the fish too. I understand why I can always find blue crabs on this island, there are tons of them!!

It’s by spending a total of two nights in the south of the island, far from our current residence,that I realize the source of my stress.

I didn’t know I was stressed—before coming here 😀 I remember now having started counting the days left at the other residence.

Here, there are only nomads or adults… no kids, so no screaming. And I don’t have that constant fear of having to put up with kids’ screams—while I’m on calls with my clients—like at our residence, where most people live as families with young children who scream and play in the pool for hours on end. I remember a TV show where a dog trembles constantly even though there’s no source of stress, and the behaviorist explains that when the source of stress arrives too often, the body can’t relax anymore and goes into stress mode, even when there’s no reason to be stressed. I think I’m like that with kids’ screams 😀 it stresses me from morning to night, even when the kids aren’t there.

Anyway… being in Thailand should be a pleasure, not a torment. I thus decide not to extend our stay at Silan’s. Even though the facilities are top-notch, the environment doesn’t suit us at all.

Whereas here… in front of this incredible sunset, the sound of small waves, watching the fishermen in kayaks, the few rare tourists on the swing… there’s a hint of vacation, of carefreeness. Truly precious during this time of doubt.

In short, Haad Rin and its surroundings are, right now, a little piece of paradise… even more isolated than the rest of the island. I highly recommend spending a few days there.

On the way back, feel free to stop by Summer. The food isn’t great, but the drinks are excellent and healthy. It can also be a good spot to work since they have fiber.

The rest of our adventure, is right here

Part 2: Practical Tips

• Accommodations:
  • Palais Hotel: Agoda link
  • Sarikantang Resort: (Booking link, Agoda link) 1700-2000 bahts/night. Don’t hesitate to ask about weekly/monthly rates
  • The cabin : (Booking link, Agoda link) 1700 bahts/night. Don’t hesitate to ask for weekly/monthly rates
• Restaurants:
  • Sarikantang Resort: 250 bahts/dish
  • The Cabine: 200 bahts/dish
  • Beach bar in Haad Rin: 150-200 bahts/dish
• Scooter rental: we rent it monthly from Phangan Wheels, professional service, they come by to top up the tires every two weeks, free of charge

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