Staying in Ban Tai: resorts, hostels and villas on Koh Phangan's south coast

104 accommodations

Ban Tai (also spelled Baan Tai) is the long south coast of Koh Phangan: a 4 km strip of resorts, hostels, villas and villages along the paved road between Thong Sala, 10–15 minutes to the west, and the hill that leads over to Haad Rin, 20–30 minutes to the east. It continues east as Ban Khai (Baan Kai), quieter, with cheaper bungalows and sand reached down side lanes, and inland as the valley of Madeua Wan and the jungle venues of the Half Moon Festival. Because the sub-district is also called Ban Tai, the name turns up in the addresses of hotels in Haad Rin and Thong Nai Pan; on this site, Ban Tai means the south-coast strip itself.

Who should stay in Ban Tai?

Ban Tai suits three kinds of traveller. Groups and families who want a pool villa: the hills behind the road hold more holiday homes than any other part of the island, two- to four-bedroom houses with private pools and sea views at prices that undercut two resort rooms. Party-goers who do not want to sleep in Haad Rin: the Half Moon Festival, Jungle Experience, Waterfall Party and the after-parties are all in the Ban Tai jungle, and the Full Moon Party is a 100–150 THB songthaew ride away, so hostels here are full in party weeks and calm in between. And anyone who wants to be central: the ferries, the hospitals, Big C and the night market are ten minutes west, the west-coast beaches twenty minutes north.

The beach itself is the compromise. Ban Tai beach is long, narrow and shallow, and along most of its length the sea retreats a long way at low tide, leaving sand flats and mud rather than swimming water; it is at its best in the late afternoon, with the light on Samui across the strait. Guests who want to swim from the door should look at the resorts with pools, at the Ban Khai coves, or at the west coast.

Resorts, hostels and villas in Ban Tai and Ban Khai

The 104 properties listed here cover the whole spectrum. Along the main road there are hostels and party hostels with dormitory beds at 250–500 THB, guesthouses at 800–1,500 THB (US$25–47), family resorts with pools on the beach side at 1,500–3,500 THB and a handful of beachfront boutique resorts at 3,000–5,500 THB. On the hills behind the road and around Madeua Wan the listings are dominated by villas and holiday homes: private pool, kitchen, terrace, two to four bedrooms, from about 4,000 to 10,000 THB a night, some with a car recommended for the last few hundred metres of track. Ban Khai keeps the old Koh Phangan of fan and air-conditioned bungalows at 600–1,500 THB, several of them on small private stretches of sand. Each listing states the distance to Thong Sala and whether the property is on the beach side or the hill side of the road, which is the detail that decides what a night here feels like.

How do you get to Ban Tai?

From Thong Sala pier a songthaew costs about 100–150 THB a person and takes 10–15 minutes on the flat Route 4170; a private taxi is 200–300 THB. Many resorts offer a pick-up if you send your ferry time. From Koh Samui, the Haad Rin Queen from Bangrak to Haad Rin pier is an alternative for eastern Ban Khai (then a 15-minute taxi over the hill). Scooters are the usual way to move along the strip, and the Ban Tai road is flat and easy — but it is also where the police set up licence checkpoints, so ride with a valid licence and a helmet. Hillside villas are often reached by steep concrete lanes; the listings mention when a car or a 4x4 pick-up is advised.

What is there to do in Ban Tai?

The parties are the headline. The Half Moon Festival runs twice a month in a jungle venue off the Ban Tai road, with a beach-club day party from about 14:00 to midnight and a night party from 22:00 to sunrise (day tickets 1,300–1,500 THB, night 2,500–2,700 THB, two-day pass 3,500 THB); Jungle Experience is the night before the Full Moon Party, and the Waterfall and Black Moon parties fill the other weeks in high season. Quieter days go to Wat Khao Tham, the meditation centre and viewpoint above Ban Tai, Wat Pho with its herbal sauna, and the Wat Nai temple in the village; to kite-surfing on the shallow flats when the wind blows; and to the Phaeng waterfall, 15 minutes inland. Restaurants, 7-Elevens, ATMs, pharmacies and two private hospitals line the main road, so Ban Tai is the easiest part of the island for practical errands.

When to stay in Ban Tai

The south coast is sheltered from the worst of the north-east monsoon, so October to December is wetter but not rough, and the villas are noticeably cheaper then. Party hostels are at their busiest and most expensive in the days around each Full Moon and Half Moon date; villas peak at Christmas–New Year and in July–August. February to April gives the calmest, clearest water on the shallow beach, and the best chance of the strip's famous late-afternoon light.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ban Tai good for swimming?

Only at high tide along most of the strip; the water is shallow and retreats far out at low tide. Most resorts here have pools, and the Ban Khai coves and the west-coast beaches are 10–20 minutes away.

How far is Ban Tai from the Full Moon Party?

About 8–10 km from the centre of the strip to Haad Rin, 20–30 minutes over the hill; songthaews run all night on party dates for 150–300 THB a person.

Are there hospitals in Ban Tai?

Yes: the private Thai International Hospital and the Bangkok Hospital clinic are on the Thong Sala–Ban Tai road, and Bandon International Hospital is in Ban Khai; the government hospital is in Wok Tum, north of Thong Sala.

Do you need a car for a villa in Ban Tai?

Usually a scooter is enough, but several hillside villas are reached by steep lanes where a car or pick-up is safer, especially after rain; the listings say so when it applies.