AO MAE HAAD
Just around the headland to the north is Had Khuat (bottle in Thai), an appealing little bay with resorts ashore. Avoid the charted rock on the eastern side of the bay on approach. Anchor in 6-7 metres nearer to the western side to get the best shelter from westerly swells. Good restaurants ashore.
Further west is Ban Chalok Lam, the island’s second town. Often used by fishing vessels, it has a fermented fish sauce factory – interesting for a short trip if you can handle the stench.
A sealed road goes to the main town, Ban Thong Sala. On the hill above is the Kuan-im shrine, a temple where visitors burn incense sticks; the entrance offers one of the island’s finest views.
Ao Mae Haad has several bungalows and restaurants and is a good swimming and diving location. Anchor in 8-12 metres on sandy bottom.
Just to the south of the western point of Koh Phangan, in a cleared channel through the fringing reef, is a fishing port, 9°45.186N, 99°57.719E. Beware the unmarked drying rock bank 400 metres off the eastern fringe reef.
