You already know the secret, even before you went to Ko Phayam: it’s what Thailand was like thirty years ago. There are no cars, no 7-Elevens, and the air is like a slow-moving hammock. It’s the perfect place to get away.
The principle strips of Ao Yai and Ao Kao Kwai (Buffalo Bay) even on such a sleepy island, may seem a little discovered in season. When you are in need of complete seclusion, footprints in the sand, that can be counted on one hand, and the only sound that can be heard is the Andaman Sea, then you have to excavate a little further.
Take your scooter (and a helmet, perhaps) and we are off-road. These are the 7 secret beaches on the island of Ko Phayam that most of the traveling people overlook.
Ao Kwang Peeb (Monkey Bay)
Ao Kwang Peeb often gets gossiped about but seldom visited is the jewel of the hidden places in Ko Phayam. On the extreme north of the island, this small cove can be approached by a rough journey through the jungle.
The Vibe: Jungle-meets-ocean. The trees are very low to the sand and natural shade is obtained, and the water is purer here than nearly anywhere on the island.
The reason why it is a secret: This road is unpaved and steep in places. Scores of tourists abort leaving the bay to the daring few.
Watch Out: A resident troop of monkeys are known to visit the neighborhood regularly as suggested by the name. Keep your snacks sealed!
Ao Mook (Pearl Bay)
Ao Mook is a shapeshifter found on south east coast. During high tide it is a strip of sand, and during low tide, it becomes a vast deserted playground where you can practically walk to the next little isle of Ko Kham.
The Vibe: Raw and authentic. There are no gilt beach bars around, only local fishermen and vast horizons.
Best: Using it in a solitude session at the sunrise. It has an eastern orientation and this means that it is one of the few places on the island where one can have the sun rise in complete silence.
Accessibility: The main road close to the pier village must be switched off. These are small hand-painted signs or seek out the directions to it by asking a local person to guide you to Ao Mook.
Ao Ko Kyu
This is where you are to go in case you want snorkeling. Ao Ko Kyu is a rocky, rugged bay on the south end of the island which falls in deeper water more rapidly than the long flat beaches of Ao Yai.
The Secret Draw: Ao Kyu still has pockets of marine life in it, whereas much of the Andaman has been damaged by the coral bleaching. It is also a good place to observe the grand Hornbills flying around.
Accessibility: Challenging. You can be required to leave your scooter parked on the top of a hill and walk down a steep hill.
Ao Chi
Ao Chi is ideally placed but very often ignored and it is only a little south of the main pier. The majority of the travelers jump out of the ferry and rush to the west coast totally neglecting this serene coastal region.
Why go: It’s the luxury of peace and quiet without having to leave.
Blue Sky Resort, a luxurious resort often referred to as the Maldives of Thailand due to its overwater villas is right there, though a couple of hundred meters further on the beach is wild and empty.
Best Time: High tide. During the low tide, the water goes way up into the mudflats.
The “Hidden Coves” of Hin Talu
All people visit the Buffalo Bay where Hin Talu, the well-known rock-formation, which is shaped like a stone archway, is located. But very few go visiting the little coves that are concealed behind the rocks.
The Secret: Do not take those pictures in front of the arch and walk away, climb up and down the rocks in low tide (or paddle around). You will have little pocket beaches which you can hardly see when you are in the main resort area.
Best On a: Romantic picnic or book reading under the shade of the cliffs.
Ao Yai’s “River Mouth” (South End)
The most famous beach on the island is Ao Yai (Long Beach) which is too large in size (3km long) and, therefore, conceals the secrets right in front of people. Majority of them are congregated in the middle bars.
The Hidden Place: Use your scooter until you get to the very end of the beach where the road ends. In this case, there is a fresh water river that is in contact with the ocean.
The Experience: The End of the World. The sand is shinier, the waves are good to have fun body surfing and you are most likely to be the sole rider.
Mangrove Beach (Western Buffalo Bay).
On the far west end of Ao Kao Kwai there is a disappearance of white sand into a luscious thick magical mangrove forest. It is not a swimming beach as such and yet it is heaven to nature lovers.
Why it is special: The area is one of the few places where you can take a walk to a white sand beach and right into the tangled rhizomes of a mangrove ecosystem.
What to Do: Hire a kayak in a local bungalow and row through the mangroves on high tide. It is still and cool and crowded with birds and crabs.
Some Real World Advice on locating these spots.
Rent a Rugged Scooter: Part of the roads leading to these beaches (particularly Ao Kwang Peeb) are gravelly roads. Test the tires, and then you are on your way.
See the Tides: Ko Phayam is dramatic. The beaches such as Ao Mook and Ao Chi are likeliest to be visited during high tide to swim whereas the rocks located at Hin Talu can only be approached during low tide.
Ko Phayam is rapidly fading away, not in physical form, but the concept of it being the last secret to Thailand is no more. But you can still get that Robinson Crusoe feeling, if you are ready to take a dirt road or get up early enough in the morning to see the sunrise. Choose one of these 7 secret beaches, grab a bottle of water and become lost.
