Getting to Guangzhou

My new strategy of travel lead me to make Guangzhou my first destination to mainland China.  Instead of taking long flights and passing over or even worse, waiting at the airport of places I want to visit, I flew to Guangzhou instead of Beijing where I was to meet a friend who was traveling as well.

Instead of taking the 5 or so hour international flight to Beijing, I took the 2 hour flight to Guangzhou offered by AirAsia which has the best prices in the region.  I made sure to pay the extra 250 baht ($7.50 USD) to get the exit row seat so I could type a post or 2 for this blog during the short trip.  Keep in mind both Shenzhen and Hong Kong are very close by and while all have international airports, the bullet train is probably the easiest and cheapest method of travel.

I arrived very late to the Guangzhou airport from Bangkok and I was immediately approached by a tout who spoke perfect English.  I was immediately skeptical thinking he was trying to rip me off or squeeze money out of me some way.  I was pleasantly surprised as he was able to sell me a sim card for my cell phone for cheap and lead me to a taxi for the drive to the hotel and didn’t try to charge me a single dime.

Places to Stay in Guangzhou, China – Ramada Hotel Pearl - Coming Soon

Getting Around in Guangzhou

Like Taipei which I visited a few months before, Guangzhou was very difficult to get around mentally at least.  Physically there was more than enough taxis, buses and a thorough subway system as well as a giant train station but mentally there was very little to help me get around.  Guangzhou seemed completely unprepared for tourism.

Even trying to find tourism information from the Ramada hotel I was staying at was almost impossible due to the language barrier.   There wasn’t even tourism pamphlets in English at the airport or my hotel.   Even when I booked my flight from Guangzhou to Beijing I could barely communicate my desired information to the attendant at the ticketing desk at my hotel.

Like Taipei, when I wasn’t getting around by foot, exploring the area around my hotel and the Pearl River I took taxis.  Taxis in Guangzhou were pretty cheap but required the directions written down in Chinese to go where you wanted.  I also found it interesting that there was a metal cage with some glass surrounding the taxi driver’s seat in all taxis.

Things to do in Guangzhou, China

Besides growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area which has a huge Chinese population, before Guangzhou I had traveled to Taipei, where very few people spoke English and Hong Kong where there are a lot of English speakers.  Since most of the Chinese people in San Francisco were from Guangdong province in southern China I hoped English would be widely spoken in Guangzhou.

My hopes were dashed as I found it very hard to get around, hence this “Things to do in Guangzhou” section is going to be slim.  Guangzhou is a huge city so I could have just been in the wrong areas but I’d assume English is not widely spoken anywhere in mainland China.

Since it was difficult for me to get around, like my trip to Taipei I feel, “I didn’t really do much” in Guangzhou.  Luckily from my hotel’s location I was able to walk to Guangzhou’s yet to be completed future main tourist attractions as well as a good portion of the Pearl River.

2010 Asia Games

Like the Olympics 2010 Olympics was a worldwide showcase for Beijing, the 2010 Asian Games is going surely to be huge for Guangzhou, Guangdong Province and China as a whole.  As you can see from the picture below when I was in Guangzhou the site for the games was under construction.

Under Construction site for the 2010 Asian Games

Visit the TV & Sight Seeing Tower

When I was in Guangzhou during the 2^nd week of April 2010 the tower appeared to be going through the final stage of construction.  As you can see from most of the photos, the tower is pretty easily visible from most of Guangzhou as it is Antenna or spire 610 m (2,001.3 ft) tall and is the third tallest structure in the entire world.

From a distance I could see the tower which would light up in mesh-like patterns of different colors.  There were plenty of views from along the Pearl River but I had a taxi driver take me to tower which was in the midst of a construction zone.  I assume the tower will open when the 2010 Asian games begins to showcase Guangzhou along with the following.

Visit the Guangzhou International Finance Center

The Guangzhou International Finance Center aka the West Tower of the Guangzhou Twin Towers skyscraper was an ominous dark object towering over the Guangzhou skyline at the time of my visit, but along with the Radio and TV tower it is likely to open for the start of the 2010 Asian Games.  As a new skyscraper and one of the tallest buildings in the world, I assume it will have an observation deck and house numerous tourist attractions.  I didn’t get very close to it as it was obviously not finished yet.

Guangzhou International Finance Center (right)

Pearl River Walks & Liede Bridge

Guangzhou is basically split in half by the the Pearl River.  From what I read the Pearl River is very polluted as one may expect going through large industrial areas of China.  Access to the Pearl River was within a 10 minute walk from my hotel.  I was pleasantly surprised when there was a rather long scenic walkway along the river.   There were a few people milling about and a couples relaxing amidst the foggy/smoggy Guangzhou night.

The walkways along the Pearl River were a bit unpredictable as they would abruptly end or sometimes be under construction.  Also apparent along the Pearl River is Liede Bridge which is a brightly lit, futuristic looking bridge crossing the Pearl River.  There was walking paths on either side easily accessed by spiral staircases.  Interestingly enough the power abruptly shut off around 9pm which was the signal for me to catch a cab back to my hotel.

Walking Path Along Pearl River

Liede Bridge

Take the Bullet Train

Before I booked my flight from Bangkok to Southern China I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to go to Shenzhen or Guangzhou.  I decided on Guangzhou and planned to take the train to Shenzhen as it was only an hour away.  I made my way to the giant train station to find almost no English signs.  The train station was very confusing as there were many different booths and lines all w/ Chinese writing.  If you or a friend oes not speak Chinese and want to take the train from Guangzhou to anywhere, I highly recommend having a guide or things planned out beforehand.  I luckily found a scarce “English Speaking Booth” and got my ticket to Shenzhen.

Shenzhen China – Coming Soon

Overall Impression

The reason why I finally booked my first trip to mainland China was primarily because my (Chinese speaking) friend was going to be in Beijing and Shanghai.  Since I’d rather take multiple short flights rather than a single long one Guangzhou was more of a pit stop.  Similar to what I experienced in Taipei, it was very difficult to get around in Guangzhou because of the language barrier.

Like I mentioned before Guangzhou seemed like it wasn’t quite ready to be an international tourist attraction although you can see it was taking steps to be.  Perhaps I stayed in the wrong area but it seemed like there was not much going on in Guangzhou and I wouldn’t recommend anyone visit Guangzhou unless travel plans are well thought out and/or you or a friend speak fluent Chinese.

Getting to Koh Phangan

There is no airport on Koh Phangan.  There are many travelers whose only time spent in Koh Samui is to wait for a Koh Phangan bound ferry at Big Buddha pier which is very close to the airport.  There are other points of embarkation to Koh Phangan including points along mainland Thailand but the easiest for most people is to fly into Samui Airport and book the ferry.

There are a couple different companies offering a trip from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan so it is important you know their schedules according to your itineraries.  I took a standard boat with what seemed to be a hundred or so fellow travelers on it.  It was the standard island transport boat which had indoor and outdoor seating, a small snack bar and bathroom facilities.  The trip from Samui to Phangan takes around 30 minutes unless you book a private speedboat which costs a ridiculous 7000+ baht.

Big Buddha Pier in Koh Samui (Big Buddha at the edge of Land in center of Photo)

Arriving in Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan Map (Click to Enlarge)

There are a few different piers on each island in which you can get from Samui to Phangan and vice versa.  I took the ferry from Big Buddha pier to Thong Sala pier which is in the center of Phangan.

Upon arrival you will no doubt see non-stop reminders of what Koh Phangan is famous for.  There are signs advertising the full moon and associated parties everywhere.  It is nothing like Koh Samui’s over development induced signage overload but you will notice them even in Thong Sala which is about an hour drive away from Haad Rin Nok beach on Southeastern Phangan which is the home of the infamous Full Moon Party.

After arriving on Thong Sala pier there are beautiful deserted beaches and fishing boats to the right and the town is directly in front.  There is nowhere to get lost as if you walk straight you will see numerous stores.

You have several transportation options after your arrival.  I saw many young travelers who I assume were on their way to Haad Rin the town/beach of the Full Moon Party getting in the back of ‘sawng teeo’ which are pick-up trucks converted to taxis with 2 benches lining their bed.

I had planned to rent a scooter/motorcycle and I rented one from the first vendor I saw.  She charged me 200 baht ($6USD per day) all I had to do is hand over my passport, pay her the 200 baht and I was off.  I initially planned to head back to Koh Samui because I still had all my stuff except for camera at my bungalow there.  I knew Koh Phangan had only a handful of main roads so I set off looking to explore the island but had no idea how long it would take or what was in store for me.

Thong Sala Beach (Directly to the right of Thong Sala Pier Upon Arrival)

Exploring Koh Phangan

I really didn’t have an itinerary on Koh Phangan.  I knew the island was small and I could just ride around on my scooter and explore various towns, mountains and of course beaches.  My exploration of Koh Phangan got off to a good start as I took a road to the northeast which lead me to the Chinese mountain temple on my way to one of the northern beaches.  The road seemed brand new and I was able to zip across the island.

Once I got to the north end of the island to the small fishing village there were a few small dirt roads which I decided not to take on my Honda scooter.  To this day I’m not sure whether the roads lead somewhere or just to someone’s house.  According to the maps there are non-paved roads that lead to the northern beaches but I figured there was a lot more to explore so I left and headed back south.

Once I drove back South I came to a familiar intersection.  Rather than going back to Thong Sala I decided to head northeast as I was pretty much just randomly driving.  The northeast road suddenly changed from paved highway to one of the worst dirt roads I’ve ever driven on.  The road was flat on probably 10% of it as it had grooves in it from a likely mixture of motorcycle traffic and rain water.

Beach on Northeast end of Koh Phangan

I almost crashed my scooter half a dozen times even though I was driving cautiously.  I consider myself lucky for not crashing, that’s how bad the roads were.  The dry loose dirt along with the multiple grooves in the road were a major problem going down the steep hills. Through the mountains on the way to the coast the roads would become paved for short stretches then back to the horrible dirt roads.

A great thing about traveling on Thailand’s islands is the small villages which often have restaurants.  I would usually stop and get food at these villages.  I stopped at one with a kid practicing Muay Thai in a full ring next to a dining area overlooking cliffs as well as one with a massage setup overlooking the beautiful beaches and landscapes of Koh Phangan (pictured below).   Like most of Thailand the people were extremely friendly but it seemed the people on Phangan were even friendlier!  I usually ordered fried rice as it’s pretty much impossible to get sick from eating it.

I finally got to the beach I had traveled the dangerous roads to get to.  The area I reached was an amazing looking crescent beach which was enveloped with dense forest.  There was another beach to the Northeast.   The area was very quiet and family/couple oriented so I decided I wanted to go to Haad Rin to spend the night.  I still had some light so I decided to brave the horrific roads in the darkening skies to get to an area with more options.

Get a Massage after Eating some of the Local Cuisine all over Phangan

Haad Rin Pier after Sunset in Koh Phangan

I ended up getting to to Haad Rin just after sunset.  I drove around and found the town remarkably similar to the infamous backpacker’s ghetto Khaosan Road in Bangkok.  It was like a whole town of Khaosan road with tons of backpackers, tourists along with shops and of course 7-elevens.  I thought it was pretty cool but instead of going out and partying I ended up getting exhausted so I had to find a hotel where I ended up crashing without getting to sample Haad Rin’s infamous night life.

Places to Stay in Haad Rin Koh Phangan, Thailand:  DROP IN CLUB RESORT & SPA - Coming Soon

Things to Do on Koh Phangan

Full Moon Party

If you are interested in the Full Moon party or any of its offshoots such as the Half Moon Party or Black Moon party you should check out their official website:  FullMoonParty-Thailand.com There are numerous websites online completely devoted to killing your brain cells in mass quantities, enjoy!

Haad Rin - One of the Most Developed Areas on Koh Phangan

Beach & Water Activities

Anyone headed to a tropical island should not be surprised to find beach and water activities and Koh Phangan is no exception.  There are many beaches and all the water anyone could want and more.  Most beaches I saw on Phangan were not very crowded with the exception of Haad Rin Beach the scene of the full moon party.  All water activities from snorkeling to jet skiing to fishing are available as well and are best booked ahead.

Exploring

Riding a motorcycle or scooter on Koh Phangan is an adventure in itself.  While some roads are in perfect condition, calling others “roads” to begin with is doing them too much justice.  If you want to explore every inch of Phangan I would recommend recommend renting a dirt bike rather than a normal scooter.  I saw numerous couples having difficult climbing up hills in their low powered scooters.  I had enough trouble navigating the pot holed roads on a scooter by myself during dry season I couldn’t imagine trying to get around on a scooter when the mud/clay roads are wet, in addition to impossible it is likely extremely dangerous.

Elephant Trekking

Since most of Kho Phangan is covered with dense mountainous jungle, on the back of an elephant is the best way to explore some of it.  I saw a few elephant stables one which was near Kuan Yin Shrine almost caused me to get in a wreck because there was a stray horse in the middle of the road.

Hiking

Like Samui, there are numerous “waterfalls” on Kho Phangan.  If you arrive in the dry season expect those waterfalls to be less than a trickle if there is any water at all.  There are plenty of places to hike on Phangan which are best accessed with a group.  There are numerous beaches which have few if any roads which are only accessible by hiking or boat.  If you like hiking, plan ahead, get a tour guide and you can find it on Phangan.

Chinese Temple

The Kuan Yin Shrine is a Chinese mountain temple.  It is located rather close to Thong Sala town and pier and is easily accessible and impossible to miss on one of the main, high quality roads of Koh Phangan.  View more Photos of Thailand’s Island Temples on tourismPICS.com

Kuan Yin Shrine a Chinese Temple in Koh Phangan

Leaving Koh Phangan

The options for leaving Koh Phangan involve taking a boat to the coast of Thailand’s mainland or to another island.  Since I had all my belongings at Koh Samui I had fewer choices.  I hastily returned my scooter to the vendor which was literally 50 meters across from the ticket booths only to find the boat back to Big Buddha Pier on Samui didn’t leave for another 5 hours!

The bad news wasn’t so bad at all because it gave me another 5 hours on the island which allowed me to explore the main roads I missed the day before and a waterfall which included a hike to a viewpoint which I was able to get some of the following Koh Phangan photos.

View more Photos from Koh Phangan at tourismPICS.com

Leaving Koh Phangan

Overall Impression

I had no intention of going to Koh Phangan’s Full Moon, Half Moon or Black Moon Parties.  The reason I traveled to the Thai islands in the first place was to relax and while it was relatively difficult to relax on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan had a lot more quiet and peaceful places to relax and most importantly didn’t have the buzzing circular traffic 24 hours a day.

I loved Koh Phangan.  On Koh Phangan there were dozens of kilometers of beautiful white sand beaches with less than a dozen people on them.  That is my idea of a tropical paradise and that is exactly what I consider Koh Phangan.  It really has just enough of everything without going overboard.  Yes the infamous Full Moon parties are crazy but that is such a small percentage of the island.

I was only on Koh Phangan for around 24 hours which in no way does it justice.  There is so much to do, so much to explore on Koh Phangan the next time I go back I will definitely spend at least a week there.  I would recommend any travelers who want to relax on a tropical island, go hiking, elephant trekking, swimming, snorkeling, beach bumming to their heart’s content to spend at least a week on Phangan.

Even if your soul goal is to party like a rock star and have a wild night on Haad Rin beach’s Full Moon Party you can still explore the entire island in a week or simply relax on a secluded beach with your friends during the day and that includes nursing your hangover.  I just can’t say enough positive things about Koh Phangan a great relaxing place which is definitely on the list of places I will return to in the near future.

Old Hut overlooking Yet Another white sand Koh Phangan Beach

View more Photos from Koh Phangan at tourismPICS.com