Bottle Beach

Haad Khuat, Bottle Beach, named for the bottle shape of its cove seen from the rocks above, is a curve of white sand on the northern coast of Ko Phangan enclosed by headlands, with a handful of simple bungalow operations and no road access at all. That last point is what has preserved it: everything arrives by longtail from Chaloklum, a fifteen-minute crossing, or on foot along a steep and rough coastal path from Haad Khom that takes forty-five minutes to an hour and involves real climbing over rock and roots. Boats do not run when the sea is rough, which in the monsoon can mean being stuck on the beach or unable to get there. Facilities are basic - limited electricity, few dining options, no bank machine. Ko Phangan's full moon party at Haad Rin is on the far side of the island and does not touch this beach, which is much of the appeal. In the northern monsoon from October to December this coast takes the weather directly.

The landscape

• The enclosed cove - white sand between headlands with no road in.
• The boat access - longtails from Chaloklum, fifteen minutes.
• The jungle path - the steep alternative from Haad Khom, an hour of hard walking.
• The simple bungalows - a handful of operations and nothing else.

When to go

December to April. October to December brings the northern monsoon directly onto this coast and boats stop. Being stranded a day or two is a normal outcome.

Things to know

No road - boats or a hard walk, and boats stop in rough seas. Limited electricity, no bank machine and few food options. Bring cash. The jungle path is genuinely steep and not a stroll.

Nearby

Chaloklum is the boat departure point; Than Sadet is on the eastern coast.

Key facts