Haad Nopphara Thara

Haad Nopphara Thara reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

• Some info on the Quiet side

  The quieter western extension of Noppharet Thara across the small klong (river) where the Phi Phi, Lanta and Phuket ferries dock is locally known as Hat Ton Son or Ao Son. As the crow flies it starts about 4km west of Ao Nang, 6 from Railay and 14 from Krabi town.
  This is a nice, undeveloped and very quiet casuarina backed beach nearly 2km long with good sand and okay swimming in the top half of the tide. But it suffers the low tide blues markedly with great expanses of cleanish sand exposed and a need to go way out to swim. There are few longtails and no traffic noise.
  There are only about 5 resorts, mostly budget. One may be flashpacker/lower midrange.
  Access is a bit tricky. Cheapest is to hop off a Krabi town - Noppharet - Ao Nang songthaew where it first hits Noppharet beach, walk west 300m to the National Park entrance, go another 100m to adjacent the pier and hire a longtail across the klong (50baht March13). Road access is possible - a good sealed road behind the beach runs inland to meet the main road across to Klong Muang. Ton Son resorts are well signposted on the main road. But it is about 11km into Ao Nang - 300-400b in a taxi. Krabi town is a bit further.
  For my second stay at this beach (the first last century) I chose PAN bungalows. Old time backpackers will like this joint - rooms are beach bungalows MK2, the more durable wooden ones which replaced the original thatched wall jobs so popular many places in the good old days. They won't mind the price either - 700b is what is still high season is not too common at Andaman beachfronts these days. Thai weekenders liked it too and took most of the vacant bungalows come Friday night - a sign of value and good food. Thais are relaxed resort neighbours and took no notice of the eccentric farang doing chinups off his balcony cross-beam.
  My bungalow was just big enough for 2 + gear, clean, had a firm but comfy queen bed, good screens but no net, lotsa internal lines and hangers, an okay bathroom with bucket flush western toilet, a nice veranda with hammock.
  The sea-view restaurant had good food. Prices were scattergun - western in general was less expensive than average, some Thai dearer -some cheaper. 50b small Changs were the cheapest of maybe a dozen bungalow restaurants all trip. Staff were friendly and Pan herself has good English. Free bicycles are great for fanging around the flatish hinterland - inexpensive motorbikes are for rent. Just the thing for exploring the Klong Muang-Tubkaak coast to the west. If you go 15km to the far north end of the road it ends at a small free entry National Park where you can take a rainforest track 1 hour to the top of Mt Ngork Mak for stunning views over a lot of the spectacular karst landscape and out to Phi Phi and Lanta.
  Biggest downside of PAN is that it is the western most resort on this long beach - maybe 15 minutes walk from the klong. Those motorcycles start to make sense once you are there. btw - only people with a strong side stroke should try to swim the klong while holding daypack above water. Gets tricky when the wake of a speedboat hits. Don't ask how I know this.

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  By tezza (dabbler)
  Written on 7th May, 2013 after a visit to Haad Nopphara Thara in March, 2013

  Also reviewed by tezza: Ao Phang Nga National Marine Park, Coral and Raya Islands, Haad Sai Khao, Kanchanaburi, Khao Lak, Ko Bulon Lae, Ko Kho Khao, Ko Kut, Ko Lipe, Ko Maak,

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