Ko Pha Ngan by motorcycle · Ko Pha Ngan by motorcycle
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Ko Pha Ngan by motorcycle
Ko Pha Ngan by motorcycle
100-125cc motorbikes can be hired from 100 baht/day for semi-auto (no clutch, just change gear up/down, very easy to operate and saves a lot of fuel compared to auto) motobike and from 150 baht/day for fully automatic motobike; larger capacity models cost 300-700 baht/day (700B for big enduro motobike). These are official prices without bargaining and any discount, if you rent motobike for more days you can get bigger discount, for example for 3 days rental from 150B/day you can bargain it to 120B/day or from 100B/day to 90B/day, for 2 weeks price drops even more from 100B/day to 75B/day, there is good rental shop Sak with low prices just next to Nira's bakery in Thong Sala short walk from pier with couple others rental shops with similar prices. Rental is for 24 hours, so if you rent motobike at 4PM you have to return it before 4PM next day if you don't want to pay surcharge. Motobikes are rented without fuel so you have to go first to petrol station (39B/1L N91 gasoline at big petrol stations, 40B anywhere, at remote places like jungle road to Thong Nai Pan 50B/1L). Foreigners are required to leave their passport as a deposit, or a copy of their passport and a large cash deposit (around 10,000 Baht).
Some rental shops overcharge for every scratch or dent. They don't fix, but rather replace the whole part - so note damages to the bike on the rental contract. Be aware that your passport may be held against you until you pay the exorbitant repair cost. You can negotiate the costs down from exorbitant to high, but keep your cool, don't yell and stay polite. This practice is, justified or not, very common all over the region. However, it's quite rare (though not unheard of) that you would actually have to pay for the damage you haven't done. In most cases, it's the combination of inexperienced and intoxicated driving when accidents happen. Some good advice is to take pictures of your bike as you rent it. If you don't know what you're doing stay on the safe side and stick with Songthaew.
Avoid riding at sundown, when the bugs are out en masse, and result in brief periods of riding blind, while you desperately try to clear your corneas. Try not to go home with a 'KPN tattoo' - this can either result from your tender-skinned body sliding along a bitumen road at high speed with few clothes on, or from the inside of your leg touching too hot exhaust pipe of the moped. Also keep in mind that many, if not most, travel insurance policies will not cover motorcycle accidents, especially if you do not have a Thai drivers license.
Care is needed if attempting to go over the notorious Haad Rin hills, the roads at the eastern side of the island, and north of Haad Yao. Especially the "Hill of Tears" (first steep ascend from Thong Sala towards Haad Rin) needs caution - use low gear only and rather have your passenger walk, than bruised up. This is still quite good concrete road where you need only use brakes compared to mud roads on northeast part of island to Bottle Beach, Had Sadet which are the worst on island with many potholes. Bad road to Thong Nai Pan is now under construction so big parts are already made from concrete, althought it's not for beginners.
Drunk driving in the West is illegal (not really in Ko Phangan where police doesn't check this) - in Ko Pha Ngan it's suicidal. Better to sit in the back of a taxi than hitting one head on at night, or end up in hospital.
Wear a helmet (police can fine you 200B and do it occasionally (before noon in Thong Sala for example)) and stay within your limits. The slower you drive, the less it's gonna hurt.
It is also possible to rent small Suzuki jeeps, however you will find that you can circuit the island in a day.
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Ko Pha Ngan Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.