| Bottle Beach or Haad Khom is a beautiful, small | | | | connected to the world via a dirt track which only |
| beach tucked away in the jungle in the north of | | | | a 4 by 4 can attempt that goes to Thong Nai |
| Koh Phangan Island. Until a few years ago it was | | | | Pan beach. It is a small improvement, but a |
| inaccessible by road. That made the place when I | | | | massive symbolic change. |
| first went there in the mid 1990s. It was so | | | | And with symbolic change comes material change. |
| remote, so cut off, so peaceful. It was the | | | | Now Cookies is BFKA or bungalows formerly |
| perfect place to recuperate and have fun | | | | known as, and the inspired name of Bottle Beach |
| swimming, lying around, playing Frisbee and just | | | | 1 is preferred. Bottle Beach 1 is in competition |
| generally have a mellow time. Back then all the | | | | with Bottle Beach 2 and 3. The accommodation |
| accommodation was simple bamboo and coconut | | | | on Bottle Beach has also gone up-market. |
| thatch bungalows and just one business called | | | | Bathrooms, constant electricity, concrete |
| Cookies, if my memory serves me right. | | | | reception and restaurant areas are all signs of |
| The sea was always calm, clear and warm. The | | | | better business. Prices have gone up and more |
| beach was always nearly deserted and the night | | | | people are showing up. |
| stars shone loudly; and that was the only thing | | | | For all of these detractors (from my point of |
| that was loud - there were no late night raves | | | | view), I went back recently and found that I still |
| because the generator couldn't take that type of | | | | loved the place. It was still an adventure in itself |
| workload. | | | | getting there, and the nature was still pristine and |
| The only way in was by a long tail boat from | | | | thriving. Some of the same people were still |
| either Thong Nai Pan or Chaloklum. It cost $3 and | | | | working and living on the beach. It was still relaxed |
| when the sailor took the short cut between the | | | | and thankfully free of that Thailand phenomenon |
| cliff face and an islet of rocks on a stormy day I | | | | called 'The All Night Party'. And best of all, the dog |
| was happy to get there and not washed up | | | | called 'Cookie' was still alive and getting into trouble |
| against the rocks demanding a refund. | | | | with the kitchen staff. Bottle Beach is no longer |
| Now in 2010 things have moved on. Bottle Beach | | | | Robinson Crusoe Beach but it is still one of the |
| is still one of the most remote and perfect | | | | preeminent places to be in the world, in my |
| beaches on Koh Phangan but it is finally and sadly | | | | humble opinion. |