If you looking to vacation in Thailand and want to stay off the beaten path then look to an area that developers have seemed to miss-Chaloklum.  My husband and I have taken several holidays on the beautiful beach of Thong Nai Pan Noi in Koh Phangan. We used to stay at either Baan Panburi or Star Huts in one of their better bungalows near the beach. When we discovered that both of these places were knocked down to make way for expensive resort accommodation we decided that Thong Nai Pan Noi was no longer the place for us. So this year for the first time we opted for a different beach in Koh Phangan hoping to discover a place as yet unspoiled by developers. In Chaloklum we found what we were looking for.

From the main town of Thongsala there is a good road that goes directly north to Chaloklum. It is a small fishing village next to a long beach. Chaloklum beach is 2.5 km long. While not as beautiful as Thong Nai Pan Noi we enjoyed the fact that we could stroll down the beach during the day and find a nice empty part to spread our sarongs. The sea was great for swimming. It was also fun watching people kite board farther out to sea.

We stayed a couple of nights at Buri Tara Resort and Spa. It was a birthday present from my husband to me. It was nice having the luxury of a large pool on the beach and an air-con room with cable TV. However, we discovered Malibu Bungalows and moved there for the rest of our two week stay. This was a fantastic place. It had its own private beach – a sand bank just off the coast. It was perfect and easily as good as Thong Nai Pan.

One of the great things about Chaloklum was the convenience. It had plenty of shops, restaurants and a 7-11 where we could pick up drinks and snacks cheaply. We both enjoyed the fact that unlike other beaches in Koh Phangan we were not limited to expensive resort food at Chaloklum.

The curious thing about Chaloklum village is that it is both a working fishing village and a tourist center. Some of the original wooden fishermen’s houses are still standing and it was nice to see that they have not been turned into expensive boutiques as is the case in Fisherman’s Village in Koh Samui.

There are a couple of cool bars in Chaloklum. The Crow Bar in the jungle just off the main drag that has a lively atmosphere and frequently holds parties. Our other favorite bar was the Omega that holds a children’s festival every Wednesday and then has a jam session in the evening. It was great to see live music in Chaloklum and it reminded us very much of the old hippy Koh Phangan that my husband and I had fallen in love with several years ago. The Koh Phangan before the Full Moon Party and luxury developers changed much of the island.

Chaloklum is a real gem of a place and we will definitely be returning next year.