Aow Mae Mai and Pier
Aow Mae Mai located on the eastern side of Koh Phayam. It is considered to be the center point for everything including transportation and commerce. It has a pier, restaurants, supermarket, ticket reservation desk and fishing boats. You can hire motorbike taxi here to take you to the other beaches, resorts or guesthouses.
The beach is about 400 m length but it has a lot of junk and splinter. It is okay for someone who does not care about the beach life too much. Aow Mae Mai is a good place to see a beautiful sunrise in the morning. Not far from the pier, there is the most luxury and famous resort on Koh Phayam, The Blue Sky Resort.
Koh Khang Kao
Ko Phayam is a great starting point to visit many small islands nearby, like Koh Khang Kao. This small uninhabited island is located in Laem Son National Park. A boat rental from Koh Phayam will take you to the island, and you can travel there in 30 minutes by long-tail boat or 15 minutes by speedboat.
Either snorkeling or diving is a great way to see the shallow corals around which swim clown fish, moray eels, and seahorses. Afterwards, lay on the island’s wide white sand beach before returning to Ko Phayam.
Aow Khao Khwai (Buffalo Bay)
Photo MattwJennings
Aow Khao Khwai or Buffalo Bay, called like that because its shape is similar to buffalo horn, is divided into 2 bays, Aow Khao Khwai North and Aow Khao Khwai South. When the tide is at the lowest, you can climb over the rocky hill from one part of the bay to another part, but it is dangerous. It is safer to access these two beaches by motorcycle tracks.
Aow Kwang Peeb
Aow Kwang Peeb is a small hidden bay, located at the northern end of Koh Phayam. Sometimes it is called Monkey Bay because this area is the habitat of a few monkey tribes. The bay is surrounded by jungle. The atmosphere here is calm so it is a very special place for all people loving nature. The beach is clear. The road leading there is not very good.
For reaching the beach you need to climb up a steep sandy trail through the jungle. It is not a good idea to stay there till late evening but it is totally worth to spend some time at Aow Kwang Peeb. The only accommodation here is Kwang Peeb Resort.
Wat Ko Phayam
The island’s inhabitants are mostly Buddhist, and Wat Ko Phayam temple is a center of life and the heart of the village. It is located on the east coast of Ko Phayam and is the island’s only temple. The architecture of the temple has both Thai and Burmese influences, and the unique shape of the structure makes it look like a large birthday cake. The temple has a large Buddha statue, and several other smaller statues as well.
One of the most interesting aspects of the temple is that while it sits on the coast, the prayer sanctuary is out on the water and connected to the main complex by a bridge. This is a unique setup, but still follows the Buddha’s instructions for temples to have clear boundaries made by a form of nature, in this case, water. Most Thai temples have their boundaries marked by stone, making Wat Ko Phayam a unique experience. Admission to this revered site is free.