Bottle Beach and the ridge viewpoint

Bottle Beach, on the north coast of Koh Phangan, is the island's classic hideaway: one curve of sand between two jungle-covered headlands, with no road in. The easy way there is a longtail from Chaloklum, the fishing village along the coast, about a quarter of an hour by boat; the hard way is a steep jungle trail. Boats are fewer late in the day, so agree the ride back before you go out.

Above the bay, a viewpoint on the ridge looks down on the whole curve of the beach, and it is the frame the island is known for. The climb is steep, and the rock at the top is small and slopes towards long drops, so the photographer keeps you well back from the edge: proper shoes and water for the way up, the dress or the shirt in a bag until you are there. The bay faces north, so the sun sets to one side rather than into the sea — this is a place for the morning and the golden hour, and for a small ceremony on sand reached mostly by boat.

With the boat counted, Bottle Beach with the viewpoint is closer to half a day than an hour. In the wet months, about October to December, rough seas can stop the longtails and the trail turns slippery; from February to April it is at its most dependable. A drone over the bay needs registration with both NBTC and CAAT and approval before each flight — ask whether the photographer flies a registered one rather than bringing your own.