Thong Nai Pan at sunrise

In the north-east of Koh Phangan, the two bays of Thong Nai Pan — Noi and Yai, the small and the large, divided by a headland — face the sunrise. In the dry months the sand is soft and the water calm, and at first light the bays are lit from the sea while the jungle hills behind are still in shadow. It suits a sunrise elopement, a couple who want an empty beach, or a family that wakes early anyway.

The light goes quickly: the sun climbs fast all year, so the soft colour lasts well under an hour, and by mid-morning the sand is bright and flat. The roads to the north-east bays are steep and winding, so the photographer plans the transport — a scooter is not how anyone should arrive at a session in a dress, nor how anyone should leave one in the dark. Ceremonies on these bays are arranged by the venues, so check before you go.

Thong Nai Pan is far enough from Haad Rin to stay quiet on Full Moon Party nights, but the ferries from Samui run full in the days around the full moon, so check the dates before you plan the crossing. The Gulf's calendar applies: best from about January to August, driest February to April, and wettest October to December, with November the peak.