Nomad House: Talks with Yuki

Yuki Thomas Dunn loves Koh Phangan.
“Living here is great!” he says.

Last year, in July, he took the night boat over from Surat Thani (mainland Thailand) after full moon.  He arrived only as a backpacker and is now stuck here for good...but in the best of ways...because, well...who would want to leave this magical place!  

He even said, "this past year has been a very exciting and interesting chapter of my life, to say the least!"  
 

Yuki had been travelling then for close to 10 months already by the time of his arrival at the main pier in Thong Sala.   By this time, he was beginning to get tired of the constant moving that accompanies the backpacker lifestyle.  It was an obvious conclusion of course, his decision to stop moving for a while and just enjoy paradise island!  

He has always defined himself through his work he told us...ever since his first job at a McDonald's when he was 15 year old.  

The moment he stopped moving he realized he hadn't done much real work in a almost a year or anything really that he could say he put his back into, and this was disturbing him more and more, day after day.  Then one day, he went over to the Nomad House in Baan Tai to see Shine, a good friend of his. 
 

That's where his whole life changed....at the same moment his Phangan life started...and all by helped Shine out for a few days with pizzas and serving buckets to his guests. 

Yuki explains...  
"Shine asked me if I was interested in being his business partner.  To me, I wanted to work!  I had no desire to go back to America.  Shine, basically, was giving me an opportunity...the priviladge to take the hands and the mind that I have and not just work, but actually make something that I can call my own.  The decision was simple.  Actually, it was already decided.  I had no choice but to jump on this opportunity!  Becoming a key member of the Nomad House and agreeing to become Shine's broskie in business was an easy choice...made even easier by that magical feeling that embraced me from the moment I first set foot on Koh Phangan."
 

"Walking around Thong Sala early in the morning aftet the night boat, I realized that there was a charm to this place. I had a warm and fuzzy feeling just strolling aimlessly through all the alleys and stopping at a little shop to get Hainanese chicken and rice for breakfast. That warm and fuzzy feeling I have for Koh Phangan has yet to fail me or leave me. There's something very joyful and vibrant in the air of Koh Phangan. It's here all the time, no matter where the lunar cycle is or what day of the week it is. I still can't define what it is exactly that gives off this warm vibe, but a lot of it I think comes  from the fact that most residents of Koh Phangan love Koh Phangan and revere it to individual degrees for being special." 

"We are an original entity that happens to house a bunch of you crazy, whacked out, funky nomads. All welcome!"  
~The Nomad House Hostel
 

The Nomad Crew

Why Koh Phangan is a special place to him...
"this mecca is greatly untouched and untarnished by tourism like Koh Tao, Koh Samui, or islands like Koh Phi Phi for example.  If you go 100 meters behind the Nomad House here in Ban Tai you'll see nothing but coconut groves and buffaloes until you arrive at Chaloklum. The vastness of the wild jungle, and the variety of beautiful serene beaches you can find here on this island are priceless, in my opinion. The fact that it’s 2014 (and even with the international popularity of these moon parties and the attraction of Thailand to the world as a top vacation destination) the fact that Koh Phangan is 90 percent undeveloped is fabulous and I hope that never changes. I do, however, fear that, with the construction of the new airport, our Koh Phangan will become something in the likes of Koh Samui."

"The most sacred and special places are the beaches that strech along the east coast, from Bottle Beach to Haad Yuan.  At these beaches you'll get decent waves (given it be the right time of year) where you can do some body surfing.  And compared to the beaches spanning the west coast, there’s a lot less coral and rock...so you don’t have to worry about bumping into something while swimming or stepping on anything;  so basically, your free to move about without cutting your foot open...it's very comforting point." 

"Each beach has a different vibe as well. I don’t have a favorite beach along the east coast, but depending on my mood, and my ambition, I can find what I am looking for on one of these beaches. If I am looking for picturesque views and am feeling lazy, I'll just drive to Thong Nai Pan.  If I am ambitious and looking for peace and seclusion, I head over to Bottle Beach, then hike or rent a truck and power through to Haad Yao East...or either...ride a motorbike to Haad Than Sadet.  The Bohemian beaches of Haad Yuan, Haad Tian, and Haad Wai Nam are some of my ultimate favorites. I think that this part of the island specifically is the most interesting and unique part of Koh Phangan. There is such a strong sense of community among these beaches, all very unique in their own way.  There is such a positive and encouraging soul to this stretch of beach thanks to its wonderful residents.  I like to go visit that area when I find myself becoming a little bit too caught up in business...or when I have a group of open minded guests who would like to see and experience something a little more than just a beach."
 

How business goes...
"The Nomad House is a hostel in Ban Tai. Looking at the building from the outside, it might not seem like much. We don’t have the best facilities. We’re not one of these super hostels with a swimming pool and a safari. We’re a simple hostel in that we have beds, showers, toilets, a bar and some seating, and that’s about it as far as our facilities go. What we do have that is very special is a lot of heart. What makes the Nomad House special is the staff and how we work together to bring the best out in one another. The staff, working together, caring, and connecting with the guests we have in house, brings about something magical. What we are continuously creating at the Nomad House, through our hard heartfelt work, is a fun and social atmosphere."

"If I may add, we also have amazing wood fired pizzas at the hostel. My business partner Shine is a very talented man. He can rap, roller blade, and he surprises me every day with a new talent or an insight. Shine can also fix practically anything. What he does the best with his hands is make a pizza. He is the master of pizzas. I don’t feel that I am going out on a limb, when I say that we have the best pizzas in Southeast Asia, at least on Koh Phangan. What Shine does with the limited ingredients that Koh Phangan has is unbelievable."

"Our Pizza is a phenomenon."
 

What gives Yuki his drive is that...
"I believe I have a good thing here on Koh Phangan with the Nomad House. We give a lot of joy to a lot of people. I love the Nomad House. I love the people I work with, and I love what we give to our guests. What drives me is to sustain this good relationship amongst the staff and to keep this vibrant and fun energy rolling through the hostel. I get an overwhelming feeling of happiness on these big party nights when the hostel is busy and we have all of our guests together in the front patio having a good time with broad smiles on their faces. To ensure that this magical feeling is never lost is one of the things that gives me my drive."

The Nomad House is a relatively new business on the island.
They are constantly making changes for the better to their facilities, each month, as things evolve.  
 

What are your thoughts on constantly changing and adapting the environment due to Koh Phangan's flux of tourists every month?
"It’s exciting to visualize how I want things to look and to follow through with these ideas and making these changes happen with investments.  This hostel is looking better and cooler every month and I can’t wait for the completion of our upcoming improvements!  These gradual improvements and seeing this hostel blossom gives me an incredible amount of drive."

His philosophy (basicly) is...
"To appreciate what I have and do the best I can.
I love Koh Phangan and I really appreciate the great people that I have around me...as well as the things we are doing. 

What the future brings for him...
"is uncertain...but I know for a fact that it will be exciting!"