Koh Phangan is located in the Surat Thani province, in the Gulf of Thailand which borders to the much larger South China Sea. It is located about 15 kilometers north of the island of Koh Samui. Ko Pha Ngan is halfway between the islands of Ko Samui and Ko Tao. It is known as a land of coconut trees and, above all, the world (in)famous full moon parties. Koh Phangan is pronounced KOH pa-nGan with G as in mango.
Climate
The best time to visit island and also high season is during December-March when is water high and clean good for swimming, it’s not rainy and temperatures are pleasant. Another high season time is during July/August after dry season when water is raising. The worst time where you should avoid visiting island is during dry season April-June which makes all of the best beaches on the northwest coast (Mae Haad, Haad Yao, Chaloklum, Haad Khom) useless for swimming due to shallow water. Swimming in this season is possible only in north coast on beautiful Bottle beach and on dirtier less accessible east coast (Thong Nai Pan, Haad Sadet, Haad Rin), where only beach with good access/road and swimming possibilities is Haad Rin, which is not in low season so crowded. South coast should be avoided during all year because of bad water and sand.
Getting There
Nearest Major International Airport
It takes a bit of determination to get to Ko Phangan, which is located about 400 miles south of Bangkok and about 47 miles east of Surat Thani. Travelers need to fly into Bangkok International Airport and catch a bus or train to Surat Thani. Visitors then must take a boat from Surat Thani (about 2 1/2 hours) or Koh Samui (about 45 minutes) to reach Ko Phangan.
Ground Transportation
The most popular mode of transportation around Ko Phangan is motorbike or jeep. These can be rented by the beach in Haad Rin or at the ferry dock at Thong Sala. The roads are often muddy, curvy and steep, making travel around the island dangerous at times. For those travelers who prefer to be passengers, covered pick-up trucks function as cabs, serving the basic and most popular streets on the island.
Destinations
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Haad Rin – is the home of the Full Moon party and for some people this is the only part of the island they will ever see. As you would expect there are plenty of bars and some of the best are right on the beach. There are also many Koh Phangan accommodation in this area, but be sure to book early if you are coming for the full moon party as they fill up fast. The most celebrated drink in Haad Rin is the bucket; this is made up of vodka, red bull, coke, and sometimes a lot more as well. Haad Rin once had a reputation as an easy place to buy illegal substances, the Thai police are serious about changing this – penalties for tourists caught with banned products can be severe. As well as full-moon parties they also celebrate half-moon as well. Even when there is no real event you are always sure to find a party at Haad Rin.
Thong Sala – the island’s “capital” and main ferry port, most people will just pass through Thong Sala on the way to one of Koh Phangan’s many beaches. It’s packed with the standard port town stuff – travel agents, tourist shops, restaurants and bars suitable for an hour or so while you wait for a ferry, banks and exchange facilities, internet cafes and medical clinics.
Chalok Lam - Chalok Lam is a great place to choose if you want to spend days lying on the beach and the evenings in nice restaurants and bars; people do party here but in a much more sedate way than in Haad Rin. This is still an area where fishing is important but tourism has meant that most people now make their living from visitors. Staying on this part of Koh Phangan can feel like being on a completely separate island; this is due to the fact that you mostly have mountains between the beach and the rest of Phangan. People staying here tend to take up residence on a part of 3 kilometer beach during the day, walk along the shoreline at sunset, before heading to the village (which is now nearing the size of a town) in the evenings.
Thonglang Bay – Located between Chalok Lam and Haad Mae HaadMae Haed this almost undiscovered bay offers a delightful and peaceful escape from the crowds.
Haad Khom – 20mins of walk to east from Chaloklum on steep concrete road or few minutes of convenient ride from Chaloklum you will find nice quiet beach with clear water and soft white sand where you can relax and do one of the best snorkelling on the island. There is only around 5 accommodations with good prices (from 150-300B for bungalow) so beach is not crowded, only one (closest to Chaloklum – CBB) has 24hrs electricity, other use diesel generators. Together with Bottle beach and Chaloklum bay the best beaches of northern coast and whole island.
Haad Mae Haad – wide sandy beach joined to Koh Ma by a sand spit, which is a National Marine Park with some of the best diving and snorkeling on Pha Ngan; there is also a small village and a variety of resorts, restaurants and bars. Nice snorkelling: you’ll need to go over the first, dead reef to see the coral. Make sure you get in and out during high tide as crossing the dead reef when the tide is receding can be difficult and painful. Not much else to do but snorkel here.
Haad Salad – an idyllic cove with several high-end resorts on the north-western part of the island.
Bottle Beach - one of the most isolated beaches on island, on north coast accessible by longtail boat from Chaloklum (150B/person) or by 2-3hr long and tough hike from Haad Khom beach (which named this beach because of using plastic bottles as signs on trail). There is also going one of the worst roads on island, but taxi ride is so expensive that is always better go to Chaloklum and take longtail boat from there. Very relaxed quiet beach with few accommodations with very reasonable prices (from 250-300B/bungalow), nice long and wide soft white sand beach and good clean water for swimming even during dry season. There is only one dis/advantage, because of isolation there are no ATMs or 7-elevens or local restaurants so you have to buy everything for little bit inflated prices in accommodations (eg. 90B for fried noodles), but you will pay on meals you will save on accommodation and you can enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches on island.
Ao Ban Tai is a long stretch of white sand with a lovely sunset view and you are like to have the beach to yourself at many spots. This beach Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi, offers great views of the sunset over the long stretches of white sands running from Thong Sala down to Ban Kai.
Haad Yao – long white sandy beach just north of Haad Chao Phao, slightly more developed with more beach bars, 7-eleven, ATM and restaurants, but clean nice sea and snorkelling further from beach with accommodations from 150B (Ibiza). Maybe the best beach on the west coast.
Haad Son - a beautiful bay with beach next to Haad Yao.
Sri Thanu - A volcanic peninsula to the south of Haad Son and Haad Yao with bays and beaches.
Haad Chao Phao - A small private beach on the western part of Koh Phangan. It has some resorts and bungalows offering budget rooms with full facilities. Here also has several beach bars and restaurants where you can have dinner and drink while the Sun is setting. To go there, from the main pier by taxi around 15 minutes and 20 minutes by motorbike.
Thong Nai Pan – scenic area on the north-eastern part of the island that includes the neighboring beach resorts of Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai and Once upon a time chill-out place, nowadays one of the busiest beaches on island full of accommodations, construction sites with bulldozers, families with yelling children and quite bad water, altogether not worthy bumpy long ride to the end of the world which is actually quite crowded.
Haad Yuan – A nice sandy beach on the South Eastern Corner. a hop away from Haad Rin if you would like to get away from the party crowd.
Ban Kai - From Ban Tai through to Haad Rin this beach offers an idylic setting – just minutes from the full moon party, water also quite dirty and very mountainous terrain.
Haad Tien – Home to the Sanctuary Resort – a hipster, upscale resort with a nice vibe.
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Attractions
The Chinese Temple
This Chinese style temple is found in the northwestern part of Phangan island and it has a short but interesting history. A women named Khun Malawan visited the island in the early nineties and in a dream she experienced a revelation. The dream was the influence for a fund that in 1992 resulted in the temple.
Khao Ra
Khao Ra is the tallest mountain on the island and it’s peak reaches 630 meters above sea level. Several small paths makes it possible to reach the top by foot. We recommend you to also visit the Phaeng Waterfall on your way up. Please bear in mind that parts of the path is rather rough, due to the terrain conditions.
Wat Phu Khao Noi
Wat Phu Khao Noi is the oldest temple on Koh Phangan and the name means “The temple of the small mountain”. You will find this small mountain (which is more of a hill) on the South-West of Koh Phangan, not so far from Thongsala (the main town of the island). If you want to meet a temple monk, we recommend you to visit the temple before noon.
Thaan Sadat (or: Than Sadat) waterfall is found on the east side of Koh Phangan and it can be a little difficult to reach because of the terrain. Several Thai kings has visited the waterfall and engraved their signatures onto the nearby cliff.
Phaeng Noi Waterfall
One of the largest waterfall on Phangan is called Phaeng and you can get there by walking on a steep mountain path. The waterfall is by obvious reasons more visually attractive after rainy weather.
Thaan Sadet Waterfall
The cool water of Thaan Sadet is very suitable for a swim during the hot months in Thailand. Please notice that the dirt road that leads here are rather rough and it might be wise to hire a experienced driver, rather than to go there yourself on a motorbike.
The Laem Son Sea
This beautiful sea is found in the northwestern part of Koh Phangan. The water is cool enough to attract many tourists looking for a refreshing bath. A few wooden swings and ropes is hanging from trees, but we suggest you to be careful while playing here. If you should get injured, it might take a long time before you get any professional help.
Adventure
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
Koh Phangan offers excellent scuba diving with several dive sites of very high quality, including Koh Ma, Sail Rock, Koh Tao and Angthong National Marine Park.
Large coral reefs and clear waters makes the diving a sensual experience, although Koh Tao (north of Phangan) is considered as better (also, there are more diving centers on Koh Tao). We therefore recommend you to visit both islands during your vacation, if diving is high on your holiday agenda.
The island of Koh Ma is located just north of Mae Had Beach and is ideal for those who like to snorkel. There are beautiful coral reefs found here and quite a lot of fish too.
Sail Rock is located north of Koh Phangan and these waters is the home for both whale sharks and barracuda.
There are several PADI accredited dive centers on the island and all offer exciting dive trips, certification courses and even professional level courses – and much cheaper than if you were to take said courses in your home country. Needless to say, taking part in a PADI sanctioned course will ensure that the quality is high and safety guaranteed.
Kayaking or Canoeing
Another way to explore Koh Phangan is from the sea. Just rent a kayak or canoe and paddle out straight from the beach. The kayaks are available for rent at most beaches. Remember to use plenty sunscreen when you are on the sea as the sun is strong at this altitude.
Mountain Biking
If you enjoy cycling, Koh Phangan is a good place for this activity. There are many off road routes to choose from, but remember to always use a helmet as the roads are rather rough. Mountain bikes can be rented at several locations around Koh Phangan, such as in resorts and at a few stores in Thongsala and Had Rin.
Boat Trips and Fishing Trips
A boat trip around the island is a relaxing adventure. You can also go on a tour to explore the stunning surroundings of Koh Phangan or / and enjoy the underwater life while snorkeling. Most hotels and travel agencies offer these boat trips so just look for billboards, brochures and signs. Prices vary depending on the type of boat.
Fishing tours are normally also offered by the same organizers. If you are lucky you might catch both mackerel and barracuda on your trip.
Wakeboarding and Kiteboarding
Wakeboarding is available at Chaloklum Bay in northern Koh Phangan. One of the companies that offer this activity is called “Wake Up” and they have experienced and talented instructors. Kiteboarding (or kitesurfing) is available in Ban Tai (southwest Phangan).
Trekking
Koh Phangan’s almost unexploited midland is ideal for daily trekking tours. Small mountain roads brings you to the island’s highlands. To reach the highest top, we recommend you the hiking trail that starts at Baan Madeuawaan.
The final destination is called Khao Raa, 627 meters above the sea. Hikes with a local guide can be arranged.
Paintball
Paintball is an adrenaline-pumping activity available on Koh Phangan. Paintball Warfare offers a two rai (3200 square meters) field and it is situated close to Thongsala town, on the west coast.
Walking and Hiking
Koh Phangan is an island which is perfect for walking and hiking. You might combine the sightseeing with some exercise and get tanned at the same time. You can either go along the main road, or in more hilly terrain on trails, etc. However, you should always carry a map if you’re not familiar with the area.
Beach Volleyball and Beach Football
These two activities are popular during the late afternoon when the sun’s strength begins to decrease slightly. Both these activities will give you a tan (when the weather is ok), great exercise, and hopefully some fun at the same time.
Thai Boxing, Yoga and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu
The Horizon Muay Thai Boxing Camp is reachable by boat and is located relatively close to Haad Rin on the southern part of the island. Horizon offer Thai boxing training but also cooking classes as well as massage courses.