We have a put together a short Koh Phangan Island Travel guide
Over recent years Koh Phangan has been the recipient of some colourful comments and articles.
Full Moon Party
The Full Moon Party which is held once a month on the beach at Haad Rin. Partygoers can top the twenty thousand mark most months. It is not hard to imagine the fun and games which follows this particular event.
Koh Phangan should certainly not be overlooked when choosing a holiday destination. And especially if you are searching for beautiful beaches and rich tropical views.
This island is perfect for exploring; it is also a perfect retreat for those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Koh Phangan has a large choice of beaches which truly must be seen to be believed. There are literally dozens and all going through their various stages of development. Some more suited to the backpacker with beach bungalows while other suited more to the higher end market.
You can enjoy the yoga and meditation retreats which make for the perfect island sanctuary for those preferring a more tranquil setting.
Getting to Koh Phangan
The closest airport is on Koh Samui International Airport.
Samui has daily flights from Bangkok, Phuket and Singapore, and several direct flights each week from Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur.
The next nearest airport is at Surat Thani on the mainland.
Flights from Bangkok are generally cheaper than if flying to Samui, as several of the low-cost carriers fly into there, and even ThaiAirways charge less to Surat Thani than to Samui.
Alternative airports
Another airport which is overlooked is the one at Krabi and as it is only a few hours’ drive from the ferry terminal at Surat Thani. It may be worth considering using this airport with many flights a day to Bangkok.
It is also possible to catch a flight to Kuala Lumpar, Singapore and mainland China including Shanghai.
Flights into Krabi are also cheaper than flying directly to Koh Samui. It also may be worth considering the airport at Chumpon too.
There are many ferries each day operating a round trip service to all the three main islands this is a cheaper option.
If arriving at Surat Thani airport it is relatively easy to get to the ferry terminal and there are many departures a day with the last one early evening.
Here is the answer to “How to get from Phuket to Koh Phangan“
Koh Phangan Climate
Koh Phangan is situated in the Pacific Ocean causing the climate to differ somewhat from that of Phuket.
February to August is the more settled time in the area for weather.
During this time there is little or no rain and the sea in the Gulf of Thailand is very calm.
Like most of the country, the climate is tropical, you can be assured of very hot weather from March to May. There is humidity from June to September.
The rainy season is similar to everywhere in Thailand and is the at their highest in October through to December
Best Beaches
Haad Rin
If it’s the Full Moon Party you are after then head over to Haad Rin and indulge all your senses. The Haad Rin population is at its peak come full moon and every bar and is throbbing to the beat of the biggest party in Asia.
Here you will find beaches packed with young, body-painted revellers all dancing the night away. Many of which will be drinking buckets of alcoholic concoctions so if you fancy a little boogie on a massive scale check Haad Rin out
If however you feel a more tranquil settling is for you, then there are many quieter beaches to be found.
Bottle Beach
Haad Khuat is a very special out of the way beach. It is not straight forward to find as some of the beaches, but definitely well worth the trip.
Catch the boat from Chaloklam as it’s not too far from there. Once there you can sit back relax unwind and let all your worries fall away. The beach is pure white fine sand.
It also well worth the trek up to the view point where you can catch sight of breath taking views of the surrounding area including the spectacular aquamarine seas.
Haad Yao
Haad Yao also known as long beach is situated on the north-west coast of Koh Phangan. It’s a real stunner of a beach and is easily accessible by boat, bike or songthaew from Thong Sala.
There are numerous places of accommodation with many places built on the hills offering excellent sea views. Its has a laid back yet welcoming feel to the place, another well worth visit.
Haad Salad
Further up the coast from Haad Yao is perfect little cove. Haad Salad feels different again from most beaches on the island. It is a world away from the southern part of Koh Phangan people come here to chill out and kick back.
It’s close to the nearby town and is also quite close to several other beaches in the west and north of the island. Spending just a few days here will leave you feeling blessed and refreshed and the panoramic views of the beach below are worth the visit alone.
Than Sadet
Koh Phangan’s most-loved and treasured east-facing beach Than Sadet is famous for its superb sunrises.
This beach is truly a nirvana, not always easy to get to, however this said, it does tend to keep the hordes at bay and pretty much guaranteeing a quieter beach to enjoy.
There are several beach bungalows for rent and the sunrises here to spectacular fashion.
Places to visit
Than Sadet-Ko Pha Ngan National Park is named after the river ‘Than Sadet’ “Royal River”.
The river causes one of the biggest waterfalls on the island which can be a little tricky to reach on motorbike.
There are other beautiful waterfalls to visit too. None more spectacular than the one at Pheang also from here is a great viewpoint only 15 minutes away called Domesila.
Also along this route you can find the Wat Khao Tam. Another viewpoint worth visiting is in Chalok Lam on the road to Haad Khom, it’s well sign posted from the main road.
There are several temples on the island though none more beautiful than the Chinese temple which overlooks Chalok Lam Bay.
Check out some great snorkelling to be had on the beaches and many of the resorts offer Scuba Diving try dives and courses for the beginner.
Speedboat are also available to hire buy the hour with the Ang Thong National Park being a popular place to visit too. Kayaking and island hopping is another great way to see the area.
There is elephant trekking as well as 4×4 Wheel Vehicles to hire enabling you to get to more remote interiors.
Other pastimes available are archery which can be found on the Thong Sala road towards Chalok Lam.
Cookery courses to undertake, Fishing trips to go on, watch the Muay Thai Boxing or even have a go yourself.
Simply so much to see and do please contact us at Easy Day for an even more detailed schedule available.
Koh Phangan Pros and Con
Koh Phangan has an estimated population of about twelve thousand people, which swells to three times that amount during the full moon party.
This tends to put a strain on the water supply. Also during the drier months, the water quality is not as good as it is on the mainland. The tap water is not safe for consumption.
Also one can expect more electric outages than normal. Of course, this is a paradise island in the Pacific Ocean these things can be expected and easily forgiven.
The roads sometimes flood in the rainy periods. Be careful driving motorbikes particularly at night as there may be some hidden pot holes. Where your helmet and drive on the left, please.
Phangan Info
You will not find any major shopping malls, there are however many quaint souvenirs shops and places to find your best bargains.
Koh Phangan is more of a beach holiday place than a shopping mecca.
Koh Pahngan truly is a perfect island hideaway and now more than ever perfect for families.
With very little traffic and many different beaches and sights to see, it’s a wonderful place for your next vacation. Also being so close to Koh Samui and Koh Tao you can really visit the other islands.
There are many ferries throughout the day making access easy.
The local people are particularly friendly and the food on the island is great especially the sea food. There some great –places for massages and spas are dotted about the island and there is all sorts of things for a young family to enjoy.
For further information about this island in the sun contact us at Easy Day Thailand we are here to help you.
