Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan is a picturesque tropical island full of amazing sights, rainforests, beautiful white sand beaches, and warm tropical waters. That’s a place deserving of its title as “an island of outstanding natural beauty!” It has the most relaxed vibe, and picturesque beaches, and offers plenty of freedom for the people that come here.
Party Island
Koh Phangan is a home to the well-known Full Moon Party – that’s the biggest beach party in the world bringing together travelers from every country for one night each month to enjoy the fun together under a moonlit sky!
Koh Phangan is located 770 km away from Bangkok, in the South East of Thailand. It is part of the Samui Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand – a group of over 40 islands, made over millions of years from granite, and covered in tropical forest and coconut groves. Koh Phangan is located 100 km away from the mainland (Surat Thani) and 15 km from Koh Samui. Over 70% of the island is covered in mountains and rainforest. The rest is covered in coconut forests and white sand beaches.
The naming of Koh Phangan means “the Island of sandbars” (sandbanks). The whole island has shallow bays and sandbanks surrounding it, especially on the west coast, and the last remaining visible sandbank links Mae Haad with the island of Ko Ma in the North West, where at low tide it is still possible to walk on to the island across it.
The culture of Koh Phangan goes back over 600 years when the first monks settled on the island and built their temples. The stunning waterfalls and the idyllic Than Sadet beach have attracted lots of royal visitors, including the Great King Rama V who visited ten times. Over 95% of the population are Buddhists.
Things to Do in Koh Phangan
Safari
The safest and best way to see Koh Phangan is to book an Island Safari Tour. This trip includes a full day overland Jeep Safari tour taking in all the sights of Koh Phangan plus it also includes elephant trekking and snorkeling on our coral reef.
Explore the Parks
There are two designated national parks at Ko Ra, the highest mountain and Than Sadet both with amazing waterfalls and tropical rainforest. Koh Phangan has many waterfalls to visit, such as Paradise Waterfall with nearby elephant trekking and the beautiful Chinese Temple, Phaeng Waterfall located centrally in the protected rainforest with all its fauna & flora and the beautiful Thansadet waterfall with the idyllic beach cove of Than Sadet Bay. The best time to visit the falls is just after the wet seasons of May/June & November/December when water flows at it’s best and the swim holes are full and flowing!
The wildlife here is so rich! You can find many species, among them, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Fish Eagles, Buzzards, Sunbirds, Butterflies and Geckos. There are even wild monkeys in the jungle! You may also be lucky to spot giant monitor lizards in the jungle, at Leam Son freshwater lake or Thong Nai Pan.
Diving
Scuba Diving is very popular on Koh Phangan especially as the most famous dive site Sail Rock in the Gulf of Thailand is located close to Koh Phangan, which makes it quicker and cheaper to dive! Sail Rock has an awesome 12-meter swim through called “the chimney” and it is also the most popular dive site for the visits of whale sharks. There are now sightings every month and therefore it’s a mecca for scuba divers!
A large coral reef runs along the northwest coast of Koh Phangan starting at the island of Koh Ma, which can be accessed by foot at low tide from Mae Haad, right down to the bay of Haad Salad, which makes it perfect for those who want to best snorkeling and scuba diving on the island!
The coral reef is full of amazing marine life. You can scuba dive amongst the colorful tropical fish and see many different varieties of soft and hard corals. An amazing underwater world is out there waiting for you to explore!
Other activities to do in the area include Thai Boxing, Thai cooking schools, workout, sea fishing, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, mountain biking, massage & yoga courses/retreats, treetop canopy walkways & zip lines.
The best and biggest night market in Koh Phangan is The Pantip Food Market. It is open from Monday to Friday from 16:00 to 22:00. On Saturdays, it moves to the road that runs parallel to the pier. This street market with food stalls, clothes, and local produce is becoming extremely popular with both locals and tourists. The restaurants, shops, and bars along the street make it a pleasant evening to enjoy the sights and sounds of the local people of Koh Phangan.
Nightlife
If you want a relaxed evening, visit the herbal sauna at Wat Pho in Ban Kai. It offers amazing lemongrass and herbal remedies. Alternatively, you can head to one of Koh Pha-Ngan’s great beaches and find a hammock to relax under a shady tree.
We love nights at Koh Phangan for the beautiful sunsets with a cocktail in a chilled out bar, fresh seafood in one of the many fantastic restaurants. Here you can dance the night away in one of the many bars or simply sit on the beach and watch a free fire show.
If you want to party, then there are many different ones to enjoy each month, including the Black Moon Party, the Half Moon Party & of course the infamous Full Moon Party at Haad Rin beach with up to 20,000 people partying all night long at the biggest beach party in the world!
Koh Phangan is famous throughout the world for the Full Moon Party, but please don’t come here just to party, get out there and travel across the island and enjoy the many beaches, mountain treks, waterfalls, massage & spas, on this island of outstanding natural beauty!
Climate
The weather here is always between 27 and 40 degrees celsius! The high season lasts from January to March, and the weather is normally excellent. April to May is very hot, which brings sunshine and rainstorms. June to October is warm, with lots of sunshine, sometimes wind and occasional showers. November to December is the low season with heavy rainfalls and strong winds, but many sunny days too.
Practical Information
There are lots of ATMs throughout the island, with many bank departments in Thong Sala and Haadrin. There is also Western Union in both towns.
Important Numbers
Thong Sala Police Station: +66 77 430 018
Police emergency: 191
Samui Tourist Police: +66 77 430 018
Samui Tourist Police Emergency: 1155
Fire Department: 106
Koh Phangan Hospital: +66 77 377 034
Immigration (Koh Samui): +66 77 423 440
