Your Travel Guide to Thailand
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All you need to know to visit Koh Phangan
Southern Thailand
650 km from Bangkok
Province of Surat Thani
- Budget
- 4/5
- Recommended stay
- At least 3 days
- Sightseeing
- 3/5
Travel guide to visit Koh Phangan
Located between Koh Tao and Koh Samui, Koh Phangan is famous for its Full Moon Party (fullmoonparty-thailand.com) that takes place the nights of full moon on Hat Rin beach. Many revelers go there these days and many of those who appreciate the island for its many other assets avoid the palce on full moon nights. Koh Pha Ngan beaches have nothing to envy to the one of the neighbours islands. With forests and waterfalls, or its temples ( some are in caves ), Koh Phangan has much appeal. less crowded ( except for Full Moon partys ) than Koh Samui and Koh Tao, Phangan get backpackers preference. The low tides, especially from June to September can make it hard to swim except on Thong Nai Pan Noi beach. Haad Salad, Bootle beach and the area around Koh Ma island are the best spots for snorkeling.Koh Phangan is also close to two of the best dive sites in Thailand, Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle and near the Ang Thong Marine National Park.
The months of October and November are particularly rainy in Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Samui, better focus on other months of the year to come here.
For all the options for getting around Koh Phangan, see our section on getting around in Koh Phangan.
Accommodations in Koh Phangan
In Koh Phangan, the Full Moon Party takes takes place in Haad Rin, so it is logically the part of the island where there hotels and guesthouses are the most numerous. Used to receive massive crowd, this is the place in Thailand where tehre are the most multiple-bed rooms. If you plan to come to Koh Phangan for the Full Moon, it is essential to book your room in advance. Hotels and accommodation on the island are literally mobbed. Room rates are often more expensive during the party also. The rest of the time, it is much easier to find a room in Koh Phangan and the island is much quieter. The cheapest guesthouses in Koh Phangan, are in Thong Sala but access to the sea there is not suitable for swimming. There are also some nice and cheap resorts inland. Anyway to enjoy Koh Phangan, rent a scooter but be careful the descending and ascending roads can be very tricky and dangerous especially during the Full Moon Party when you may cross drunk drivers on the road.Which beach to choose to stay in Koh Phangan?
Each beach of Koh Phangan has its own atmosphere: find out which one suits your budget and wishes, with their pros and cons.
Find accommodation in Koh Phangan
My recommendations
People often ask me which accommodation I recommend in Thailand. Here are my recommendations in Koh Phangan.
Practical information about Koh Phangan
You can reach the island either by taking a boat from Chumphon or Surat Thani or by going to Koh Samui by plane and taking the boat to Koh Pha Ngan. Note that there are bus + ferry tickets offered by certain bus companies, especially from or to Bangkok (you can book tickets online here) but be carefull valuable things are often stolen from the luggage in the bus during the ferry trip or on night buses.How to go to Koh Phangan ?
You can get to Koh Phangan Island either by taking a boat from Chumphon or Surat Thani (Donsak Pier) or after going to Koh Samui by plane and taking the boat to Koh Phangan. Note that there are bus + ferry tickets offered by some companies with a departure from the Khao San Road area or the South Bus Terminal or the Pinklao Terminal online bookings HERE). But beware of business and money thefts sometimes on these buses during the night. You can also create your own flight combinations from Bangkok to Surat Thani then ferry to Koh Phangan. It is also possible via Nakhon Si Thammarat but less practical or via Chumphon but the boat journey is much longer. From Surat Thani, ferries leave from Donsak which is 1h30 by bus from the city, the train station or the airport. The plane + bus + ferry formula via Surat Thani is often chosen by travelers because it is a good compromise between price and travel time. Flights to Koh Samui are expensive compared to other domestic flights in Thailand because Samui airport belongs to the airline Bangkok Airways which has a monopoly on it and intends to make it profitable. There are boats almost every hour connecting Koh Samui and Koh Tao to Koh Phangan. From Koh Samui, especially if you are aiming for Haad Rin beach, I recommend taking the boat from Big Buddha Pier.
Please note that the direct flight Chiang Mai - Surat Thani by Air Asia changes schedule once a year on average and when it takes off in the late afternoon, it is no longer possible to follow it with a ferry to Koh Phangan. The best way to get to Koh Phagan from Chiang Mai, unless you want to spend the night in a hotel in Surat Thani, is to take 2 flights with a stopover in Bangkok. Allow enough time between the 2 flights and take a flight from Bangkok that leaves from the same airport as the one where your flight from Chiang Mai will land (there are more options from Don Muang). I would say 2h30 between the 2 flights if you do not change airports. If you take the same company for the 2 flights, your luggage will not follow, you will have to collect it and re-register on the next flight yourself.
How to get around in Koh Phangan ?
Festivals in Koh Phangan ?
Here is a list of the main festivals held every year in Koh Phangan. Their dates are published as soon as they are official on the Festivals in Thailand page.
Full Moon Party
This festival usually takes place in Several times a year
Must-visits in
Koh Ma island
เกาะม้าMy opinion : 3/5
This small wild island, even if there are some bungalows, faces Koh Phangan and is connected to the main island at low tide by a sand bank. The picture of Koh Ma and this sandbank is probably one of the best known images of Koh Phangan. Kayaks can be rented to go around the island and its reef is also a nice spot for snorkeling.
Than Sadet Waterfall
ธารเสด็จน้ำตกMy opinion : 3/5
It is the most famous waterfall in Koh Phangan for its size, its many pools where you can bathe with water all year long or almost when the other waterfalls are dried several months a year and for its history with the Kings of Thailand and more particularly Rama V and Rama IX.Other places to see in Koh Phangan
Wat Khao Tham
Wat Pho
Phaeng Waterfall
Koh Phangan Giant Tree
Wang Sai Waterfall
Wat Thong Nai Pan
Koh Tae Nai island
Weather & climate in
Koh Phangan has a tropical savanna climate. The island has only one month of true dry season (February). The climate is hot and humid for most of the year but the island is on average less humid than Phuket. The rainiest months are October and especially November. The rest of the year, given the tropical climate, showers are brief. The best moment to come to Koh Phangan is from January to April but Koh Phangan is also enjoyable during the months of July and August. At this time of the year Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are the islands of Thailand where the weather is the best. The months of October and especially November (sometimes until mid-December) are not recommended for a stay in Ko Phangan.How to ask the way in Thai to Koh Phangan ?
I want to go to Koh Phangan / Yak pai thi Koh Phangan.Where is Koh Phangan? / Koh Phangan yu thi nai?
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