Koh Phangan is a backpacker haven. I typically describe Thailand as the Mexico of that side of the world due to its young tourist vibe. Koh Phangan is the Cancun of Thailand. Good People and good parties make this island stand out among the rest. You will most likely arrive in Thong Sala Port. Where you go from here relies heavily on what you are looking for. The North part of the island is home to seclusion and serenity. Places such as Bottle Beach are only accessible via long boat. Wish I would have known that before I took my motorbike through a very precarious dirt road… rain didn’t help.
Haad Rin Nok
Sunrise Side
My kind of place… This is technically what is referred to as the “Sunrise Side” of Haad Rin. You can stay at a place along this beach. They will most likely run at a premium. I stayed on the “Sunset side” of Haad Rin which offers a rocky beach not really worth swimming in but the prices are much better and within a couple minute motorbike trip.
Sunset Side
Where to Stay?
I stayed at Coral Bungalows, which I highly… highly recommend. Cheap Bungalows w/ or w/o air conditioning. Dorms as well. But the BEST PART ABOUT CORAL is the Cheap Motorbikes, Excellent food, and Awesome Pool Parties.
They are known for their pool parties and throw them frequently. By staying there, the party comes to you. I cant say enough good things about this place. Please make sure to read my blog post about how to Avoid Motorbike Rental Scams. You can here about the story of the guy below in that article. I rented them for $1 a day at Coral bungalows. Be Careful not to crash them….
They also offer cheap massages around 300 Baht ($9) area for an hour.
Parties.. since you asked.
Half Moon Party – “Middle of Jungle Party”
Imagine partying in the middle of a Lush and Vibrant Jungle at Night with nothing other than colored strobe lights offering light during the graces of a kick drum hit. Wolfpack played during the party I went to. It was definitely an experience I’ll never forget.
Full Moon Party – “Massive International Beach Party”
Where do I begin.. You can watch videos of the Full Moon Party on youtube that will explain in seconds what I couldn’t manage in minutes. Enjoy a whippet just before drinking alcohol out of a children’s sand bucket and enjoy the craziest party with people and stories from all around the world.
TY’s PRO TIP: Wear Shoes and DO NOT remove them. People drop glass containers which can break and turn into dangerously hidden foot slicers.
You do not want to get a open sore in Thailand. It is highly likely you will get an infection due to the warm and often wet climate that makes scabs difficult to form so wounds may heal properly and quickly.
Koh Ma
‘Koh’ means Island, however technically not an island, Koh Phangan’s narrow sand strip that stretches out into the sea forms a natural bridge to the Koh Ma ‘island’.
Bottle Beach
Very Secluded and quiet, you’ll usually find families retreating from alcohol-bucket induced backpacker-raging here. As I mentioned above, Bottle Beach is only accessible via long tail boat. You can trek into it… I actually took a motorbike through, thinking this was a thing people do… which is highly UNADVISABLE I have a couple of years of dirt biking experience and definitely needed it to get through. The trip there wasn’t bad but during my time there it had rained and the trip back was mostly uphill. Luckily it stopped long enough for me to head out after lunch and swim. I was almost sure I beat up my motorbike (luckily not noticeably enough to pay out).
