Stunning, Astounding and Unspoiled Phangan Thailand

One of the most beautiful and unspoiled islands in Thailand, Phangan Island, sits a mere 3 hour trip from the mainland. While it is close distance wise to Koh Samui, it couldn’t be farther away in atmosphere and mood. Koh Samui is the grown up, bold and developed island, while Phangan Island is a peaceful and more laid back natural tropical paradise. There is growth on Phangan Island, but most of it has been contained bungalow resorts and the big developers have yet to ruin this island getaway.

Koh Phangan is best known for the monthly party held there called the Full Moon party. Huge numbers of young travelers, possibly as many as 30,000 come to Phangan Island every month at the full moon to drink and dance throughout the night under the full moon on the beaches of Koh Phangan. This experience is one that many people take home as their top moments of their time in Thailand. Haad Rin is the site of this monthly bash, where you will find almost every resort and bungalow booked full, so if you plan on coming make certain to book your hotel ahead of time.

Haad Rin is on the southern tip of Phangan and as you move northward up the eastern coast you will next come upon Ban Tai. This location hosts several parties as well and is very notable. The half moon party and the shiva moon party are two of the parties held at Ban Tai. It is also known for a collection of clubs called the horny mile, due to the fact that these bars are on a mile long stretch of street and each club is brimming with sexy willing ladies. While bearing a resembalance to bars in Pattaya and Phuket, these bars have a decidedly laid back feel, although you will find them loaded with the same middle aged travelers that you would find in most of the gogo bars throughout Thailand.

Traveling farther north will bring you to the one real town in Phangan named Thongsala. This is the place that many people arrive on Phangan Island as it is the location of the boat pier. You can also find a diverse collection of clubs, restaurants and shops, both Thai and Western to take care of your needs. In addition, each night sees the main square turn into a night market where you can eat some of the best meals on the island from the street vendors who set up their mobile shops.

After you leave Thongsala and travel further north you will notice a drastic change in the pace of life, things are more sedate here with just the occasional houses built and more private village groups with local shops. The villages of Wok Tum and Hing Kong are particularly sedate; both fantastic locations for a person searching for an extended stay on Koh Phangan.

The farther northern areas of Phangan are where the scuba divers come to take advantage of easy access to the reefs from the beach. Both Haad Salad and Haad Yao are known for their warm clear waters and variety of marine life. You can also walk from here, via a sandbar to the island of Koh Ma, where snorkelers are amazed by sights typically reserved for scuba divers.

On the northern tip of Koh Phangan you can see Chaloklam, a squid fishing village with a stunning crescent beach. The seafood here is exceptional, brought directly from the sea each morning. After dark you can watch the lights of the dozens of squid boats that ply the waters in this area, and later watch them return with their haul and dry it under the sun whilst you eat breakfast at a beachside restaurant.

Even though the west side of Phangan has been neglected by developers, it too is amazingly beautiful. Once the haven for an enclave of backpackers it is now home to some of the most luxurious hotels on Phangan Island. Quite a few of the visitors to this part of Koh Phangan feel that the beaches on the west side are the best on the island.