Koh Phangan has a reputation that only fits one corner of it. Haad Rin, at the southern tip, hosts the Full Moon Party every month. Drive twenty minutes in any other direction and you're on a quiet beach with a book, in a yoga class in Srithanu, or eating your way through the night market in Thong Sala. It's a good island to arrive on alone. It's big enough for a few days of exploring, and small enough that you keep running into the people you met on the boat.
This guide covers the areas, the best things to do, getting there, getting around, costs and when to go. For the rest of the country, see our Thailand travel guide.
Koh Phangan at a glance
- Where: the Gulf of Thailand, about 30 minutes by boat north of Koh Samui and 1 to 1.5 hours south of Koh Tao
- Size: about 125 km², with around 10,000 residents
- Main town: Thong Sala, on the west coast, where most ferries arrive
- Known for: the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin, Bottle Beach, yoga and wellness in Srithanu, and quiet bays in the north
- Best months: January to April and July to September
- How long: three nights at least, and four to seven if you want to see more than one side of the island
Where to stay on Koh Phangan
Where you stay shapes your trip more than on most islands, because the roads between the areas are steep and taxis add up. Pick the area that matches what you want most.
| Area | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Haad Rin | Full Moon Party, nightlife, short stays | Loud, and around the party rooms cost three to four times the usual rate, often with minimum stays of three nights or more |
| Ban Tai | Hostels and meeting people | Between Thong Sala and Haad Rin. Lots of social hostels, and home to the Half Moon Festival in the jungle |
| Thong Sala | Ferries, markets, getting around | The main town. Practical rather than pretty, with the night market and the best transport links |
| Srithanu | Yoga, cafes, sunsets | On the west coast. Calm and walkable, with yoga schools, plant-based cafes and sunsets over the sea |
| Haad Yao and Haad Salad | Swimming beaches | North-west coast. Good sand and calmer water, a bit further from everything |
| Mae Haad and Chaloklum | Snorkelling, a quiet base | North coast. Mae Haad has the sandbar to Koh Ma, and Chaloklum is where longtails leave for Bottle Beach |
| Thong Nai Pan | Quiet, calm bays | Two bays on the north-east coast. Beautiful and peaceful, but a long taxi ride from Thong Sala |
For a first visit, Srithanu, Ban Tai or the north-west beaches are a good balance: calm at night, with the rest of the island within reach. If you want the Full Moon Party without living in it, stay outside Haad Rin and take a taxi in on the night. Our Full Moon Party guide explains how that works.
Things to do on Koh Phangan
Bottle Beach
Bottle Beach (Haad Khuad) is a quiet bay on the north coast with no road down to it. Most people take a longtail from Chaloklum, about 15 minutes along the coast for around 150 baht each way. You can also hike in on a jungle trail over the headland, but it's steep and hot, so go early and take plenty of water. There isn't much to do there apart from swim, eat and lie in the shade, and that's the appeal.
Snorkel at Koh Ma
On the north-west coast, a sandbar about 100 metres long joins Mae Haad beach to Koh Ma, a small island inside a protected area where fishing isn't allowed. At low tide you can walk across and snorkel straight off the island, with a chance of turtles and small reef sharks. Bring your own mask if you have one, wear something on your feet for the rocks, and don't stand on the coral.
Thong Nai Pan and the east coast
Thong Nai Pan Noi and Thong Nai Pan Yai are two neighbouring bays on the north-east coast with calm water and soft sand. The road there is now paved, but it's steep. A day trip by taxi works well, or combine it with Bottle Beach by longtail.
Phaeng Waterfall and the viewpoint
In the forested middle of the island, Phaeng Waterfall sits inside a national park. The fall itself is small and best in or just after the rainy season, when there's more water. The reason to go is the walk up beyond it to a viewpoint over the west coast and across to Koh Samui, which takes about half an hour. Wear proper shoes.
Ang Thong Marine Park
Ang Thong is a national park of 42 limestone islands west of Samui and Phangan. Day trips by boat from Phangan include kayaking, snorkelling and a steep climb to a viewpoint over the islands. Expect to pay from about 1,200 baht for the trip, plus a 300 baht park fee that often isn't included. The park usually closes from about 1 November to mid-December, depending on the weather.
Yoga, markets and evenings
- Yoga and wellness: Srithanu is full of yoga schools and drop-in classes. Book a class for your first morning and you'll meet people who've been on the island for weeks.
- Thong Sala night market: the food market in Thong Sala opens every evening. On Saturdays there's also a Walking Street market in the old town from about 4pm to 10pm.
- Sunsets: the west coast, from Srithanu up to Haad Yao, gets the sunsets. The east coast gets the sunrise.
- Parties: as well as the monthly Full Moon Party, the Half Moon Festival in the Ban Tai jungle is held about every two weeks.
The Full Moon Party
The Full Moon Party takes over Haad Rin Sunrise Beach once a month, from about 9pm until after sunrise. Entry is a 200 baht wristband. The dates through the end of the year are 27 October, 24 November and 24 December 2026, with a New Year's Eve party on 31 December. The first one of 2027 is on 22 January. Dates move when the full moon falls on a Buddhist holiday, so check again about two months before you go.
The UK government's travel advice for Thailand warns that drinks can be spiked or contain methanol, and that assaults are most common around full moon parties. Go with people you know, buy sealed drinks, stay out of the sea and take a taxi home. The Full Moon Party guide has every date for 2027 and the full safety checklist.
Getting to Koh Phangan
There's no airport on Koh Phangan, so everyone arrives by boat, usually at Thong Sala.
| From | How | About |
|---|---|---|
| Koh Samui | Lomprayah or Seatran catamaran or speedboat to Thong Sala | 30 to 45 minutes, about 250 to 370 baht |
| Koh Tao | Lomprayah, Seatran or Songserm ferry | 1 to 2 hours, 350 to 650 baht |
| Surat Thani (mainland) | Joint bus and boat ticket via Donsak pier | About 3.5 to 4.5 hours from the airport |
| Bangkok | Fly to Koh Samui (then the boat), or fly to Surat Thani and take the bus and boat | Or overnight by train or bus, plus the boat |
Koh Samui has the nearest airport and the most flights, including direct flights from Bangkok and from Chiang Mai. Surat Thani is usually cheaper to fly into, but the bus and ferry add several hours. Boats get busy around Full Moon dates, so book a day or two ahead.
Getting around
Koh Phangan is hillier than it looks, and some of the roads are very steep.
- Songthaews (shared pick-up trucks) run from Thong Sala to the main beaches. In the daytime, expect about 100 to 150 baht per person to Haad Rin, about 200 to Chaloklum or Haad Salad and about 300 to Thong Nai Pan. Prices go up at night, and a private taxi for one person across the island can cost 1,000 baht or more. Agree the price before you get in.
- Ride-hailing apps: don't count on Grab or Bolt here. Use songthaews, or ask your accommodation to book a taxi.
- Longtail boats are the easiest way to Bottle Beach and some of the north-coast bays.
- Scooters cost about 150 to 250 baht a day, but crashes are common. The road between Haad Rin and Thong Sala is a known crash spot, and the hill down to the Bottle Beach car park is steep. To ride legally you need a motorcycle licence from home and an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles. Without both, your travel insurance probably won't pay if you crash. Never ride on party night.
Best time to visit Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan follows the Gulf of Thailand's weather, which is different from Phuket and Krabi on the other coast.
| Months | Weather | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| January to April | Dry, sunny and calm. It gets hot by April | The best time for beaches and boat trips. Busy from late December to February |
| May to June | Warm, with short showers | Quieter and good value |
| July to September | Mostly dry, with some showers | A good time for the Gulf islands while the Andaman coast gets its rain. Busy in July and August |
| October | Rain increases | Mixed |
| November | The wettest month, with rough seas | The month to avoid. Ang Thong is usually closed |
| December | Improving through the month | Christmas and New Year are very busy |
Our best time to visit Thailand guide compares every region month by month.
How much does Koh Phangan cost?
Koh Phangan is a little more expensive than the mainland, and prices jump in Haad Rin around the Full Moon Party. As a rough guide:
| Item | Baht |
|---|---|
| Street food or a simple Thai dish | about 60 to 100 |
| Dinner at a tourist restaurant | about 200 to 400 |
| Large beer in a bar | about 100 to 150 |
| Songthaew, Thong Sala to Haad Rin | about 100 to 150 (daytime) |
| Longtail to Bottle Beach | about 150 each way |
| Full Moon Party wristband | 200 |
| Ang Thong day trip | from about 1,200, plus 300 park fee |
| Scooter rental | about 150 to 250 a day |
Outside accommodation, budget about 1,000 to 1,500 baht a day, and more around the Full Moon.
Is Koh Phangan good for solo travellers?
Yes. There are plenty of social hostels, especially around Ban Tai and Thong Sala, and drop-in yoga classes, boat trips and markets make it easy to meet people. Most of the risks are the usual island ones:
- Scooters cause the most injuries. See the rules above, or use songthaews.
- Drinks. Buy sealed drinks and watch them being poured, especially on party nights.
- Drugs. Thailand has heavy penalties for drugs, including for foreigners. Cannabis is medical-only and needs a prescription from a Thai doctor, and recreational use is an offence.
- The sea. Don't swim at night or after drinking, and stay out of the water when the sea is rough.
The Thailand safety guide has more on scams, health and getting help.
How many days on Koh Phangan?
Three nights is the minimum: one day on the water, one day on a quiet beach and one to explore. With four to seven nights you can split your stay between two areas, for example Srithanu for yoga and sunsets, then a couple of nights in the north near Bottle Beach.
Koh Phangan pairs naturally with Koh Tao, an hour or so north, and with Chiang Mai, which has direct flights to Koh Samui. All three of our Thailand island trips spend three nights on Koh Phangan, on the quieter side of the island, away from Haad Rin.
