Full Moon Party
Explore Koh Phangan Beaches
Water Sports
Snorkelling
Waterfall Hiking
Yoga Retreat
Koh Phangan Viewpoints
The moon phase parties are the main claim to fame of Koh Phangan. Full Moon Party, Half Moon Party, and now Black Moon Party set the beat on the island every month. Held on the east side of Haad Rin Beach, the southernmost beach in Koh Phangan, the Full Moon Party is one of the best parties in Thailand, with visitors raving it up from dusk till down with your toes in the sand. Half and Black Moon parties are of a slightly lower importance, yet they attract more and more bass heads. Both of them are held are around Baan Tai Beach, just north of Haad Rin.
Beach-hopping is a must do if you stay in Koh Phangan. With a perimeter of about 40km, the island is not that big, yet has about 30 beaches of various sizes and shapes. It’s fairly cheap to rent a motorbike – about 200-300 baht per day, then go explore all these beaches. Some of the tiniest ones cannot be reached by road easily; Haad Nam Tok (Waterfall Beach) for instance. In this case, you may want to hire a long-tail boat for the day, and cruise along the beautiful Koh Phangan shore to get there.
Even though Haad Rin is not the capital town of Koh Phangan, it certainly is the busiest destination on the island, thanks to the Full Moon Parties which attract plenty of young people and backpackers every month. To keep those crowds entertained in between two binge drinking sessions, Haad Rin offers a good choice of activities such as beach football, beach volleyball, and bikini contests, as well as a good list of water sports including jet skiing, sea kayaking, and more.
The waters around Koh Phangan offer great snorkelling and scuba diving sites. Less reputed than Koh Tao, the Mecca of submarine activities in the Gulf of Thailand located some 35 km north, Koh Phangan however features all that’s necessary to explore the underwater world. Snorkelling can be enjoyed at almost any beach along the west and north coasts. The best spots use to be toward the beach ends. Beach diving can also be organised, but the dive centres based on Koh Phangan usually go further at sea, in the direction of Koh Tao. Sail Rock is one of the most beautiful dive sites in the vicinity (15 km north) of Koh Phangan.
There are several waterfalls to discover in Koh Phangan. The most notable ones are Than Sadet Waterfall (off the road to Thong Nai Pan beaches); Paradise Waterfall, located off the road to Chaloklum Bay; Than Prawet Waterfall, also near Thong Nai Pan beaches; and last but not least, Than Praphet, which leads directly in the sea at Waterfall Beach on the southeast coast of the island. If you are ready for challenging hikes, a visit to any of these waterfalls will surely please you. Just note that it’s often best to see them right after high season, when the weather starts to get better.
Yoga centres and retreats are particularly trendy in Koh Phangan. Originating in India, Yoga blends physical and spiritual exercises close to meditation, which are believed to have positive impact on both mind and body. Koh Phangan hosts a good choice of Yoga centres such as Orion Healing Centre in Sri Thanu, Agama Yoga Retreat also in Sri Thanu, and Blooming Lotus Yoga just northeast of Haad Rin. You can book single sessions or stay at a yoga retreat for several sessions.
The mountainous landscapes of Koh Phangan offer visitors a good choice of stunning viewpoints. The highest spot of the island is Khao Ra, a 627 m tall mountain situated in the north central part of the island. The best way to get to the summit is to hire a guide at the base of the trail. It costs 500 baht, and you are sure to not get lost in the jungle or endanger your life unnecessary as the trek is arduous. Besides Khao Ra, there are good viewpoints all around the island in Haad Yao, Haad Rin, between Haad Maehaad and Chaloklum Bay, and more. Some of them are simply on the roadside, some other require a bit of an effort to get reached.
Thai cuisine is renowned all around the world, and one of the best ‘souvenirs’ you could bring back home after a holiday in Thailand, is the ability to cook delicious Thai dishes to impress your friends and family. Koh Phangan features a good choice of cooking schools at which you can learn the basics of Thai cuisine, and the ingredients necessary to successfully prepare some of the favourite dishes such as pad Thai, tom kha kai, and more. Schools such as C&M Culture Centre in Sri Thanu, The Phangan Cooking Class in Thong Sala, and My Wok and Me also in Thong Sala, just to name a few, will give you all the tips and tricks to become a Thai chef.