Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan Probably best known for the Full Moon Party. This is Thailand’s fifth biggest island and definitely gives everything you could want on one island. Located 70km from the mainland and just 12km from Koh Samui, Phangan does not have an airport but is easily reachable by ferry from the mainland and Koh Samui. Koh Phangan has so much more to offer and has many hidden charms.
The Parties.
Koh Phangan’s main claim to fame is largely due to its many Full Moon Party, ‘Black Moon’ and just about any other moon beach party. The Full Moon Party is located at Haad Rin Beach. It is world famous, one of a kind events! It has become a tradition to paint yourself up in neon body paint and there are plenty of UV strip lights around. Making bodies sparkle and glow through the night.
The beverage of choice is, of course, the ‘bucket’. This consists of a bottle of hard liquor (usually either whiskey, vodka or local sugarcane rum like Sangsom or Hong Thong), a bottle of Red Bull and some ice, occasionally also including mixers to water it down a little.
Celebrations attract between 10,000 to 30,000 at New Years Eve. The Black Moon Party, located at Baan Tai Beach, is usually held on the night of the new moon and is generally a bit more chilled out than the mainstream Full Moon. Definitely something to experience if you come to the island.
Nightlife and Dining
As well as the parties, Koh Phangan has so much more to offer, from idyllic beach front restaurants to jazz bars and nightclubs. You can wander along the beach to find restaurants offering up fresh seafood and in more recent years more western food but the real delights is the authentic Thai cooking. There really is something for everyone and all at easy reach depending on your mood and budget.
Day time activities.
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 quite cheap to rent a motorbike or scooter to get around the island easily to visit all the wonderful beaches.
You can also hire a long tail boat and cruise along the shore to reach some of the harder to reach beaches. With so much on offer from yoga to hiking the waterfalls, from Thong Sala night market to Full Moon parties. There really is something for everyone on Koh Phangan and is definitely worth the trip for visiting this beautiful island, just don’t forget your neon paint.
