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Koh Phangan is an island off the Central Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand, halfway between the islands of Ko Samui and Ko Tao. It is known as a land of coconut trees and, above all, the world famous full moon parties.

Beaches in Phangan
Most beaches on Koh Phangan are great for swimming and snorkeling. Here is a concise list of the most popular beaches and bays:

The Southern Beaches
Had Rin Nok and Had Rin Nai

The most popular beach on Pha Ngan. Here you will find the famous Full Moon Party. Had Rin is actually two beaches (Had Rin Nok and Had Rin Nai) and the East side is often considered as the most beautiful beach, but also the more crowded one.

Ban Khai, Ban Tai and Ao Nai Wok

These beaches are located in the South East of the island, East of Thongsala. You will find cheap accommodation and some beach bars here. Stunning sunsets can be seen over Koh Samui.

Had Yuan, Had Thien and (Eastern) Had Yao

These three beaches are located North of Had Rin Nok. Relaxed places only accessible by foot or by a taxi boat etc.

Other beaches in the South are: Had Yang, Had Khontee and Had Leela.

The Northeastern Beaches
Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi, Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai

Considered to be two of the most beautiful beaches on Phangan. Great for swimming and relaxing. The road there can however almost be described as a roller coaster dirt road, but it works.

Had Kuat (Bottle Beach)

Also a amazingly beautiful beach in the North West of the island, surrounded by tropical mountains and coves. Reachable by taxi boat from Ao Chaloklum. Other beaches in the North are: West Had Sadet and Had Nam Tok (waterfall island).

Full Moon Party

Haad Rin Nok Beach on Koh Phangan is regarded by many as one of the best places in the world for viewing the full moon. No surprise then, that it’s also the venue for the famed Full Moon Party – a must for travelers from all over the world. As with many famous events, no one seems quite sure when or how the Full Moon Party started.

The consensus is that the first was in the late 1980s and was a small, private affair among a group of friends. Today, 20 years later, the Full Moon Party attracts tens of thousands of people from Thailand and the world beyond.

Basically, if you are looking to have a great time, meet new people from every corner of the world, and drink and dance till dawn or after, then Koh Phangan’s Full Moon Party is for you. Many visitors come to fulfill the dream of being on a fantasy tropical island – white sandy beach and coconut trees – like the Hollywood movie, “The Beach”, but far more suave and civilized.

Locals say there are usually 7,000-8,000 people at this magnificent party in the low season, and the number can easily reach 20,000 or more in the high season.

The parties are famous for their fire dances, firework displays and, of course, Thai and international DJs pumping out great dance music from huge sound systems. Vendors sell fun party stuff including weird eyeglasses, temporary tattoos, bracelets made from light sabers and glowing neon gel.

How to get there

By plane

The closest airport is Ko Samui (USM) which has frequent flights from Bangkok and Phuket, daily flights from U-Tapao and Singapore, and several direct flights each week from Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur. Transportation to the ferry dock is easy to find at the airport. Ferries depart several times a day with the last one around dusk.

The next nearest airport is Surat Thani (URT) on the mainland. Flights from Bangkok there are significantly cheaper (1000-1500 baht in advance, or 2000-2500 if booked same day, instead of 3000-5000 if flying to Samui), as there are low-cost carriers (AirAsia and One-Two-Go) flying there, and even Thai Airways charge 30-50% less than to Samui. However, you'll then need combined bus + boat travel to get to Ko Pha Ngan, which will surely take several hours.

By boat

From Ko Samui: There are at least 3 ferries a day from Ko Samui's "Big Buddha" pier directly to Haad Rin. Ferries also leave from Nathon and Mae Nam piers to Thong Sala several times a day.

Watch out for scammers at Koh Samui airport who try to sell you a bus/boat combo for an exorbitant price. Make sure to walk towards the exit of the airport where there is an Information counter and taxi stands.

By bus and boat

The best way in by bus is by Governmnent Bus to the Na Dan ferry piers: these are the most direct, quickest, reliable, safest, and hassle-free services. Tickets for these services can be bought at Sai Tai Taling Chan (southern) government bus terminal in Bangkok.

Buses also arrive in Surat Thani, capital of Surat Thani Province, from where passengers are inexorably swept up in the machine that will, several buses and at least one ferry later, spit you out on the rusty pier of Thong Sala.

If there are no available options listed above (usually only if you've arrived to the bus terminal quite late in the evening before a weekend or holiday), you can also try a bus to Chumphon and board a ferry there, see "By train" section below. You can buy a combo ticket on the bus station, it will cost same as if purchased separately (and the bus arrives 2-3 hours before ferry departure, so you shouldn't be late).

Buses originating from Khao San Road (or others with travel agent sold tickets) are notorious for thefts from passenger luggage and should be avoided at all costs. Under no circumstances should passengers on Khao San Road buses leave valuables in bags that will go in the luggage stowage areas, even if the bags can be locked; consider it inevitable that every bag will be opened while the bus is in motion.

Overnight train from Bangkok is an interesting option. Trains arrive in Surat Thani or Chumphon, and from there you can transfer by bus and then boat. Chumphon is the option if you're planning to stop by at Ko Tao but if you're heading straight to Ko Phan Ngan consider Surat Thani. Both stations are on the south-bounding Hay Yai line but arrival times in Chumphon (when using night trains) are annoyingly early in the morning. For example, the (recommended) express train number #85 arrives around 4am after which you'll have to wait about 3 hours for the ferry. On the other hand, if you continue down to Surat Thani you can sleep an extra 3-4 hours plus you will arrive in daylight. Considering the waiting time in Chumphon and the longer ferry trip you will eventually get to Ko Pha Ngan at about the same time.

Combined train-bus-boat tickets can be bought direct from the official Advance Booking Counter at Hualamphong station in Bangkok, although sometimes train get late, and your boat is already gone and you have to pay extra for the next boat. Thus joint ticket is not the best choice.