Koh PhaNgan - GENERAL INFORMATION

Koh PhaNgan is a small tropical island in the south-east of Thailand.

It is mostly known for its monthly full moon party, which attracts 5000 to 10,000 people, dancing and hanging-out at clubs and bars along the eastern beach of Haad-Rin town.

In recent years the range of visitors has widened, and today the island is frequented by people from all walks of life, including families with babies, couples on honeymoon, group-tours and people in search of spiritual advancement.

Koh Phangan is just 12-kilometers north of Samui and has always been in the shadow of its more commercial neighbour. There is no airport and no big resorts or hotels, and with a population of only 8,000 it could be overlooked by most visitors to Samui were it not for its notorious parties. Contrary to Koh Samui, which saw rapid uncontrolled development, became over-commercial and lost its feel of a tropical island, PhaNgan still retains its charm and offers an easy-going, laid-back, calm atmosphere as well as abundant tropical vegetation and wild-life.

KEY BENEFITS
There are a number of key benefits that make Koh-PhaNgan a better vacation destination than other islands and beaches in Thailand: Hardly any sex tourism, affordability, authenticity, low level of commercialism and development, and a range and depth of holistic activities.

Hardly any sex tourism - As opposed to many popular destinations in Thailand, Koh PhaNgan is mostly free of sex tourism. That means you will hardly see any prostetutes, nor will you encounter the kind of tourists who are in constant search for them. Mind you, there is still alot of "action" on the island amongst the tourists, especially around the many clubs, pubs and beach bars, where alcohol and funky music break the ice and the language barriers between the many nationalities that frequent the island. Many so-called "Koh-PhaNgan-couples" who have met on the island, return years later, for their honey-moon or anniversary, or even with their kids, to re-visit their meeting place.

Low-level-Commercial - The lack of an air-port and the mountenous roads have kept the "big money" away for many years. Most of the resorts and businesses tend to be family-owned and run; There are no hotel chains, no fast-food franchises, no brand-name shopping outlets or mega-supermarkets. The thai grocery shops and small-supermarkets, compounded by a few small branches of always-open 7/11, provide all you need, and in case of emergencies, Koh-Samui is less then an hour away by boat.

Affordable - Koh PhaNgan is probably the cheapest island destination in Thailand. A week-long stay can be as low as a 100 US$ (staying in a basic bungalow and eating mostly thai-food), and twice as much can provide you with Air-conditioning, western fare, and daily sight-seeing and nights-out. Staying outside of the full moon week is a good way to cut costs, since many resorts offer reduced rates and other incentives during the quite 3 weeks of the month.

Low level of development - Although the recent years have seen more fancy resorts and businesses, Koh PhaNgan is still much less developed then the neighbouring island of Koh Samui. The resorts throughout the island tend to be spaced along the beach, and the bungalows are positioned away from each other, with most having a view of the ocean (some parts of Haad-Rin are an exception). There are still some small untouched bays and coves, where you can spend the whole day without seeing anyone.
The focus In Koh PhaNgan is more on relaxation, leisure and chilling-out as opposed to activities such as elephant riding, shooting range and the like, which can be found at Samui and throughout Thailand.

Holistic / Alternative lifestyle - Koh PhaNgan is a haven for all kinds of holistic sessions, treatments and/or training, such as different kinds of Yoga, meditation, Tai-Chi, healing, massage, detox and cleansing programs and more. There are many holistic centers, with some of them already open for years and employing highly-experienced teachers and stuff.

Authenticity - Koh PhaNgan doesn't look like a miniature western town in a tropical setting. Many of the resorts and guest-houses are coherent with the local south-thai style, using materials such as wood and straw. Some of the original 15-year-old wooden bungalows from the early days of tourism to the island, can still be found, and are an experience to stay at.

RECOMMENDED BEACHES

Koh PhaNgan has many recommended beaches, with either good swimming and conditions, soft sand, a special atmosphere, and sometimes all of them.

Starting from Haad-Rin beach and going anti-clockwise:

South Of Koh PhaNgan
Haad-Rin Beach (Haad-Rin Nok or Sunrise Beach)

The famous full moon party beach is also one of the best beaches on the island for both swimming and improving your tan. Its a 1Km (about 1.6 Miles) stretch of powdery white sand, enclosed in a wide bay. The beach is very wide, so you can choose between laying near the water or further away in the shade.
Although resorts and guest-houses line the beach, it is still possible to find some quiet shady spots.
Please be aware that during the days leading to the full moon party, this beach gets over-populated, mostly with young party-goers, so decide if this suits you or not.

Haad-Yuan
This beach is located north-east of Haad-Rin beach, and makes a good alternative, especially if you stay around Haad-Rin and want to escape the crowds. Its kinda similar in size, with a long stretch of powdery white sand, which is cleaner than the sand at Haad-Rin Beach. The water are excellent for swimming and if you go deeper and stand still, you'll notice many small fish passing under you. When you feel that you had enough tanning, you can retreat to the restaurant of one of the nice resorts that are spaced along the beach.
Since the main way to get here is by a taxi boat, it stayed under-developed and still retains the laid-back, chilled-out, peacefull feeling that Koh PhaNgan used to have.
It is recommended to stay at least one night at this beach.

Haad-Thien
This beach is adjacent to Haad-Yuan beach at the south-eastern side of Koh PhaNgan, but is a bit smaller, the sand is a bit course, and the water is less suitable for swimming. Nevertheless, it is usually quite empty, and has a very quite and serene feel to it. Passing the small hill at its northern side, there is a small cove which is hardly ever visited by anyone.

North-East of Koh PhaNgan

Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi
This beach is accessible by either taxi boat from Haad-Rin, or by a long and bumpy car taxi ride, as the road tends to get washed in the rainy season.
It is a long stretch of beach with white sand, and there is a relaxed atmosphere around. There are many resorts and guest houses where you can stay, and they tend to be very relaxed as well.
The adjacent beach of Ao Thong Nai Pan Nok is bigger and more developed.

North Of Koh PhaNgan

Bottle Beach (Haad Khuat)
This beach is probably the most special beach in Koh PhaNgan, due to its secluded location, lack of development and old-school Koh PhaNgan feeling.
To get here, take a car taxi to the Fishing village of Chaloklum, and then a 15 minutes taxi boat. Be aware that rainy weather conditions sometimes make it impossible to leave the beach for a couple of days.
There are very few resorts around, with a small selection of basic wooden huts to more luxurious bungalows, but in all cases, prices ( both for food and lodging) tend to be higher then the rest of the island.

Haad Mae Haad and Koh Ma
Mae Haad is a nice stretch of sand which is also nice for swimming.
Its uniqueness come from the tiny island of Koh-MA which is connected to it via a small sandy path, which is submerged under water in the high tide.
Around Koh Ma there are a number of recommended spots for snorkeling and for diving, with gear available at a number of places along the beach.
The beach is easily accessible by motorbike or taxi from the main town of Thong Sala or from the fishing village of Chaloklum.

North-West of Koh PhaNgan

Haad-Yao (Long Beach)
The name says is all; This is the longest stretch of white sand available at Koh PhaNgan. It is a popular beach visited by many kinds of people and nationalities, with quite a few resorts along the beach, dive shops and supermarkets. The sunsets are spectacular, and during the night, the horizon is is lit by fishing boats hunting mainly for squids.
It is easily accessible by motorbike or taxi from the main town of Thong Sala or from the fishing village of Chaloklum.

West Of koh PhaNgan
The beaches along the western side of koh-PhaNgan have course sand and the coral reefs make it less suitable for swimming, especially in the low season (Apil-November), when the water reseeds. Nevertheless, the beaches themselfs are still worth staying at, due to the laid-back feeling, the amazing sunsets, and the ease of transportation, with the main road lying close to the beach.

Holistic / Alternative lifestyle

Koh PhaNgan is home to many spiritual centers offering various kinds of workshops and courses for both beginners and advanced students.

AGAMA YOGA

Tel: 09 2330217
Website: www.agamayoga.com

Agama is an authentic tantric Yoga school with a curriculum spanning five years and designed for those who are serious about spirituality and self-study. Students may attend courses split into one-months blocks or may drop in on a daily or weekly basis; 250 baht per day.

Swami Vivekananda Saraswati, formerly teaching in Rishikesh, India, offers these courses in authentic Indian Tantric Yoga and Kundalini practice. You will learn in-depth the eight-staged path of Yoga and also have two Hatha Yoga asana classes per day. We cater both to those who wish to devote their lives to Yoga as well as those who come for a Yoga retreat or a single class.

For more information, visit the website www.agamayoga.com, call or simply drop in to Bovy Resort near Haad Chao Phao.