Koh Pha-Ngan was Léonie’s and I(Jezabel) favorite island in Thailand. This is the only place where we felt like we could do anything! Relax, party, explore and everything you can think of. We went there for the famous Full Moon Party but ended up staying much longer since we discovered something very tempting to do every day. Most of the time, islands have a specialty or something they’re better at. In Koh Pha-Ngan, everything is amazing. Here are 11 of the best things you can do:
- Rent a bike to explore the island
- Diving at Sail Rock
- Enjoy the sunsets
- Kayak around the island
- Trek to Bottle Beach
- Experience the Full Moon Party and/or go to the Half Moon Festival
- See the waterfalls
- Fill yourself with Thai Food at the Thong Sala Night Market
- Take a day trip to Koh Tao
- Explore the Ang Thong National Marine Park
- Relax at the beaches
Rent a bike to explore the island
Renting a bike is something you will probably do everywhere in Thailand. The experience of being on the scooter itself is really fun. You should rent one for your whole stay on the island and it will help you do all the other activities.
Diving at Sail Rock
This underwater apex is home to some fantastic marine life. What you will see is worth the rather long trip to get there. It is located in the Gulf of Thailand between Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Tao. You might see whale sharks since they are very common over there.
Enjoy the sunsets
I don’t think this one needs a lot of explanation. Watching the sunset is always a must wherever you go.
Kayak around the island
Kayak rental is available on almost every beach. It is so fun and not really expensive (around 150 Baht/hour).
Trek to Bottle Beach
This beach is definitely one of the prettiest in Koh Phangan, maybe my favorite. The only downside is that it isn’t the easiest to have access to. There are two different ways for you to get to Bottle Beach. The easy way would be to take a longtail boat from Chaloklum fishing village. The only other option is to hike. It is not an easy hike, but it is so worth it.
Experience the Full Moon Party and/or go to the Half Moon Festival
This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you can’t miss if you are visiting Koh Pha-Ngan. I made an entire article on it: ”The Full Moon Party Thailand – Everything There Is To Know”
See the waterfalls
This island has a lot of waterfalls. Sadly I did not spend my time on the island visiting them. I wish to go again one day and do all of them! For now, all I can give you is a small list of the ones that were the most recommended to us: Phaeng Waterfall ( the most popular one), Than Sadet Waterfall, Sramanora Waterfall and Wang Sai Waterfall.
Fill yourself with Thai Food at the Thong Sala Night Market
We all know how good it can be to try new food in a local food market. Over there you will get the full culinary experience for such a small price. By small I literally mean a meal for under 5$CAD. As of 2024, the opening hours are from 4 pm to 11 pm.
For a different but similar experience, I highly suggest you try Phangan Food Court. The prices might be a little higher than the market but wow it is amazing. This is where I got my vegetarian sandwich in the picture. It was so good that we ordered the same sandwich on two different visits. There was also a restaurant where you could build your own salad. It was even better. Opening hours: 11 am-9 pm.
Take a day trip to Koh Tao
If you consider that you’ve seen enough of Koh Phangan, definitely hop on a boat to visit the neighbors. This island is also known as the “Turtle Island”. It is the most popular for scuba diving and snorkeling. If you want to save this activity for one place it is definitely Koh Tao. To get there, simply go directly to Thongsala Pier and ask for their prices. Know that they are always ready to negotiate. Sometimes there are plenty of spots available every day and some other times it will sell out fast. If you don’t want to miss out, you can always buy your boat ticket the day before.
We sadly didn’t get the chance to go because we were last minute and the tickets were sold out. But, we’ve only heard good things about Koh Tao.
Explore the Ang Thong National Marine Park
This marine park is a day trip you should really put on your itinerary. Booking a tour from either Koh Pha-Ngan or Koh Samui is your best option. This beautiful and protected archipelago made up of 42 islands is home to breathtaking viewpoints. Your day tour will include: island-hopping around these beautiful islands while enjoying a variety of activities including hiking, kayaking and snorkeling with, of course, some time to relax and eat.
You can also book this day trip directly at Thongsala Pier. Negotiate the price!
Relax at the beaches
Of course, this activity speaks for itself. You don’t want to have a busy day? It’s okay to spend a peaceful day at the beach. These are the best beaches after Bottle Beach: Haad Rin Beach, Leela Beach, Chaloklum Beach and Haad Salad Beach.
