Ko Pha Ngan (เกาะพะง้น, pronounced KOH pa-nGan) is an island off the eastern Gulf coast of Thailand, halfway between the islands of Ko Samui and Ko Tao. It is known as a land of coconut trees and full moon parties.

Flying past Haad Rin

Destinations

• Thong Sala - the island's "capital" and main ferry port
• Haad Rin (Hat Rin) - site of the famous Full Moon Party

Understand

Talk

Get in

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.

By boat and bus

Buses arrive in Surat Thani, capital of Surat Thani Province, from all over Thailand and you will find yourself 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.

There are also ferries from Ko Samui's "Big Buddha" pier directly to party town Haad Rin, and also from Nathon to Thong Sala.

Get around

By motorcycle

100-125cc motorbikes can be hired from around 150 baht/day; larger capacity models cost 300-1000 baht/day. Foreigners may be required to leave their passport as a deposit. Some rental shops overcharge for every scratch or dent. They don't fix, but rather replace the whole part. Avoid riding at sundown, when the bugs are out en masse, and result in brief periods of riding blind, while you desperately try to clear your corneas. Try not to go home with a 'KPN tattoo' - the result of your tender-skinned body sliding along a bitumen road at high speed with few clothes on. Care is needed if attempting to go over the notorious Haad Rin hills, the roads at the eastern side of the island, and north of Haad Yao. It is also possible to rent small Suzuki jeeps, and can do a full but very quick circuit of the island in a day.

By songthaew

Songthaew pick-up truck taxis criss-cross the island for around 50 baht a ride, or 100 baht for the less accessible destination of Thong Nai Pan.

By boat

Boats cruise the bays with your snorkeling gear until somewhere takes your fancy. The round-the-island 6-hour boat trip is a great way to see some of the best beaches in the island, for around 500 baht/day.

See

Image of a beach head on Koh Phanan, August 28 2006

• Visit the beautiful waterfalls and lookouts in the interior of the island.

• The herbal sauna at wat pho is a great relief after long party nights. Don't forget to leave a donation. It's located near the 7/11 branch in Baan Thai, on the south-western side of the island.

• If you're into fire, you'll find spinners and twirlers on many of the beaches, teachers abound and poi are easy to find.

Do

Full Moon Party

If you're after party heaven you can't do better than Haad Rin, an expanded village of beach bars, cheap chicken burgers, and low cut figure-hugging outfits. It is most popular one night a month - the night of the Full Moon Party. Every bar is hopping, the beaches packed with trance, dance, buckets, and various other suspicious substances. However, if the sight of thousands of bottles and other trash repulses you, make sure you leave the beach area before the sun comes up, or grab a garbage bag and help tidy up a little.

Buy

Like the rest of tourist Thailand, to find accommodation, transport, food, you only need to respond to one of the many touts that accost you on arrival - but don't be afraid to check a place out, and look elsewhere - there is a wide range of standards, and they don't necessarily coincide with prices.

Eat

For an authentic experience (and cheaper than the well-decorated cafe/restaurants by Haad Rin beach), look at the more modest cafes where you might see some Thais eating.

Drink

Sleep

The decent rooms tend to run out a few days before the full moon party, and throughout the peak season (December-February). If you have a short vacation or like to have a soft landing, you might want to book a room in advance.

If you decide to test your luck, try to arrive as early in the day as possible to have the most time and options for accommodations.

For a cheap bungalow, literally moments from white beaches (but no surf whatsoever), turn left from Thong Sala and you will pass strings of quiet bays, each with one or more 'resorts', featuring a bar, a restaurant, rooms and bungalows, and a few dozen laid back tourists and travelers for company. Try Haad Yao, Haad Son, or any of the others along the same strip.

For the North of the island, Chaloklum, Ko Ma & Bottle Beach are popular.

Thong Nai Pan is to the Northeast and is more remote, but is well worth the bumpy drive through the forest. It is a pair of particularly beautiful and relaxing beaches with plenty of accommodation and restaurants.

Stay safe

Yes, the Full Moon Party is full of drugs, but these days it's also full of plainclothes policemen out to bust you. Be very careful. Roadblocks are common, particularly in the week before the FMP between Thong Sala and Haad Rin. It's not a good idea to accept drinks or food from strangers, and it's advisable to leave all valuables in a safety deposit box or at your guesthouse owner's hands instead of taking them to the party. Wear shoes or sandals to avoid injury from broken bottles or burning cigarettes.

If you're averse to getting knocked on the head with flaming batons, then don't venture too close to the Fire Poi swingers on the beach, as skillful as they may be, the fire frequently gets out of hand and hits nearby tourists.

Get out

Ang-Thong national marine park is 2 hours away by boat and a great place for a day-trip. Another popular diving destination is Sail rock, jutting out of the ocean North of Ko Phangan.