Let's tell you about the best beaches in Pangan for an active vacation, as well as where you can hide from the extra noise and bustle.
Koh Phangan Island boasts over 30 distinct beaches, each with its unique charm. When planning your vacation here, it's crucial to decide what kind of experience you're seeking. In this article, we'll guide you through the different beaches of Koh Phangan, from tranquil hideaways to vibrant party hubs.
Accommodation on Koh Phangan
When selecting your ideal lodging for an island getaway, consider the following tips:
Southeast Coast: This is the epicenter of Koh Phangan's nightlife, hosting famous beach parties that draw thousands of tourists. The evenings are filled with lively bars playing music, making the southeast less suitable for families.
Western Shore: Koh Phangan's western shore offers a range of beaches, from secluded coves with a few guesthouses to vibrant beaches with numerous bars and discos.
North and East Coasts: These parts of the resort feature quiet beaches, with only a handful of hotels and restaurants. Limited road access to some areas makes these beaches more secluded and less crowded.
Now, let's provide a comprehensive overview of Koh Phangan's diverse beaches.
Koh Phangan's Most Popular Beaches
Haad Rin Nok
Haad Rin Nok, also known as "Sunrise Beach," offers marvelous sunrise views and is the heart of partying. It's famous for the monthly Full Moon Party, attracting around 30,000 tourists during peak season.
Sea and Beach: Haad Rin Nok boasts a 700-800 meter strip of pristine white sand with a comfortable water entry, ideal for swimming.
Infrastructure: The beach offers water rides, kite and aquabike rentals, beach sports, and a wide selection of bars, restaurants, and affordable accommodation.
Haad Rin Nai
"Sunset Beach," a 15-minute walk from Haad Rin Nok, is relatively quiet, with all activities within walking distance.
Sea and Beach: This beach is not suitable for swimming due to its narrow shoreline and rocky water entry, but it's perfect for enjoying romantic sunsets.
Infrastructure: Haad Rin Nai offers various hotels and bungalows, close proximity to the bars and discos of Haad Rin Nok, and a small village with essential amenities and a ferry crossing to Samui Island.
Haad Salad
Haad Salad beach is mostly lined with expensive hotel complexes, but budget accommodation options are also available.
Sea and Beach: The beach features fine white sand, a smooth water entry, and a coral reef a couple hundred meters away, suitable for scuba diving.
Infrastructure: Haad Salad offers plenty of amenities, including ATMs, internet cafes, a supermarket, and kayak rentals.
Ban Kai
Located between Ban Tai and Haad Rin Nok beaches, Ban Kai beach varies from clean and wide to narrower and rockier closer to the cliffs.
Sea and Beach: The sand is yellow and coarse with shells and coral fragments. The water entry is smooth, but depths vary with tides. Swimming near the rocks is possible, but watch out for sharp precipices.
Infrastructure: Ban Kai offers a range of accommodations, stores, and cafes. For more significant shopping, head to Ban Tai.
Ban Tai
Ban Tai Beach is another party hub and hosts the Black Moon Culture - the Black Moon Party once a month.
Sea and Beach: Ban Tai Beach is narrow but extends for about two kilometers. The sand is yellow and coarse with shells. The water entry is gentle, but water clarity may vary, and there might be rocks on the bottom.
Infrastructure: The beach has plenty of accommodations, bars, and cafes. Nearby is Tong Sala, the administrative center of Koh Phangan, and the ferry crossing.
Koh Phangan Beaches Near Townships
Chaloklum
Chaloklum is a small Thai fishing village with a jetty and boat rental service.
Sea and Beach: Chaloklum is great for surfers due to deep waters and high waves. Only the northern and eastern parts of the beach are suitable for swimming.
Infrastructure: Few noisy discos but good guesthouses and beachside seafood restaurants. A 7-Eleven supermarket in Chaloklum offers essential groceries and alcohol.
Thongsala
Thongsala is the main town on Koh Phangan, ideal for shopping with a wide selection of budget guesthouses and hostels.
Sea and Beach: Thongsala isn't suitable for a beach vacation due to a nearby jetty and murky water. The coastline is narrow with lots of vegetation.
Infrastructure: Thongsala features a harbor, night market, supermarkets, banks, and motorcycle rentals. It lacks parties, with bars starting closer to the east.
Bang Charu
Located near Thongsala, Bang Charu is a budget-friendly vacation and shopping spot.
Sea and Beach: Clean shore with fewer tourists. White and clean sand, gentle water entry, and sunset views.
Infrastructure: The main road near Bang Charu hosts bars and stores. It's also close to Thongsala and Haad Rin Nok.
Sritanu
A quiet and peaceful beach separated from the rest of the island by a canal. Nearby is Sritanu, a simple Thai village.
Sea and Beach: Srithanu is shallow during low tide with white, fine sand, occasional stones, and shells. Waves are rare, making it suitable for families.
Infrastructure: Excellent infrastructure with affordable accommodations and authentic establishments. Sweet Water Lake and water rides are nearby attractions.
Koh Phangan's Family-Friendly Beaches
Western Haad Yao
Haad Yao is popular among vacationers, offering good infrastructure and a quiet atmosphere at night, making it great for family vacations with children.
Sea and Beach: A wide beach stretching about a kilometer with clean white sand and clear, shallow waters at low tide.
Infrastructure: Western Haad Yao offers water activities, beach restaurants, massage parlors, and yoga classes. The administrative center of Koh Phangan, Tong Sala, is a 20-minute drive away.
Sikantang Beach
Sikantang Beach is fairly quiet, even though it's close to Haad Rin Nok, known for its nightlife. Loud music is mostly heard during the Full Moon Party, making it suitable for romantic couples and quiet family vacations.
Sea and Beach: A clean and wide shoreline with fine white sand and clear waters. Abundant palm trees and greenery make it ideal for photography.
Infrastructure: Sikantang Beach features good hotels, bars, a massage parlor, and fishing opportunities.
Plai Laem
Plai Laem Beach is located near Khao Hin Nok Mountain, offering stunning panoramic views of the Koh Phangan coast and the bay. The beach is divided by rock formations into several sections.
Sea and Beach: The shore width at Plai Laem varies from 3 to 10 meters, with a gentle water entry. Clean sand and clear water make it family-friendly.
Infrastructure: Inexpensive beachfront bungalows, a few stores, and restaurants are available on the sand.
Nai Wok Beach
Nai Wok Beach is a beautiful and tranquil spot for those seeking privacy. It's located near Tong Sala, offering a peaceful atmosphere.
Sea and Beach: The beach, while not very wide, is clean, and the sea is clear with a gentle water entry. Palm trees line the shore.
Infrastructure: Nai Wok features small cottages with affordable rates. Additional amenities and stores are a 15-minute walk away in Tong Sala.
Had Son
Had Son is a small beach known for its shallow, gentle waters, making it an excellent choice for a quiet vacation with small children.
Sea and Beach: The sea is shallow with a gentle sandy bottom, ideal for children's play.
Infrastructure: Two inexpensive guesthouses, a beach bar, and a store are located on the shore of Had Son.
Diving Beaches in Koh Phangan
Mae Had
Located near the village of Chaloklum, closer to the western part of Koh Phangan. Mae Had is an ideal place for snorkeling and diving as it is surrounded by coral reefs.
Sea and Beach: Mae Had features a sand spit that leads to the neighboring island of Ko Ma. The beach has coarse yellow sand with some shells. The sea is very shallow, reaching a maximum waist-high depth at high tide. There are many stones, seaweed, and sea cucumbers on the seabed, so swimming shoes are recommended.
Infrastructure: The beach is divided into two parts. The right part is cleaner and offers cafes, hotels, and a couple of massage parlors. The left side is less crowded and mainly used by locals to store boats.
Chao Pao
Chao Pao is a beautiful beach enclosed by cliffs and dense greenery. Accommodation prices are affordable, and you can find all the entertainment you need right on the beach.
Sea and Beach: The tides do not affect the sea's depth, making the beach ideal for swimming. Nearby coral reefs provide opportunities for diving and snorkeling.
Infrastructure: Chao Pao offers a wide range of amenities, including bars, restaurants, massage parlors, and various beach activities.
Had Khom
Located next to Chaloklum, Had Khom is also known as Coral Beach. While it lacks night discos, it is a great place for divers.
Sea and Beach: The sea at Had Khom is clear and shallow, making it suitable for family vacations. The wide beach is adorned with trees, providing plenty of shade during the day.
Infrastructure: Had Khom features several guesthouses and a beach cafe. Accommodation and food prices are quite affordable here.
Koh Phangan's Quiet Beaches
Tong Nai Pan
A beach in the southeastern part of the island, divided into two parts by a high cliff. Thong Nai Pan is popular, although there are not many people here as it is very difficult to get here.
Sea and Beach: The sand is white and fine, and the sea is perfect for swimming, with almost imperceptible tides.
Infrastructure: Tong Nai Pan offers both expensive hotels and budget bungalows. There are several bars and stores on the beach. A lookout point provides a view of the bay and the island.
Wok Tum
Wok Tum beach will appeal to you if you want to feel at one with nature. Wok Tum is very quiet and uncrowded, with the jungle almost right up to the surf line.
Sea and Beach: The sea is not suitable for swimming, shallow and muddy at the bottom. The beach line is very narrow.
Infrastructure: There are only a few guesthouses and a couple of small bars and stores on Wok Tum.
Hin Kong
Located next to Wok Tum, Hin Kong has a better choice of accommodation and slightly more tourists.
Sea and Beach: The beach is quite narrow, and the sea is very shallow, depending on the tides. There may be rocks and coral debris on the bottom.
Infrastructure: Accommodation options on Hin Kong include small houses right on the beach. There is also a 7-Eleven store, bars, and massage parlors.
Koh Phangan's Lesser-Known Beaches
Haad Niad
The most beautiful beach of Haad Niad is located next to Laem Son Lake north of Sritanu. Haad Niad has a very romantic atmosphere, with small palm trees growing in the middle of the beach.
Sea and Beach: The beach is wide, and the entrance to the water is quite gentle.
Infrastructure: Haad Niad is located next to the main road, where you can find cafes, stores, rentals, and tourist offices.
Haad Kruad
A great beach for lovers of relaxation and fishing. There is a coral reef near Haad Kruad.
Sea and Beach: There is very little sand on the beach. Swimming here is problematic as the shore and seabed are rocky.
Infrastructure: The guesthouses on Had Kruad have swimming pools, and in the evening, you can relax in the bar and play billiards.
Hin Lor
The beach is located next to Had Rin Nai, but there are no noisy discos here. Hin Lor offers beautiful sunsets.
Sea and Beach: The beach is wide with yellow coarse sand. The sea is very dependent on the tides.
Infrastructure: There is little accommodation and entertainment on Hin Lor, with only a couple of bungalows, a cafe, and a store.
West Had Tian
A small beach by a coral reef that locals call West Haad Thian.
Sea and Beach: The sand is yellow with coral debris. The water is murky due to the tides.
Infrastructure: There is only one hotel on Had Tian, no entertainment, and no stores.
Koh Phangan's Secluded Beaches
These beaches have not yet been reached by civilization. They are quiet, remote coves where you can enjoy nature. The downside is that they have almost no infrastructure and are quite difficult to get to.
Haad Than Sadet
A great swimming beach on the eastern side of the island. It is close to the National Nature Reserve and Pangan Park. There are bars and restaurants on the beach and a few guesthouses. It is very difficult to get through the forest, better to go by boat.
East Haad Tian
The beach for devotees of a healthy lifestyle. There are several yoga and alternative medicine centers on Haad Tian. It is accessible by motorcycle.
Haad Yuan
A beautiful beach surrounded by cliffs and coconut groves. The road here winds through forest and hills, and can also be reached by water. There are only a few bungalows on Haad Yuan.
Haad Nam Tok
Located near the Thaan Prapaed waterfall. There are a couple of hotels and beach restaurants on Haad Nam Tok. You will need to get there by boat, or walk from the road by the waterfall.
You can also visit the secluded beaches of Koh Phangan like this:
Haad Konti: There is no paved road to Haad Konti beach, it is only accessible by foot through the jungle or by boat.
East Haad Yao: A gorgeous beach for swimming, with no tides. But only accessible by boat.
Haad Yang: A great beach on the east side of the island, it has beautiful white sand and clear sea. There is no lodging, you can only walk up a trail through the forest.
Haad Vai Nam: A beach in the southeastern part of Koh Phangan. It is small in size but with great conditions for a secluded and relaxing vacation.
Koh Phangan Island is a paradise place for a vacation. Here you will find both great swimming spots and fun parties until the morning.
