Koh Phangan is famous in Thailand for hosting a massive beach event once a month—the Full Moon Party. This tradition dates back to the 1980s. During the party, everything on the island is “more”—more people, more alcohol, more drugs. Everything is also much, much more expensive. Since we were on Koh Phangan with kids, we did everything in our power to avoid that period.
It turned out that when the party is over, Koh Phangan is surprisingly peaceful. We unanimously agreed that this is an island where we could easily live. And coming from us, that is quite the recommendation.
This Thai island is just the beginning of our paradise vacation. You can find more islands and attractions in Thailand with Kids.
O tym przeczytasz
Ferry to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani
Getting to Koh Phangan was actually quite a challenge. The difficulty stemmed from the fact that we had our car with us, and we didn’t want to leave it on Koh Samui. Unfortunately, during the low season, there is no car ferry running directly between these islands. So, we decided to split up. Karo and the kids took a speedboat directly from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan. I caught an early morning ferry from Koh Samui back to the mainland, and then took a second car ferry to Koh Phangan. The whole ordeal took me about 6 hours. To avoid these kinds of surprises during your island hopping, check out our comprehensive Thai islands guide
Our tip
Two companies run ferries to Koh Phangan: Rajaferry and Seatranferry, both of which offer car transport. Neither company allows you to buy tickets for children online. You simply buy the extra tickets at the pier before boarding. It’s not just large ferries, though; several companies operate speedboats between Samui, Phangan, and the mainland (Donsak).
Living on Koh Phangan
Traveling with a dog definitely limits our choices of where to stay. As luck would have it, we found an almost perfect spot—Tropical Home Koh Phangan. We were very close to the main town of Thong Sala in the south, which was super convenient. At the same time, we were somewhat in the middle of everything we wanted to see. One important thing to know: you can’t drive in a full circle around the island, so you always have to return south and pick a different “branch” leading north.
Imagine our surprise when it turned out that just a stone’s throw from our house was a restaurant run by a fellow Pole— Chili Restaurant, which we also highly recommend. Surprisingly good Thai food. The Google ratings and the number of reviews speak for themselves.
What to do on Koh Phangan with kids?
Beaches on Koh Phangan
In our opinion, Koh Phangan offers much better beaches than those we saw on Koh Samui. The most famous one, where the Full Moon Party takes place—Haad Rin—has truly paradise-like sand and good infrastructure. It does have one downside, though: it can get very crowded.
Our most frequent choice, even though it was the furthest from us, was Koh Ma island/beach in the north. It’s also one of the most famous spots for snorkeling from the shore on Koh Phangan. And since it’s the most famous, we grabbed our masks and snorkels. Well, what can I say—when you’ve dived or snorkeled in places like Koh Haa or Koh Bida (both islands near Koh Lanta), it’s hard to be impressed later. That was the case with snorkeling at Koh Ma—nothing special, just a few rocks with some reef.
However, what drew us to Koh Ma beach was a certain sense of peace and relative quiet. We visited twice, and on one occasion, the kids decided to build a shelter out of driftwood. Over two hours of silence! For parents of three, that sounds like pure salvation.
We also visited Secret Beach twice. Here, too, you’ll find Poles and their restaurant right on the beach, serving, among other things, Polish pierogi. The food was very, very good and a nice break from Thai cuisine.
Jellyfish in the Gulf of Thailand – heads up!
Something that is rarely discussed but can influence your choice of which island to visit is the fact that during the low season (though it also happens in the high season), the Gulf of Thailand is home to jellyfish that can be dangerous to human health and life. On many islands in the Gulf, there are specific beaches with nets submerged in the water to protect swimmers.
On most beaches, you’ll also find stations with vinegar. Why? Vinegar neutralizes the toxins from a jellyfish sting.
However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need to see a doctor. This is especially true if, after applying vinegar, you feel muscle pain or—even worse—pain in your spine. Time is of the essence. We witnessed this at Koh Ma: a young girl came out of the water with a sting. Despite Karo’s urging, she insisted she didn’t need the hospital. Barely 10 minutes passed before that same girl was in a car on her way to the hospital. Karo simply went to the Thai restaurant staff on the beach. They didn’t mince words—they told her straight: it’s either the hospital or paralysis.
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Our main goal on Koh Phangan – Diving
The Gulf of Thailand is full of diving spots. The “mecca” for divers, though in reality more of a “certification factory,” is Koh Tao. There are nearly 50 dive centers on Koh Tao alone, and before the pandemic, there were over 200. Around Koh Tao (a 10-minute boat ride), you can find about 30 different dive sites—some better, some worse. Mostly the latter, unfortunately. However, our plan was to dive at the most famous spot: Sail Rock.
It’s actually faster and easier (with daily trips) to get to Sail Rock from Koh Phangan. We had a recommended dive center—Lotus Diving. Before arriving on the island, we discussed with the owner (Chan) whether we could bring the kids on board. It wasn’t an issue. On the day of the dive, however, the weather (waves and rain) meant the kids had to stay at the dive center. Chan didn’t see a problem with that either. The kids were thrilled with 4 hours of unlimited cartoons and extra treats handed out by the staff..
Diving is a sport where luck is a major factor—specifically, luck with the conditions. We had very average conditions, so our impressions weren’t sensational. But even taking the conditions into account, we still prefer our diving around Koh Lanta. Objectively, there is just more to see there.
Chinese temple and viewpoint on Koh Phangan
Kuan Yin Temple…
..is actually a complex of several smaller temples. The whole thing is very Chinese in its beliefs rather than its architecture. It’s easy to distinguish the Chinese version of Buddhism from the Thai version. Just look at the Buddha, who in the former is often depicted as a fat, jolly monk. During our visit, we also witnessed devotees making offerings. This Buddha clearly loves fruit.
Thong Nai Pan Yai Viewpoint
This was recommended to us by the Polish guy from the restaurant mentioned earlier. After just a few meters on the stairs leading up, we realized this isn’t exactly a high-traffic spot. At the very top, before stepping onto the rock with the view of Hat Thong Ta Pan beach, you have to cross a piece of barbed wire hanging just above the ground. That’s another sign that this isn’t a top choice for tourists on Koh Phangan. The view? Well worth the 15-minute walk up.
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