How to Visit Koh Phangan Island in Thailand

Many people love Thailand because it is one of the cheapest places to visit in addition to its wonderful beaches. So, I made this post to answer some questions about how to visit the famous island of Koh Phangan in Thailand.

 

 

How to Get to Koh Phangan Island – famous island in Thailand

There is no airport on Koh Phangan, so you have the option of taking a flight from Bangkok to the neighboring island. This island is 50 minutes away by boat and is called Koh Samui. From Koh Samui you take a ferry, that is, a boat to get to one of the ports here. The island of Koh Phangan has 2 ports.

An important tip: I recommend buying the ferry ticket on the place right after you left the airplane, as I ended up buying it online and discovered that I paid a little more than if I had bought it at the counter. So, I suggest buying at any time, right there when you get off the plane.

As Koh Samui airport is very small, you can book your trip to Koh Phangan right away.

 

 

Where to Stay on Koh Phangan Island in Thailand

Where to stay on the island, which neighborhood is best to stay. First of all, the island is not very big, it has around 12 thousand inhabitants, but it has several options and tastes for places to stay. 

 

 

Here I will summarize the entire island:

The southern part is the one close to the beach of Haad Rin where the famous Full Moon Party. When the event is not taking place, the resorts are quiet, they are usually located in front of the beaches, and it is more during the party season that this region starts to get busier.

Further up the region of Baan Tai, which is where I am located at the moment, is a very calm area and with a more affordable price compared to the prices in the north.

Then the part near the center of Thong Sala, it is also close to beaches and is easier to get around, there are shops, massage parlors, hostels, markets, and for those who enjoy a livelier nightlife, there are several bars.

While the most northeastern part, begins the beaches most famous for rituals or place of meditation such as Zen Beach, is a trendier place, one of the favorites of digital nomads.

Going up a little further, there are beaches like Koh Mah, Haad Salad and Chakolum, which are quieter beaches, very beautiful, with several resorts, restaurants and great places to relax.

Therefore, you can see what your travel style is, see accommodations that suit you best and fit your budget. Like, search on apps like Airbnb, Agoda and Google Hotels and Hostel Apps.

Tips: For those who are coming and intend to stay for the long term, I suggest that before you come, book a place to stay, for 15 days, and during those 15 days, take a walk around the island and try to rent directly from the owner, that way you can get the best prices and best location.

 

 

How to Get Around Koh Phangan

There are no buses or public transport here and no running app, we really are stranded (lol). However, there are plenty of taxis or motorbike taxis, but if that's interesting for you, it's quite common to rent a motorbike to explore the entire island.

If you choose to rent a motorbike, it works like this: if you rent one or two days they usually charge 200 baht (R$34.21 / US$6.83) per day. And if you keep the bike longer, a week or a month, like I did, you can negotiate the price.

Therefore, they can make up to 150 baht (R$27.07 / US$5.83) per day, and depending on the full amount you can still ask for a further discount, it will depend on your negotiation and the mood of the dealer.

Note 1: You don't need an International Permit to drive, but if you have one, it's better. Normally, the people who rent the motorbike do not ask for any documents, they only ask for your passport and return it when you return the motorbike.

However, it is good to have as I have heard reports of being stopped by police officers and being questioned for bribes, as they do not have any documents.

Note 2: Whenever you rent a motorcycle, take a before photo to avoid future stress or paying for something you didn't do.

Communication on the Island

Last but not least: chip in the country! How to buy chips here in Thailand, here I have three suggestions:

• The first is to arrive in Thailand, whether in Bangkok or any other city, and buy at the airport. However, not at these specific chip places, which tend to be more expensive, but at 7 eleven. These little markets are super common here and they sell super cheap chips and internet. For example, with 300 baht (R$48.45 / US$9.60) you have a chip with 88GB of internet to use as much as you want.
• The second suggestion is to hire an international chip before even leaving home, as I will leave a link here from one of our partners.
• And the third suggestion is to hire the eSim, which you can hire at the airport too, or at a place with Wifi.

Conclusion

Here I leave some more essential information for those who are planning to come or have just arrived in Thailand and are feeling lost.

And if you are also like me and LOVE traveling while spending almost nothing, I developed the Mentorship for Traveling While Spending Little. Where it is a mentorship in which I teach you step-by-step everything you need to know to be able to travel to different places in the world without having to spend a fortune. I've already traveled to more than 30 countries, and I want to help you make your dream trip come true.

To know more about the mentorship click here, questions and suggestions are always very welcome and you can leave it here in the comment or go there in our Instagram @oursweettrip stay on top of destinations or curiosities of places!

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