Accessible easily from the mainland at Surat Thani via ferry or boat, the island does not have an airport of its own. Boats and ferries are also available from Koh Samui and Koh Tao.
In contrast to the wild parties, the northern part of the island is more relaxed, housing many family resorts and quirky and fun cafes and restaurants.
Almost a third of Koh Phangan island is a mountainous jungle known as Than Sadet National Park. Through the national park, visitors can find many hiking trails and waterfalls to visit. If persistent enough, some hidden jungle beaches are there to be found which are completely secluded. For the rest of the island, tourists are mainly greeted by coconut trees and white sand beaches. During the high tides, swimming is quite a wonderful experience.
In addition to all-night parties and beautiful beaches, Koh Phangan also has many places to explore such as:
Kuan Yin Chinese Temple
This shrine was constructed for Goddess Kuan Yin on the mountainous terrain of Chaloklum Bay. It is said that a Thai lady Mrs Malawan was asked in her dream by Goddess Kuan Yin to construct a lighthouse for the fishermen of Chaloklum bay. The lady asked for advice from a monk, then collected funds for the lighthouse, but ended up collecting so much that they decided to build a temple. The temple includes three buildings. It is the largest, most revered shrine in Koh Pha Ngan.
Khao Ra Hike
Settled at a startling elevation of 630 metres, Khao Ra is the highest point in the entire Koh Phangan island. The trail to Khao Ra involves a three-hour-long trek past jungles, a water reservoir and cascading streams and offers clear markings and rewarding bird’s eye views of the island’s northern terrain, Thong Nai Pan Beach and Chaloklum Bay. There are several waterfalls on the peak, where one can enjoy relaxing swims. January to May is the best time for hiking in Khao Ra.
Koh Ma
Connected to Mae Haad Beach by a shallow sandbar with colourful corals, Koh Ma is Koh Phangan’s only open beach. The waters are turquoise blue with great visibility, and the diving and snorkelling sites here are home to tiny fish and underwater flora. Visitors can rent an ethnic bamboo bungalow at the beach resort, enjoy sunbathing, yoga lessons and picnics at the beach, or trek up the mountainous jungles in the backdrop.
Ang Thong National Marine Park Tourism
An exotic tropical paradise, situated in the Gulf of Thailand, Ang Thong National Marine Park is a protected archipelago of 42 islands. With unusually spectacular scenery, the Marine Park features Limestone Mountains, thick jungles, white-sand beaches, waterfalls, surreal lakes, unexplored caves and small hikes leading up to breathtaking viewpoints. The serenity of these islands is so captivating that one of the island’s lake – Lake Emerald – was featured in the movie ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo Dicaprio.
A protected 100-square-kilometre island, Ang Thong National Marine Park houses a variety of exotic species of mammals, sea creatures, birds, reptiles and trees. Although a fantastic tourist destination, only a few tour operators have a license to the park and its affiliated islands.
The Park aims at preserving its landscapes from the dilution of modern development. The Ang Thong National Marine Park and its 42-island archipelago would indulge you through numerous adventures such as hiking, snorkelling, kayaking and diving. If you’re not an adventurous person, you can choose to relax by the beach amidst all the tropical beauty and have an equally great time.
According to holidify.com
