Travel to Asia

Life is truly a beach when you stay on Ko Pha-Ngan. The most famous beach called Sunrise beach is situated at Hat Rin Nok. This beach has a long white sandy strip with crystal warm water just a few metres away. The beach is overshadowed by spectacular tree covered ridges on either side. Several bungalow operations have based themselves on these ridges offering unparalleled views for their patrons.

The quietest time (outside of the full moon party) to visit the beach is in the morning when most are sleeping off their hangovers. Even at peak times there is plenty of room to stretch out and play beach volley ball. This beach surprised me a little, I was expecting gangs of pumped up trance heads grooving from dawn to dusk. In fact apart from the odd noisy pub Sunrise beach can often be quite and relaxing during sunlight hours!
On the other side of Hat Rin at Hat Rin Noi, Sunset Beach is a major disappointment. The beach is long but very narrow, made more off-putting by the large volume of garbage spread everywhere. If that wasn’t bad enough we spotted several blue sewerage pipes just at the waters edge. Not a place for swimming then, although at sunset the natural beauty of the surrounding hills does make a stop worthwhile if you can ignore the plastic bottles lapping around your ankles.

For a more authentic beach experience you need to travel beyond the Hat Rin peninsula. The beaches on the west coast have generally coarser brown sand but up north good alternatives are in abundance. Bottle beach in the north east is excellent for snorkelling and diving. Salad beach on the north west has inexpensive bungalows and a lazy atmosphere making it perfect for escaping the noise of Hat Rin.

KOH PHA NGAN BEACHES

The beaches on Koh Pha-Ngan are some of the best in the Gulf of Thailand, and remain more popluar for people wishing to avoid the crowds of Koh Samui. Not all have been developed, so there are still those quiet deserted beaches which can be very attractive. There is also snorkelling to be done, with many beaches having live-coral formations.

KOH PHA-NGAN BEACHES

EAST

AO THONG NAI PAN NOI
AO THONG NAI PAN YAI
AO THONG RENG
HAD SADET
NORTH

AO CHALOKLUM
HAD KHOM
HAD KHUAT
HAD THONG LANG
SOUTH EAST

AO BAN KHAI
AO BAN TAI
AO HIN LOR
HAD LEELA
HAD RIN NAI
HAD RIN NOK
HAD THIAN (EAST)
HAD WAI NAM
HAD YAO (EAST)
HAD YUAN
SOUTH WEST

AO BANG CHARU
AO NAI WOK
AO PLAAYLAEM
AO WOK TUM
WEST

AO CHAO PHAO
AO HIN KONG
AO SRI THANU
HAD DAO DEUK
HAD KRUAD
HAD MAE HAD
HAD SALAD
HAD SON
HAD THIAN (WEST)
HAD YAO (WEST)

FEATURED BEACH: AO THONG NAI PAN NOI

Thong Nai Pan Noi is the most popular of the two beaches at Thong Nai Pan, with a bohemian vibe and has a small village with some cool bars and restaurants.

KEEP THE BEACHES CLEAN

Our oceans provide most of the planet’s oxygen, moisture and weather patterns. Without healthy oceans, life as we know it would end. Yet we have treated them as if they were expendable.

Many beaches in the world now compare very unfavorably. Health risks prevail, and wildlife habitats are under threat.

Each year, discarded ropes, nets and plastic waste kill over 2 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, and large numbers of turtles and fish.

So help us clean the ocean. Don’t leave garbage, especially plastic, on the beach. Collecting plastic on the beach saves lives. Every time you go diving, snorkelling or swimming, bring all garbage back for proper disposal.