Koh Phangan - hotels, beaches, recreation and activities. Unforgettable and wonderful island in Thailand - Phangan

Koh Phangan (or Koh Phangan) in the Gulf of Thailand is extremely beautiful. Almost the entire territory of the island is covered with dense tropical thickets and mountains, but a little less than a third - white sandy beaches with fine sand and coconut groves. It paints a perfect picture, doesn't it? Main city islands - Thong Sala. Getting to the island is now not at all difficult, from anywhere in the country.

It is worth noting that Koh Phangan has become so popular, perhaps primarily because of its steep beach Full Moon Party: It is held monthly on the full moon at Haad Rin Nok Beach. And this action attracts thousands of party-goers from all countries. Of course, the full moon, the beach, cool music, cocktails.
Who would refuse such a thing! On this night, all the bars of the island are open until morning. In general, this is why Koh Phangan is sometimes compared to Ibiza. Or Kazantip. If anything, read the schedule of this party here: http://fullmoonparty-thailand.com/schedules.html (you can also find out how to get to the island there).

The party is really very popular. By the time of the full moon, everything is ready: guests dress up in acid-colored swimsuits and shorts, decorate their faces and bodies. The music at this party is drum, techno, in short, what makes drunken guests jump non-stop all night long, until dawn, which, by the way, is very beautiful here.
Plus a fire show, professional dancers on stage, alcohol contests, dozens of scenes, dancing in water, jumping over a fiery rope and other attributes of a cool party. The whole action becomes simply surreal by midnight - crazy guests, half-naked bodies, fire and fluorescent. It is especially funny to watch how the guests of the festival are busy drinking buckets (a bucket of traditional cocktails, vodka or whiskey + cola, or whatever), some people are already busy with mashroom cocktails (with hallucinogenic mushrooms, a little, so as not to then collect half-dead tourists from the beach, of course).
Book hotels on the island in advance, usually by the time of the party there are no more places at all. Or there is, but the prices are notably inflated. Unless, of course, you don't mind just sleeping on the beach, as many do, arriving on the island with one small backpack and no ulterior motives.

If you are not a fan of such parties, then the island welcomes you on other days with its luxurious wildlife, deserted beaches and absolutely sweetest measured island life.

But what beauty of the island you can see:

Paeng Waterfall (or Faeng, Paeng Waterfall)

The waterfall is located near the village of Madua Wan (Ban Madua Wan). It should be noted that to find these scenic spots not very easy. First you have to climb up the mountain (about 250 meters, and the mountain is quite steep, but there is a path). And then you will notice a rather large pool with fresh water is part of the waterfall.
The other level is another 200 meters higher. The waterfall is beautiful, we go further into the jungle and find an observation deck on rock of Khao Ra.
Do not worry, you will definitely get there, because the signs will show you the way from the waterfall to the mountain. It is there that you will lose consciousness from such beauty - a complete panorama of the island and the sea, covered in a light bluish haze (sometimes you can even see the nearby island of Koh Samui). Beauties! By the way, this seems to be the highest point on the island. You will stand at an altitude of 630 meters above sea level. If you are afraid of getting lost, it is better to hire local guide, they will gladly take you to separate fee. By the way, there is more than one path to the top of the mountain (just through the waterfall is the most beautiful). These trails intersect in several places. So, you can get lost. I say again, take the scheme or knowing person. Oh yes, and no flip flops - the road is so-so.

Than Prawet Waterfall

This is perhaps the most famous waterfall on the island. It flows down several levels, among massive granite boulders and rocks, and next to it is dense jungle. from Thong Nai Pan Noi beach to the waterfall there is a well-trodden path. In the pools of the waterfall, in some places you can even swim.

Than Sadet Waterfall

A large waterfall was formed on the Than Sadet River. This place is remarkable for its beauty and the fact that in the 80s of the 19th century, King Rama V himself and his family came to admire the waterfall. He left a note on a stone next to the waterfall. Later, his followers, other kings and families, also visited this natural wonder, at least ten times in total. Here are the royal fun! By the way, this waterfall was recognized as a Holy Spring, and its water is used for important ceremonies. This waterfall is located in the Ban Tai area.

Now about the attractions and entertainment:

Pha-ngan safari park

This park is located in the north of the island. Perhaps one of the most favorite tourist attractions. Here you can ride an elephant and admire the beauties of the park, see how elephants do all sorts of tricks, you can make faces with monkeys. Animals can be fed, so take bananas with you.
Squirrels also live in the park, and they arrange a crocodile show for guests, some of them, by the way, are three meters long. Look for this park two kilometers south of Chaloklum Beach, next to the road that leads to Thongsalu. This park is usually open from 8 am to 6 pm. The snake and crocodile show is held every two hours (not simultaneously, of course), four times a day.

Phu Khao Noi temple

One of the oldest temples on the island. The name of the building is translated as "temple of a small mountain." The name does not convey the beauty of this building. Old shabby gray walls, old chedis (shrines-stupas), all this makes a very strong impression. It is even more interesting than young temples. By the way, the temple is active. It is located between Thong Sala and Ban Tai.

Guan Yin Temple

If you drive north from Thong Sala to Chaloklam, you will see the temple. More precisely, temple complex from several buildings. Especially, the "dragon drum" several pagodas of different colors. Guan Yin (translated as "Goddess of Mercy") was built as a combination of a lighthouse and a temple to help local sailors. It is located on the side of the bay.

But in general, the island is very, very beautiful. The sunsets here are just incredible. Views - as from the picture, no more - no less. All this must be seen with your own eyes!

Holidays on Koh Phangan attract the most diverse tourists from all over the world. Young people from Australia and Canada come here to enjoy the best parties in South-East Asia, as well as couples with children to enjoy nature, sightseeing and live a leisurely, serene vacation.

Phangan or Koh Phangan - an island in the Gulf of Thailand South China Sea. The island is located about 55 km from mainland Thailand. The area of ​​Koh Phangan is 125 square meters. km, the population is more than 11 thousand people. The main trade and transport hub of the island is Big City Thong Sala. Banks, coffee houses, restaurants, markets, offices and hotels operate here. Daily arrivals to the port from mainland Thailand passenger ships with new tourists.

Koh Phangan is surrounded on two sides by at least picturesque islands easily accessible by boat. Popular with tourists large island Koh Samui is only 15 km from Koh Phangan. The second small island - Thau - lies 35 km north of Koh Phangan.

Phangan - a treasure trove unique nature, history and religion. Curious travelers will be able to see the sights, admire the mountains and waterfalls, bask in the rays southern sun and taste traditional Thai dishes.

Climate

Phangan is real paradise: more than half of the island is occupied by mountains and tropical forests, and the rest of Koh Phangan belongs to the sandy coast with coconut trees. The heavenly picture is complemented by warm friendly weather throughout the year.

The average annual air temperature is +27 degrees. The driest month is February and the wettest month is November (average rainfall 526 mm). It is acceptable to visit Koh Phangan from May to September. This is a hot period with intermittent rains. But best time Winter is considered to be the time to visit Thailand.

Tourists can go on vacation in 2019 in the middle of summer or at the end of the year. Many travelers practice meeting the New Year on the shores of the Gulf of Thailand.

What to see and where to go?

Koh Phangan is literally made for tourists. All travelers will find entertainment here. Koh Phangan should not be taken as a place for parties, music and alcohol. There are quiet, secluded coves for diving and surfing, calm white sand beaches for families with children, as well as temples and national parks for travelers who want to get to know Thailand better.

Among the entertainments you can name diving, snorkeling, kiteboarding (or kitesurfing), trekking through the jungle with an experienced guide, boat trips.

In addition, there are many tattoo parlors, yoga places, shops and restaurants on Koh Phangan.

Excursions

The main attraction of Koh Phangan is nature. The island has several national park ov with mountains and waterfalls. Therefore, adventure seekers and avid photographers are advised to travel around the entire island in a rented vehicle to enjoy nature and take amazing pictures.

One of the most picturesque waterfalls in Koh Phangan is located in Than Sadet Park and is called Paeng. This is the most big waterfall island, to which King Rama V repeatedly visited. However, we must remember that the waterfall looks impressive in the rainy season, when it fills with water. In dry periods, it is a sheer cliff with a small stream.

In the same national park there is the highest point of Koh Phangan - Mount Khao Ra (620 meters), as well as an observation deck with views of the jungle. The jungle itself can be traversed along the hiking trail.

Of the architectural and religious attractions, you can see the temples. For example, the picturesque Chinese temple, made in traditional style. The Chinese Temple is located on the road from Thong Sala to Chaloklam Bay. The temple is located on a mountain with a beautiful view.

Phangan has several elephant parks where you can interact, feed and ride these majestic animals. One of these parks is located on the road from Baan Tai Beach to Ton Nai Pan.

Beaches

Beaches are one of the attractive and main features of Koh Phangan for tourists. Here they really are best beaches Thailand, which has everything you need for a perfect serene and carefree holiday.

Most popular beach, located in the south of Koh Phangan, is called Haad Rin. This beach is known to many tourists, so it is always crowded and noisy. It is here that the monthly full moon party is held, which is called the “Full Moon Party”. "Full Moon Party" is compared with Ibiza and Kazantip. All the progressive youth of the world strive to get to a large-scale beach party. The holiday lasts for 2-3 days, almost without ceasing. In addition to alcoholic cocktails, which are served here in a bucket (200-300 ml), guests are waiting for musical events and dances. Music of techno, trance, electro, house sounds on the beach. Of course, the main participant in the party is the full moon, which offers a beautiful view from the beach.

Haad Rin lives forever, regardless of the phase of the moon. There are bars, cafes, best hotels. The beach is divided into two parts - Nok and Nai. Haad Rin Nai, that is, the "sunset beach", is calmer, hotels are cheaper than in the "club" part of the beach.

From Haad Rin, you can take a boat trip to the small beaches of Haad Yuan and Haad Tian and to sandy, quiet coves with a rocky coastline. These places are not suitable for diving, as there are no coral reefs, but here you can surf in windy weather, as well as go water skiing. It is also not recommended to come to these beaches with children: entry into the water is steep and rocky. Kids and parents will love it sand beach Thong Nai Pan Yai with a gentle entry into the water and smooth ebb.

Other beautiful beaches Koh Phangan - eastern Ton Nai Pan and Than Sadet and western Mae Haad and Ma Island. On Ton Nai Pan are luxurious hotels with swimming pools and spas. Tan Sadet will enchant with the waterfall of the same name. Mae Haad and Ma are well suited for snorkeling, with picturesque coral reefs.

Restaurants

As in all of Thailand, on Koh Phangan you can taste national and European dishes tasty and inexpensive. Traditional food is sold both in beach cafes and on the streets of big cities.

In restaurants and cafes, you can try seafood, rice, noodles, fruits, and at the same time order pizza, burritos or french fries with beer. Vegetarians and vegans should check out Ying Ying's Kitchen (Salad Beach) and Petty's Place (Wok Tum Bay Bungalow).

How to get there?

The nearby airport is located on neighboring island– Koh Samui. Flights arrive here from Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Mai. From Samui it is easy to sail by ferry (ticket can be purchased at the airport) in a maximum of 50 minutes.

Another way to get from Koh Samui is the most expensive, but also the most interesting for tourists. It is possible to hire a private speedboat that conveniently arrives at Haad Rin Beach. There are also ferries from Maenam Beach to Thong Sala.

From mainland Thailand, you can get from Surat Thani Airport, where flights from Bangkok arrive. How much is a one way ticket (Bangkok-Surat Thani):

• 1500 baht with advance purchase;
• 2500 baht - on the day of departure.

When choosing this method of transportation, it is worth remembering that from the airport in Surat Thani you must first get by bus or car to the Seatran Ferry port, and then go to the island by ferry. The whole journey takes approximately 3.2 hours.

The easiest and most economical way to travel to Koh Phangan is by bus from Bangkok. A single ticket for 1300 baht can be purchased at the Bangkok bus station. The price includes transportation by road and ferry.

Where to stay for vacation in 2019?

When choosing where it is better to stay on vacation, you should determine the purpose of the trip and calculate your budget. If a traveler goes to the island for a noisy party on Haad Rin, then he will have to fork out: comfortable hotels are not cheap here. On the contrary, if a tourist is not a fan of fuss and noise, he can choose an inexpensive and quiet hotel for himself away from the party Haad Rin.

The closer the "Full Moon Party" is held, the more likely it is to be left without an overnight stay on Koh Phangan, especially near the beach. Therefore, it is better to book hotel rooms in advance.

Most cheap hotels are located near Thong Sala (for example, Haad Yao, Salad, Son, Ban Tai). Also, tourists who come with a company for a long time (for a month or more) can rent a small house for about 15 thousand baht per month. However, houses are rarely located on the coast.

Many hotels offer transfers directly from the pier, which is very convenient, especially for inexperienced tourists.

What to take with you on vacation?

To travel to Koh Phangan, it is most convenient to rent a moped or motorcycle. However, it is worth remembering that most of the roads in Koh Phangan pass through hills and mountains and have a slope and sharp turns. Falls from a moped or motorcycle are not uncommon on the island among tourists, therefore, when leaving for a vacation, you should first of all take care of your health and safety. In addition, in order not to have proceedings with the police, it is better to take care of all the necessary documents in advance.

What to take on a trip:

• travel insurance;
• international driver's license category A (just in case);
• a card with money and some cash (dollars);
• bandages and medicines for injuries and poisoning (iodine, hydrogen peroxide, activated carbon, rehydron, etc.).

Roads are the most dangerous place for tourists, so with little or no experience driving a moped, it is better to resort to the services of a taxi, tuk-tuk or taxi-boat (taxi boats). In other areas of life, Thailand is a safe and friendly country for tourists.

Koh Phangan or Koh Phangan is located in the Gulf of Thailand, in the province of Surat Thani, at a distance of 15 km from the well-known and beloved island. The name Koh Phangan comes from the Thai "Ko" - "island" and "Ngan" - "sand spit", because during low tides, which are pronounced near Koh Phangan, you can observe these sandbars around the island.

70% of the island's area is occupied by mountains covered with tropical forests, the remaining 30% are beaches and coconut plantations. The king of Thailand, Rama V, was very fond of visiting Koh Phangan. He first came to the island in 1888 and after that he came here 14 more times.

Koh Phangan Island

Tourism on Koh Phangan began to develop in the last 30 years, after the first bungalows for tourists were built on the island. And before that, local residents were mainly engaged in fishing and growing coconuts.

Island Koh Phangan became famous among tourists for the fact that it hosts Full Moon parties - Full Moon Party, which take place on the day of the full moon and gather thousands of people from all over the world. Phangan also hosts Half Full Moon Party, Black Moon Party, Shiva's parties, and other party events 🙂

But do not think that Koh Phangan is an island of party youth and drunken parties (otherwise many do not choose Koh Phangan for recreation for this very reason). In fact, parties do not take place so often, and if you don’t stop by Haad Rin during the full moon, then you may not know that the island on the island is some kind of party until the morning 🙂 Phangan, in addition to parties, is famous for its still untouched nature and beautiful uncrowded beaches!

Thong Sala - the capital of the island

The capital of the island and the main port is located in Thong Sala. The main ferries arrive here from the island of Koh Samui and from. You can read how to get to Koh Phangan.

Here, in Thong Sala, there are large stores - Tesco Lotus, Big C, Makro. But do not count on the same wide selection of products as in: for example, Tesco disappointed us in general: there is almost no choice of fruits, meat, fish. There is no water, where there should have been cookies and nuts - empty shelves. I don’t know where the long-livers of the island buy food ... Next to Tesco Lotus there is a good cafe with low prices, delicious Tom Yam and pizza. We ate there a couple of times.

Also in Thong Sala there is a market (prices are higher than in the markets of Koh Samui) and a nightly evening market with Thai food (did not visit, so I can’t say anything about this place).

Transport on Koh Phangan

From the port of Thong Sala, you can get to the selected beach by sorengo (local minibus), the fare is 100 - 300 baht per person, depending on the distance.

You can rent a bike right away (the average cost of renting a bike on Phangan is 200 baht ($7) per day), but be careful with renting bikes on Phangan. It has its own features:

• firstly, in all rental offices they require the original passport as a deposit, and not a copy (as on Koh Samui)
• secondly, they often rent faulty bikes with bad brakes (as they gave us and because of this we fell when we were driving downhill)
• thirdly, there are a lot of divorces for money when handing over the bike: they begin to show minor scratches even on the bottom of the bike and demand money for repairs
• fourthly, the roads on Koh Phangan are very dangerous - be extremely careful! And in the evenings, dogs also rush right under the wheels and strive to bite on the leg!

The island also has developed such transport as taxi-boat - taxi boats. Some beaches are better to get on them. Especially if you are with children.

We have rested on Koh Phangan several times. They came from Koh Samui by boat to the port of Thong Sala. We lived several times on our favorite Phangan beach, Thong Nai Pan Yai, on Baan Tai (not to be confused with!) And on Haad Yao beach. Our first impression of Koh Phangan compared to Koh Samui, where we are: on Phangan there are higher mountains, worse serpentines, higher trees, more nature, almost empty roads and very few people. After Koh Samui, it seemed to us that we were in Paradise (if only the roads were better 🙂). But the prices for all percent are 10-20 higher, even in 7 eleven stores.

Koh Phangan is famous not only for its parties, but also for its white sand beaches and natural parks with waterfalls.

Map of Koh Phangan (Koh Phangan) with beaches and attractions

Hotels on Koh Phangan

The best deals on hotels on Koh Phangan:

The beaches of Koh Phangan (Koh Phangan)

The main port of Thong Sala, it is better not to swim in the sea here, although there is some beach and hotels on the shore.

To the east of Thong Sala along the sea there is a good asphalt road. We drive along it, we pass the beach Ban Tai(details about ours), which smoothly flows into Ban Kai Beach, I considered it for living, but I did not like that it was close to the port. There are cafes and shops along the road. There is also a small observation deck here. view point, but as always, we were unlucky with the weather - beautiful views we didn't see.

Approximately 200 meters from the shore is coral reef. In the summer (approximately from May to October), when the low tide on Koh Phangan is clearly expressed, it is problematic to swim here. Keep this in mind when choosing a beach. Not far from Ban Tai beach, somewhere in the jungle 🙂, Half Moon Festival and Shiva Moon Party are held.

After the observation deck, a steep mountain begins, the first time we even decided not to go to it, the second time we stopped, but with difficulty. Then the road begins to wind up, then down, and eventually leads to famous beach where the Full Moon Party takes place.

There is no road north of Haad Rin Beach that you can ride a bike on. There are beaches Haad Yuan Beach, Haad Thin Beach And haad wai beach. You can get to them along a small path, but it is better to rent a boat - about 300 baht ($ 10) one way. Not cheap, but there you can enjoy complete peace and quiet.

Near Ban Tai beach, the road turns into the mountains. If we drive along it, then we pass the Safari Park, where you can ride elephants, feed them and pet them 🙂

At first, there is still some civilization along the road, small cafes and shops, then good road ends and begins a section of the path with a dirt road through the jungle.

At the circle the road diverges: if you turn right, the road will lead to the beach Than Sadet Beach .

This is a secluded beach that is located near the Than Sadet Waterfall, which the royal family loved to visit. We did not get to this beach, although we really wanted to. Fell off the bike on the way to it.

A good one leads straight from the circle new road to the beaches and Thong Nai Pan Noi.

On the first beach, we lived for several days at the Dreamland Resort hotel. I think that this is one of the most beautiful beaches of the island: a convenient entrance to the sea, low tides are almost not felt, there are few people and at the same time there are shops and restaurants here (only one day in early November we were bitten by sand flies ...). We found a very tasty one, in which we enjoyed Tom Yum every evening. I recommend this beach to everyone!

Video from Thong Nai Pan beach:

Further north is the beach (often marked on maps as Haad Khuat Beach) is a very beautiful beach with fine white sand and turquoise water.

Here, as well as on the beaches of Thong Nai Pai, low tides are almost not felt. You can get to Bottle Beach by bike mountain road(as we did, I do not advise)

or along the trail from Chaloklam Bay or, most best way, on the boat.

Video of Bottle Beach

In the very north of Koh Phangan is Chaloklam Bay, which can be reached either by the direct road Thong Sala - Chaloklam or by the ring road along west bank islands. Nearby there is a beach where I advise everyone to visit and admire the interesting combination of very fine white sand and incomprehensible coniferous trees

In the northwest of Koh Phangan there is a beach and a small picturesque island. Kho Ma near him.

This beach the best place for snorkeling and diving in Koh Phangan. There are several diving schools here.

The west coast of Koh Phangan is occupied by beaches Salad Beach, , Chao Phao Beach, Hin Kong Beach, Wok Tum Beach. On these beaches you can find accommodation for a long time.

There are shops, cafes on the beach and other tourism infrastructure. From these beaches you can watch magnificent sunsets.

We lived three days on the beach at the hotel. This beach seemed to us quite crowded, many Russian-speaking winterers.

Sights of Koh Phangan

There are also enough attractions on Koh Phangan, but mostly these are natural beauties, and not some temples or museums 🙂

There are several waterfalls on Koh Phangan, one of them - we visited the waterfall.

On the road between Thong Sala and Chaloklam Bay, there is a beautiful place from which you can see great view on the island, there is a statue of Guan Yin in the temple, there is a very good atmosphere.

There are many Buddhist temples on Koh Phangan.

On the island, you can visit the Than Sadet National Park and climb the highest mountain of the island - Mount Khao Ra (Khao Ra), its height is 620 m. The way to the mountain takes about 2 hours.

Phangan has several safari parks where you can ride elephants

many viewpoints

many spas with Thai massage, several schools of yoga.

Climate, weather in Koh Phangan

Best time to visit Koh Phangan- January-March and July-September. It gets very hot in April, rains are possible in May-June, and November-December is the most doge season. I wrote about the rainy season. In summer, low tides are pronounced, especially on the southern and western shallow beaches. During this period of the year, it is better to choose the beaches of Thong Nai Pai or Bottel Beach for relaxation.

conclusions

They say that Koh Phangan is the island of Karma, that this island checks people. I don’t know if this is true or not (I don’t believe in this nonsense ...), but the fact that this island attracts many informal personalities is yes. It’s very strange, but on the same island of Koh Phangan, life and yogis get along and enjoy life and cheese-eaters (who, as you know, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t hang out and look evil at us, lovers of meat and fresh beer 🙂) and fans of smoking grass, and hippies, and lovers of trance and parties and parties with alcohol until the morning. Fortunately, in recent years, more and more people come to Koh Phangan conventional people 🙂 Koh Phangan is beautiful nature and beaches! Everyone will find something for themselves on this island.

Will we return to this island? - definitely Yes! I want to go back to my favorite beach 🙂

Will I be able to live here for a long time? - No! There is little infrastructure for life, the choice of products in stores is small, prices are too high. Maybe people become cheese-eaters here precisely because there is no normal meat and fish in stores 🙂 But I really like to eat tasty food 🙂

You can book a hotel on Koh Phangan using a map that shows the hotels of the island: choose the place where you want to stay, hover over the hotel, read the information about the hotel and book a room.

When friends called to visit the island, we unanimously asked "What can you do there for a whole vacation? Die of boredom ?!".
We spent five days on Koh Phangan full days, and this period was barely enough to explore the surroundings.

Immediately after arriving at seaport Thong Sala is worth renting a motorbike for all days of your stay. The bike significantly increases the freedom of movement, the whole island becomes at your service.

On the first day we went to have breakfast in Chaloklum bay, where in the morning there was not a single person, except for the fisherman. Even in the cafe, the aunt did not appear immediately. What could be better than diving into the sea while your breakfast is being prepared?
Chaloklam in the past - small fishing village has now become a tourist attraction. Most of our compatriots live happily here, in the north of the island.

After breakfast, a walk is required. The Yang Na Yai tree is the tallest tree on the island. In Russian it is called dipterocarpus winged or guryun. But this name, like you, didn’t say anything to me :) The tallest such tree in Thailand reaches a height of 53.5 meters. The foliage creates shade and coolness, so bees love to settle on dipterocarpus.

At the trunk, of course, there is a house with spirits.

The island is hilly, the roads go uphill and run down the mountain, there are a lot of turns. Dangers await young motorcyclists everywhere! The steepest slides in the south of the island, on the way to Haad Rin beach.

Of course you need try fruit! We bought them in a supermarket, you can also look at the market.
Salak, snake fruit. The skin peels off like an egg shell. Or scales from a shedding snake :)

On the market. Near the fruit, signs "Do not touch with your hands" are often visible.

Great on the west coast mangroves, we specifically stopped there to wander.
For me, seeing mangroves is probably like seeing the Eiffel Tower: I heard so much and finally, with my own eyes, I was convinced that it exists.

The roads on the island are different, but almost everywhere is asphalt. Palm trees grow along the roadsides, which you get used to very quickly. And only sometimes the thought comes to mind: "To go nuts! Yes, here palm trees grow like birches along the roads!" Wires richly complement the roadside picture, as well as throughout the rest of the country.

And what do you say to have lunch in a cafe on the beach, right in a hammock?

Or climb the mountain amsterdam bar and watch the sunset and night fishing?

Certainly worth going to night market where you can try a variety of dishes or have a bite to eat whatever your heart desires.

A little further away they sell all sorts of junk. But nowhere was a tray with fried insects waiting for me :(

On the island you can not only eat! To shed pounds, you should go snorkel to Koh Ma. Although what I'm lying, slow swimming on the surface has not yet made anyone slim.

A shoal leads to the island, along which you can walk without soaking your swimming trunks. True, oncoming waves collide on the spit and sometimes sprays fly high :)

There are not as many fish there as on the Phi Phi Islands, but inexperienced divers like me were interested.

Inexperienced divers like me were interested even on the shore :)

In addition, there was an excellent massage on the beach. During the first session, I was sure that my head would come off. Then nothing, I got used to it :)

Haad Rin- a beach in the south of the island, a party center. Once a month there is a big party - Full Moon Party. They say that at this time it is better not to show up there ... The party was supposed to happen on the evening of our detour, so we could not even look there for informational purposes.

But there are always waves on this beach. Oh, and we dived there!

Cafe over the sea. Either it works or it's abandoned.

Another beach, but on the other side of the island - coral beach. There is no one, you can dig in the sand to your heart's content, remembering your childhood and collecting tiny shells of the "eye of Shiva". However, swimming here at low tide is disgusting: you can break your knees and scratch your stomach on a dead coral reef.

On the way to the beach.

Have you noticed that we have never taken a ride on elephants during your stay in Thailand? Let's catch up soon!

The activity turned out to be extremely boring! The elephant kept stopping to eat, poop, or dream. It is much more interesting (and scarier) to take pictures with an elephant :)

There are also secret places. For example, abandoned quarry.

Unexpectedly, they found a completely empty cafe in the center of the quarry. The owner invited to come and bring friends :) It feels like the house came here from a torn parallel reality. How else to explain its strange location away from all roads?

Here only lizards bask in the sun and nobody.

Do you want cultural and architectural experiences?
There you are chinese temple on the road from Thong Sala to Chaloklam. Zero people!

This is a Thai temple Wat Khao Noi.

And the local crematorium.

Outdoor enthusiasts can climb the highest point of the island - Mount Khao Ra (Khao Ra) like we did. At the foot, it is desirable to be already at 7 in the morning, so as not to die from the heat on the rise. They write that the way up takes 2 hours, but we almost missed the hour. But they were still soaking wet!

A bummer lurked on the mountain: everything was in the clouds. We waited a little, but there was no change.

Sometimes the vegetation got too close.

Springs at the foot of the mountain supply drinking water main part of the island. And we swam under a stream from a leaky hose :)

Do you recognize a houseplant?

There are several waterfalls on the island, one of them - Than-Sadet (Than-Sadet) was visited by as many as three of the Thai kings. We looked Phaeng No Waterfall. Well, as they looked ... It definitely justified part of the name: No Water.

One more beach bottle beach- a separate bay, according to many, one of the most beautiful beaches islands. You can get there only along the forest path or by boat. There is also a road to the place, but it is so broken that a rare daredevil will decide to drive along it.
We went on foot, intending to return by boat, in comfort. The trail is marked with blanks along its entire length. plastic bottles which gave the name to the beach.
The way to the beach was excellent: in some places I had to climb, but in general it was quite a pleasant walk for a couple of hours (4-5 km).

There were waves on the sea that threw a lot of marine debris ashore, the beach seemed dirty and there was no desire to swim. On top of that, because of the waves, boats did not go ...

Photographer heels from the wind :)

Nothing to do, went back on foot. They chose the second path, which led along the coast.

We noticed a great natural bath. The place is secret, and therefore the coolest :) To get to the water, I had to turn off the path to show the skill of rock climbers.

However, the skill of climbers had to be shown on the trail. I don't know what smart guy called this a trail, but I would have broken his legs. I hope he broke them for himself when he conquered the coastal cliffs and the jungle.

The photo perfectly conveys the scale of the disaster. I almost died there and I was mentally unglued.

End the day with a nice sun at sea (if you haven’t driven to Bottle Beach and back before). True, we had to rush along the west coast to find a way to the beach.

Koh Phangan, or as it is also called Koh Phangan, is not yet as popular as Phuket or Koh Samui, but this does not mean that it is completely uninteresting and there is nothing to see on it. Eat! And there is a lot. Many beautiful waterfalls, beautiful temples, elephant farms, Lem Son Lake and much more.

It’s probably still worth starting a review of the sights with waterfalls, of which there are many, moreover, the most famous of them Tan Sadet is loved by the royal family and is sacred. Water is collected from it for royal ceremonies.

The waterfall itself stretches for three kilometers and is an agglomeration of boulders that create several pools of running water.

You can get to it from the beach of the same name, although the road is very treacherous and it is not recommended to go to it on your own on a scooter or car. Better with an experienced guide, and even better to buy a tour of several waterfalls at once.

lovers hiking Love the Tan Pravet Waterfall. The multi-level waterfall is located in hard to reach place island, which attracts tourists to it.

Bizarre forms, virgin jungle, romanticism of falling water. Great place for picnics.

In the northwest of Koh Phangan, there is another majestic waterfall called Wang Sai. Attractive not only for its appearance, but also because it perfect place for swimming and diving (you can take wonderful photos, see photo).

Due to the constant filling of the reservoir with water and the bright vegetation around, the water in a sunny color can take on saturated shades of the entire color spectrum.

These are not all the waterfalls of the island, there are many of them and it makes no sense to describe everything. This is a must watch. By the way, excursions to the waterfalls are worth buying already on the spot. Routes worked out, there is no particular risk.

Lake Lam Son deserves a separate description, which is near Bovi Beach. Agree, it is rare when you can combine swimming in fresh and sea water during one vacation.

Thanks to the lush vegetation around the lake, it has become a favorite place not only local residents, but also tourists who flee in the shade of trees from the sweltering heat. A favorite pastime on the lake is bungee jumping, so familiar to us from a distant vacation in the village with my grandmother. The lake itself is not that big in size, just over 500 meters long and just under 150 wide. Despite this, it is rich in fish, but catching it is prohibited at the state level.

These were all natural attractions, but Koh Phangan is not only rich in them, there are also man-made ones. First of all, these are temples.

The most famous of them is Madia Van. According to legend, it was on the Mondop hill, where it was built, that the Buddha left his mark. For many years, Buddhists from all over the world have been coming to this temple to meditate against the backdrop of slopes overgrown with jungle.

The oldest surviving temple on the island is Phu Khao Noi. And yes, he looks his age. Dilapidated buildings, against the background beautiful views. By the way, some of the monks are very fluent in English and are willing to talk. So if you want to speculate about the eternal, then welcome.

Wat Phu Khao Noi

And if you want to see almost the entire island from a bird's eye view, then you are on Mount Khao Ra. This is the most high point on the island and its height is 630 meters. The road to the mountain passes through the Pfeng waterfall and starts near the village of Ban Madia Won. The path is not easy and it is easy to get lost. So you should first find a guide (in the village), and it’s better to climb in a group. More fun and safer.