Beaches in Koh Phangan

Suratthani province | Samui Island (Koh Samui) | Tao Island (Koh Tao)

Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi and Thong Nai Pan Yai
Thong Nai Pan Noi and Thong Nai Pan Yai are twin coves that form a scenic double bay and are the most popular beaches in the east and sunrise side of the island. Both beaches are the image of paradise with softly curved white sand bays surrounded by mountains covered in rich tropical rainforest.

The surrounding mountains make these beaches fairly inaccessible with a steep and rutted dirt road the only overland option; though road works have commenced to make it a dual lane concrete road, another way to get to there is by boat from Had Rin or Chaloklum.

There is no coral reef on the east coast of the island, and it is possible to swim at both beaches all year round, though Thong Nai Pan Noi is the best as it’s the deepest bay. There is little to see in the way of marine life, but there are some decent waves for body surfing.

Thong Nai Pan Noi is the most popular of the two beaches with a bohemian vibe and has a small village with some cool bars and restaurants. People get up early for sunrise and long-termers patiently wait to graduate to the coolest of bungalows, beachfront space is premium.

Thong Nai Pan Yai is the longer of the two beaches, the resorts are more spaced out and it has no village, as a result it is quieter than its counterpart. There are numerous trails to walk and waterfalls to visit, and Thong Nai Pan Yai also has a decent set of rocks for experienced climbers.

This side of the island is still pretty wild, and the surrounding jungle is haven for many exotic tropical creatures. Giant water monitor lizards, "Takuad" in Thai, can be seen feeding outside the Panviman Resort at sunset and small wildcats have even been spotted deep in the trails.


Ao Thong Reng
Thaansadet literally translated means "river of visited by Royals" and it is the place where King Churalongkorn, The Great Rama V came to many times to walk up the wondrous waterfalls and bath in its pools. King Prajadhipok, the Great Rama VII also visited as has the current King Bumipol Aduldej, the Great Rama IX. Thaansadet has recently been declared a National Park due to its great historical importance and abundant wildlife

Had Sadet is the beach at the estuary of Khlong (river) Thaan Sadet, it is a fairly small beach at the bottom of the river valley flanked by steep green hills. The sand is white and huge boulders crown the peninsulas that surround the cove. The sea is deep enough for year round swimming, thought the waves can be rough. The southern peninsula splits the two beaches of Had Sadet and Had Thong Reng where Khlong Thaan Sadet meets the sea.

Had Thong Reng is the smaller of Thaansadet’s two beaches that form a picturesque double bay, the swimming is not as good as its neighbour, but it is just as beautiful and a bit quieter.


Had Sadet
Thaansadet literally translated means "river of visited by Royals" and it is the place where King Churalongkorn, The Great Rama V came to many times to walk up the wondrous waterfalls and bath in its pools. King Prajadhipok, the Great Rama VII also visited as has the current King Bumipol Aduldej, the Great Rama IX. Thaansadet has recently been declared a National Park due to its great historical importance and abundant wildlife

Had Sadet is the beach at the estuary of Khlong (river) Thaan Sadet, it is a fairly small beach at the bottom of the river valley flanked by steep green hills. The sand is white and huge boulders crown the peninsulas that surround the cove. The sea is deep enough for year round swimming, thought the waves can be rough. The southern peninsula splits the two beaches of Had Sadet and Had Thong Reng where Khlong Thaan Sadet meets the sea.

Had Thong Reng is the smaller of Thaansadet’s two beaches that form a picturesque double bay, the swimming is not as good as its neighbour, but it is just as beautiful and a bit quieter.


Ao Chaloklum
The beach on Ao Chaloklum is about two and a half kilometres long, with the main village of Chaloklum right in the centre. As the place is still primarily a fishing village, the fishing trade dominates the mid-section of the beach where the village is located. This is where the local fishermen keep their longtail boats, and the image of all the wonderfully colourful handcrafted boats with their 100 BHP truck engines on the back is a great view to take in while eating in the local restaurants there.

At either side of the village there are some nice stretches of beach, good for swimming when the tides are high (December to March), but during lower tidal seasons, you may have to time your swim to the daily high tides. The sand is more yellow and slightly coarser on the more exposed North and East coasts. The sea can be fairly choppy in high winds as the weather comes across the Gulf of Siam and breaks on the surrounding mountains.

Most of the coral reef in the main part of the bay is now dead due to the extensive fishing that has gone on in the area, but the waves that break on the reef can be plenty big enough for a bit of body surfing. Due to its Northerly location, neither sunset nor sunrise can be seen from this beach.
 

Had Khom
Had Khom is a pretty little beach on the west side of Chaloklum Bay, known for it’s laid back vibes and is popular with long-termers looking to get away from the hoardes. The dirt road from Chaloklum is badly rutted in places and is hard to tackle on a moped unless you are an experienced rider, better on a dirtbike or a 4WD vehicle, or you can take a boat taxi from Chaloklum.

Had Khom is a popular spot for snorkelling due to the extensive living coral reef that protects the bay from the incoming seas coupled with the fact that it is the last beach that has coral before the conditions change further round the coast and become unfavourable for such sea life. Local dive schools from Chaloklum and snorkelling boat trips often use the area due to its proximity, outstanding beauty and great variety of different corals.

Due to the presence of the reef, swimming is still effected by the tides here, and in the lower tidal season, (March to November) you will have to wait until the daily high tide arrives if you want to swim out and over the reef to see the brilliant Day-Glo underwater world that surrounds the South-Westerly and Northern coasts of the island. As the beach faces the North, it isn’t possible to see either sunset or sunrise.


Had Khuad
Had Khuad is better known as Bottle Beach, one of the island most well-known beaches and a Mecca for long-termers and old skool Phangan aficionados. The beach’s inaccessibility has meant that you tend to get visitors staying on for more than a week or so as it is usually only reached by taxi boat from Chaloklum, and if the weather comes in, you can get stranded here for a day or two as the boats can only navigate the seas here when they are calm.

There is a two and a half kilometre mountain path from Had Khom that can be negotiated on foot, and some nutters have been said to have made it over on dirtbikes, though it is not advisable with very steep trails and boulders that can rip a hole in the chunkiest tyre, leaving you with a long walk back to civilisation with a hefty bike. Caution should also be taken when travelling this path on foot in wet weather.

The sea conditions change as you move further round towards the East coast of Pha Ngan and do not favour coral, thus the sea shelf starts to fall away quite steeply, making it possible to swim here all year round. Bottle Beach and Thong Nai Pan are favourites for low season visitors who want to swim, but don’t mind missing out on the coral. It is also considered one of the most beautiful beaches on the island due to its wide golden beach, the lush natural cove and the high mountains that surround it. Due to its Northerly location, neither sunset nor sunrise can be seen from this beach.


Had Thong Lang
Had Thong Lang or "Golden Deserted Beach" is exactly that. At present there is still no permanent settlers there, although recently a couple of huts have gone up, but are rarely inhabited. If you’re lucky enough to meet the irregular residents, they are very friendly and welcome visitors. It has a shallow coral bay with a coral reef that creates a beautiful lagoon in high tidal seasons, over the reef there is good snorkelling, but be careful not to damage the corals if you are going to cross the reef at low tide. It’s a great beach for a day visit if you’re looking for a bit of true desert island isolation.

It can be reached either by hiring a longtail boat from the nearby fishing village of Chaloklum, or by bike / taxi and a short walk. To access the beach on land, take the main (concrete) road from Mae Had to Chaloklum, about 300 metres up the road there is a left turn onto a dirt road with a small sign directing you to the beach. The dirt road is about 400 metes long and is fairly rough, especially during monsoon, but it can be negotiated on a moped if you’re used to one; stop at the top of the bay and walk down to the beach. Due to its Northerly location, neither sunset nor sunrise can be seen from this beach.


Ao Ban Khai
Ao Ban Khai starts where the Had Rin hills stop and is part of the long unbroken stretch of beach that runs all the way up to Thong Sala. The beach of Ban Khai bay is quite broad in places and countless coconut palms populate the lowland plains of the area. There is plenty of room on the beach if you’re seeking solitude and a few beach bars dotted along the coastline.

The coral reef lies about 400 metres off the beach, and in low tidal season (April to November), swimming on the beach side of the reef is not always possible. There are wide sand flats and bars when the tides are low and great sunset views over Koh Samui.