Understanding Koh Phangan Tides: Which Beach, Which Hour
The west coast empties for hundreds of metres at low water, so one metre of tide decides where you swim. How to read the table and pick the right beach.
Journal
Notes from the hill
What we learn about Koh Phangan from living on it — the ferries that actually connect, where to practise, when the light is best, and what is worth the drive.
Koh Phangan Temples: Etiquette, Four Worth the Ride
A guide to Koh Phangan's village temples — what to wear, the rules that matter, the four best stops, the herbal sauna at Wat Pho and silent retreats.
Mosquitoes and Sandflies on Koh Phangan: What Actually Works
When mosquitoes and sandflies bite on Koh Phangan, which repellent to buy once you land, and why a breezy hilltop terrace beats most sprays at dusk.
Medical Care on Koh Phangan: Hospitals and Emergency Numbers
A practical guide to Koh Phangan's hospitals, the emergency numbers to save, when a transfer to Samui makes sense, and the injuries that actually happen.
Working remotely from Koh Phangan: wifi, co-working, time zones
Internet speeds, co-working spaces, time-zone maths and the DTV visa: what it is actually like to work remotely from Koh Phangan for a whole season.
Stocking a Villa Kitchen on Koh Phangan: Where to Shop
Where to buy food on Koh Phangan for a villa week: Makro, Tops, Thong Sala fresh market, Chaloklum fish and zero-waste refills, with opening hours that matter.
Cash, ATMs and Cards on Koh Phangan: What to Know in 2026
Thai ATMs charge 220 baht per withdrawal, so how you take out cash on Koh Phangan matters: fees, limits, declining conversion and where machines run dry.
Koh Phangan in the Rainy Season: October to December Guide
The Gulf's wet months run October to December, with November the wettest — here is what that means for ferries, roads, boat trips and whether to book at all.
Koh Phangan Waterfalls and Hikes: When They Actually Flow
Phaeng, Khao Ra, Than Sadet and the rest — which Koh Phangan waterfalls and trails are worth your morning, when they run, and what the walks really involve.
Renting a Scooter on Koh Phangan: Licence, Deposit, Hills
What to know before hiring a scooter on Koh Phangan: licence rules and fines, cash deposits instead of passports, the steep hills, and car and songthaew options.
Koh Phangan Kayaking and Paddleboarding: A Morning Guide
Flat water on Koh Phangan lasts until mid-morning. Where to launch a kayak or SUP, what it costs, how the wind turns by season, and what goes wrong.
Khao Sok from Koh Phangan: Routes, Timing and Park Fees
How to reach Khao Sok and Cheow Lan Lake from Thong Sala, why December suits both, what the park fees cost, and how to fit two nights into a Phangan week.
Koh Phangan SIM Cards, eSIMs and Where the Signal Drops
Which Thai network to choose, why the airport counter costs more, when an eSIM beats a local number, and the parts of Koh Phangan where coverage fails.
Stargazing on Koh Phangan: Dark Skies, Moons and Meteors
When the island's skies go properly dark, which new moons to aim for, what you can see at 9.7° north, and why cloud matters more than moonlight.
Getting Married on Koh Phangan: Legal Steps and Timing
Thai law makes beach ceremonies symbolic: the marriage is registered at a district office. Here is the paperwork chain, and when to hold it on Koh Phangan.
Elephants on Koh Phangan: Costs, Rules and How to Choose
The island has one elephant sanctuary, inland in the north. What the two programmes cost, why you pay cash on arrival, and how it compares with Samui.
Koh Phangan sunscreen rules, UV and reef-safe snorkelling
Thailand bans four sunscreen chemicals in its marine parks, the UV index hits extreme by mid-morning, and Koh Phangan's reefs are recovering — what to pack and why.
Getting a Tattoo on Koh Phangan: Sak Yant, Safety, Timing
A guide to tattoo studios on Koh Phangan: what sak yant actually involves, how to check hygiene before you sit down, and why to save it for your last days.
Cacao Ceremonies and Sound Baths in Srithanu: Honest Guide
What cacao circles and sound baths on Koh Phangan actually involve, how to find one worth attending in Srithanu, and where the safety and legal limits sit.
Cannabis in Thailand: the 2026 Rules for Koh Phangan Visitors
Cannabis in Thailand is medical-only since June 2025: what a prescription involves, why public smoking is still illegal, and why not to fly home with it.
Power Cuts on Koh Phangan: Why They Happen and What to Do
Koh Phangan's power comes by undersea cable from the mainland, so cuts happen. Here is what stops working, what to pack, and why solar houses barely notice.
Drone Rules on Koh Phangan in 2026: Registration and Zones
Thailand's CAAT and NBTC drone registration takes up to two weeks and can only start once you land, so here is what it means for a trip to Koh Phangan.
Koh Phangan Dry Days: Thailand's Alcohol Rules Explained
Five Buddhist holy days and the daily sale hours decide when you can buy alcohol on Koh Phangan — here is how to plan your fridge around them.
Koh Phangan Fruit Seasons: A Month-by-Month Island Guide
Koh Phangan's fruit year runs against the mainland's: mangosteen, rambutan and durian peak from June to August, while the busy cool season is the thinnest.
Kitesurfing Koh Phangan: Three Wind Seasons and Where to Go
Koh Phangan's kite year splits into three wind seasons on different coasts. When to come, where the schools move, what lessons cost, and why October is out.
Thai Cooking Classes on Koh Phangan: Prices and Where to Go
Koh Phangan cooking classes cost from about 1,600 baht, run three to four hours with a market stop, and work rain or shine — here's how to choose one.
A Family Guide to Koh Phangan: Beaches, Cars and Hot Hours
Practical advice for a family holiday on Koh Phangan: why to hire a car, which beaches suit small children, where to base yourself and what to pack.
Diving Sail Rock from Koh Phangan: Costs, Boats, Seasons
Sail Rock lies about an hour from Chaloklum, closer than from Koh Tao. What a two-tank day costs, when boats get cancelled, and how it compares to Koh Tao.
Thailand's New 30-Day Visa Rules: What Phangan Guests Need
Since 15 September 2026 most visitors get 30 days visa-free, not 60. How to extend for another 30 at Thong Sala immigration, and when to get a visa first.
Muay Thai on Koh Phangan: Camps, Costs and Training Times
How training camps on Koh Phangan actually work: session times built around the heat, what a class costs, choosing a gym, fight nights and recovery.
Koh Phangan massage guide: prices, styles and where to go
What a massage costs on Koh Phangan, how Thai, oil and herbal compress differ, where to find good hands in Thong Sala and Srithanu, and when to skip it.
Koh Phangan Wildlife: Dogs, Monkeys, Snakes and What to Do
The animals you actually meet on Koh Phangan, from street dogs and macaques to geckos and cobras, with practical advice on bites, rabies care and night walks.
Detox and Fasting Retreats on Koh Phangan: An Honest Guide
What a Koh Phangan fasting programme actually involves day by day, where the centres are, the truth about colonics, and who should not fast at all.
Southern Thai Food on Koh Phangan: What to Order and Where
Khua kling, gaeng tai pla, khao yam and the khao gaeng shops of Thong Sala — what southern Thai food to order on Koh Phangan, plus the October jay festival.
Koh Phangan Party Noise: Which Areas Stay Quiet at Night
The full moon and jungle parties fill one week of each lunar month on a small strip of the south coast — here is how far the bass really carries inland.
Drinking Water on Koh Phangan: Refills, Ice and Dry Season
Tap water isn't for drinking on Koh Phangan, but refill machines, café top-ups and factory ice make it easy — and here's what the March-to-May dry season means.
Day trips from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao and Samui: the timings
Ferry times, fares and how many hours you actually get ashore on Koh Tao or Koh Samui, plus why one deserves an early boat and the other is really an errand.
Koh Phangan Sunset Times and Where the Sun Actually Sets
Sunset on Koh Phangan swings by nearly an hour across the year and 47 degrees along the horizon — here are the monthly times and the best west-coast spots.
Koh Phangan's Boat-Only Beaches: Bottle Beach and Beyond
How to reach Bottle Beach, Than Sadet and Haad Yuan by longtail boat: fares, the last boat back, national park fees and when the sea stops the crossing.
Drop-in Yoga on Koh Phangan: How to Practise Without a Retreat
Where to find drop-in yoga classes on Koh Phangan, why schedules live on Instagram, what a class costs, and how to avoid booking the wrong thing.
Getting to Koh Phangan: Ferries, Flights and Arrival Timing
How to plan an arrival day on Koh Phangan, from the Samui fast boat and the Donsak ferry to the night boat, and why the last sailing decides your flights.
Koh Phangan Tides: Which Beaches Still Swim at Low Water
The Gulf tide only moves a metre, but Koh Phangan's flat bays empty for hundreds of metres — here is which coast still swims at low water, and when to go.
Koh Phangan's Temples: Silent Retreats and a Herbal Sauna
Wat Khao Tham's ten-day silent retreat takes in-person sign-ups only, Wat Pho's wood-fired herbal sauna costs 120 baht — plus three temples worth the ride.
Ang Thong Day Trip from Koh Phangan: Costs, Climbs, Season
Ang Thong Marine Park from Koh Phangan: when the park closes, what the speedboat day costs, the two climbs, and when to skip it and stay by the pool.
Medical Care on Koh Phangan: Hospitals, Clinics, Insurance
Where to get treated on Koh Phangan, when a serious case means crossing to Samui, and the insurance clauses that void scooter claims — plus numbers to save.
Working Remotely from Koh Phangan: Wifi, Time Zones, Visas
An honest look at whether a working week functions on Koh Phangan: real upload speeds, time-zone maths, Srithanu coworking, the DTV visa and season timing.
Koh Phangan food shopping: markets, Makro and fresh fish
Where to buy groceries, fruit and fresh fish on Koh Phangan: Makro and Lotus's in Thong Sala, the morning stalls, Chaloklum's pier and Srithanu.
Koh Phangan Money Guide: ATM Fees, Cash and QR Payments
Thai ATMs charge 220–350 baht per withdrawal, so plan ahead: how much cash to carry on Koh Phangan, where the machines are, and whether QR payments work.
When It Rains on Koh Phangan: A Month-by-Month Guide
Koh Phangan's wettest months are October and November, not the Andaman's May to October. Here's what each month feels like and how to book ferries around it.
Koh Phangan Waterfalls: When They Run and Which Ones to Walk
Phaeng, Wang Sai and Than Sadet run from August to December, not in April. Fees, trail times and what to check before you set off from the island's interior.
Scooter or Car on Koh Phangan: What to Know Before You Land
Licence rules, steep hill roads, rental pitfalls and current songthaew fares — how to decide whether to ride a scooter or book a car on Koh Phangan.