Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan Information

Koh Phangan is an island paradise in the Gulf of Thailand located about 100 km from the coast of Southern Thailand Surat Thani Province and about 15 km from the famous resort island of Koh Samui

Koh Phangan is the largest of Samui's neighboring islands with an area of 168 square km. Over 70% of its total area is mountains and tropical forest the lowlands is mountains and coconut fields.

About 8,000 people live on Koh Phangan. Some are Chinese, whose ancestors migrated from China more than a hundred years ago and the main population live  in Thong Sala Town. More than 95% of the population are Buddhist but there are a few Muslims in Ban Tai Village.

Standard Thai is used as the official language but the southern dialect is more widely spoken among the local people. English is understood in business circles and tourist areas. Koh Phangan is a district (Amphoe) of the Surat Thani Province in the Southern Region of Thailand. The Most important produce of Koh Phangan is coconuts. Each month Koh Samui and Koh Phangan produce more than 1 million coconut exports to Bangkok. Another prominent island product is fishing and of course there is the growing tourism business. Koh Phangan is famous for it's monthly full moon parties which attracts thousands of people dancing through the night.

As a natural paradise island in the Southern Gulf of Thailand, Ko Pha Ngan serves as the perfect getaway retreat, where one may go relaxing on quiet deserted beaches, snorkeling and learning to dive at the distinctive island of Ko Ma, trekking in the footsteps of Thai Royalty at Than Sadet National Park steeped in history and culture, or seeking adventure in the nearby Ang Thong archipelago composed of over 40 islands endowed with pristine beaches, natural caves and the tranquil Tha Laem Nai. Ko Pha Ngan has over 250 resorts to choose from, ranging from the budget 80 baht a night beach hut without private toilet to luxury air-conditioned accommodation with private swimming pool.

It's the simple beach life which continues to attract visitors each year along with the island's reputation for full moon parties and a hedonistic approach to life. The backpackers, budget tourists and aging hippies are beginning to give way to families and more mainstream tourists but the beaches are still beautiful and undeveloped. The full moon party scene still runs with a cast of thousands in high season - all on the beach. Hedonists everywhere still flock to the world's biggest beach party every month. The music from the multiple sound systems is mostly ear-splittingly loud trance and house, and a predominantly youthful crowd dance 'til dawn on party nights. This may not be to everyone's taste, certainly, but it's definitely a unique cultural experience. Other events such as the Half Moon Party and Black Moon Party also attract large crowds. However, it is still possible to visit the island and avoid the full moon party altogether, with dozens of quiet, secluded resorts and beach huts dotted all over the island for a variety of prices. Many of the more costly resorts offer such facilities as daily yoga, yoga teachers' training, meditation, a variety of healing, healthy & natural therapies, spa massage & pampering services and herbal steam rooms.

Other activities available on the island include scuba diving with a number of companies offering very reasonably priced training courses and excursions, snorkelling, especially off the Mae Haad sandbar in the north west, wakeboarding, archery, fishing, walks in the national park or simply relaxing in the company of other farangs or the friendly locals.

The Property market on Koh Phangan has never been so exciting, with escalating popularity, increasing tourist figures and large scale developers seeing the potential in the island. Previously landlocked sites are being opened up with the construction of the island's extensive new concrete road network.

Over the last few years, the general rise in property value has been approximately 30% per annum, showing a massive return on often a small investment. One of the reasons for the great increase in land values, is that businesses now have the confidence in Koh Phangan to be one of Thailand's top travel destinations, another reason is it's such a fine place to live!

If you are not a Thai National and you want to buy or lease land or property, the process is very simple but before agreeing to purchase anything you should consult a legal profesional. With good advice and some specialized guidance, you will be plesently surprised how inexpensive a piece of paradise can be!