Where to stay on Koh Phangan: areas compared for groups

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For a family or a group, the calm beaches are on the west coast (Haad Yao, Haad Salad) and at Thong Nai Pan in the east, and Chaloklum in the north keeps a quieter, family-oriented pace. Haad Rin and Ban Tai are the party side of the island, and Thong Sala is the main ferry port and the place for supplies. The table below compares the five areas; the sections after it give the detail and a short “which area suits whom” summary.

The five areas at a glance

Songthaew drivers ask 200 to 300 baht per person, and a drivers’ cartel tries to fix 200 baht a ride, according to Wikivoyage. The fares in the table are what the same page says a ride should cost from the taxi station at the Thong Sala roundabout, 300 m from the pier: per person, undated in the source, read on 4 October 2026. Sawa Discovery says prices on standard routes are fixed in advance, so treat the figures as a guide and agree the fare before you set off.

Wikivoyage writes the Thong Nai Pan fare as a plain 250 baht; every other fare in the same paragraph is per person.

Thong Sala and Ban Tai

Thong Sala is the island’s “capital” and main ferry port, and the practical base for supplies: Wikivoyage lists the biggest supermarket on the island here, and the evening night market sells meals from 40 baht. Outside Thong Sala, most roads have no sidewalk. For a swim, Ao Nai Wok is the first bay to the north of Thong Sala, a 7-minute walk, with a long white sandbar and conditions suited to sailing, windsurfing and kayaking.

Ban Tai faces Koh Samui and has the longest stretch of uninterrupted beach on the island. Together with Haad Rin it is also the biggest party scene, and Sawa Discovery adds that Half Moon Parties are held in the jungle of Ban Tai. It recommends Haad Rin or Ban Tai to anyone coming for the Full Moon, so a group that wants quiet nights should look elsewhere. Neighbouring Ban Kai, between Ban Tai and Haad Rin, has quite dirty sea and very mountainous terrain.

Srithanu and the west coast

Srithanu is a volcanic peninsula south of Haad Son and Haad Yao. Sawa Discovery calls Srithanu and Haad Yao the epicentre of yoga and wellbeing, with most centres in Srithanu. Along this coast, Wikivoyage describes a string of quiet bays with white beaches “but no surf whatsoever”.

Beaches and swimming

• Haad Chao Phao: a small, quiet beach with beach bars and restaurants for dinner while the sun sets.
• Haad Son: a bay with a beach, north of the Srithanu peninsula.
• Haad Yao: a long white sandy beach, slightly more developed, with more beach bars, a 7-Eleven, ATMs and restaurants, and snorkelling further from the beach.
• Haad Salad: a cove on the northwest corner of the island with several high-end resorts. Sawa Discovery describes a coral reef for snorkelling and calls the beach very popular with families.
• Mae Haad: a wide beach joined to Koh Ma by a sand spit, with a small village and some of the best snorkelling on the island.

The two sources disagree on timing for Koh Ma. Wikivoyage advises getting in and out of the water at high tide, because crossing the dead reef as the tide recedes can be difficult and painful. Sawa Discovery recommends low tide in the early morning, before the tour boats arrive. Check the tide table and ask locally before you go.

Sunset and distance

TAT points sunset lovers to Haad Yao and Haad Salad. From the main pier, Haad Chao Phao is around 15 minutes by taxi and 20 minutes by motorbike. North of Haad Yao, the roads need care.

Chaloklum and the north

Chaloklum is a fishing village at the northern tip of the island, with a picturesque beach in a long sandy bay. It is not touristy, because few boats make the trip, and the western part of the bay has some of the most beautiful water around the island. Sawa Discovery says the village keeps a family-oriented pace. There is a 7-Eleven and a row of street stalls.

Further out, the beaches are quieter and less equipped:

• Haad Khom: a 20-minute walk east of Chaloklum on a steep concrete road, or a few minutes by vehicle. A quiet beach with around five places to stay and some of the best snorkelling on the island; the water is very shallow at low tide.
• Bottle Beach: reached by longtail boat from Chaloklum (150 baht per person) or on foot. There are no ATMs, 7-Elevens or local restaurants, and the roads to it are the worst on the island.

A songthaew from Thong Sala to Chaloklum should cost around 100 baht per person.

Thong Nai Pan and the east

Thong Nai Pan is two bays on the northeast coast, Thong Nai Pan Yai (the bigger one) and Thong Nai Pan Noi. The area caters to families with children, with safe swimming all year except during the November monsoon, which normally ends around the middle of December. Sawa Discovery says the winding roads have kept Thong Nai Pan and Bottle Beach virtually untouched, and that the remoteness keeps the bays calm even in high season.

The trade-off is access. The road to the Thong Nai Pan beaches is in bad condition, and Sawa Discovery warns of very steep grades that are slippery in rain, recommending a jeep or songthaew rather than a scooter. At about 250 baht, the songthaew fare is the highest of the five areas in the table.

Haad Rin and the south

Haad Rin is the most touristy and crowded village on the island, with every service a traveller needs, and the Full Moon Party is held here. Sawa Discovery describes its two beaches, Sunrise and Sunset, and lists Half Moon, Black Moon and other themed nights through the month. It gives the Full Moon Party entry fee as 100 baht, used to clean the beach afterwards.

What this means for a group:

• Noise: the Full Moon Party takes place once a month. The coming dates are in the table further down this page.
• Booking: the sources differ. Sawa Discovery says accommodation in Haad Rin fills up 1 to 2 months before the party; Wikivoyage says decent rooms run out a few days before it and throughout the peak season (December to February).
• Police checkpoints: Wikivoyage reports frequent police checkpoints between Thong Sala and Haad Rin, particularly in the week before the party.
• Getting home: Sawa Discovery advises a songthaew rather than a scooter after the party, and Wikivoyage says to arrange reliable transport beforehand.
• Swimming: Haad Rin is one of the few beaches where swimming is possible in the dry season.
• Sunset side: to stay close to the action, but not too close, Wikivoyage suggests the resorts on the “sunset side” of Haad Rin.

Haad Yuan, on the southeast corner, is a hop away from Haad Rin for those who want to get away from the party crowd. Rooms there and at Haad Tien can be hard to book in advance, because both beaches are less accessible. A songthaew from Thong Sala to Haad Rin should cost around 150 baht per person.

Which area suits whom

• Families: Haad Salad, Haad Yao and Thong Nai Pan. Check the road conditions for Thong Nai Pan.
• Groups that want lively evenings: Haad Rin or Ban Tai, with transport arranged in advance.
• Groups that want quiet nights: the west coast, Chaloklum or Thong Nai Pan, and a stay away from the south on Full Moon nights. Sawa Discovery’s short version: for quiet, aim for the west or east.
• Wellness trips: Srithanu.
• Easy supplies and a short transfer from the pier: Thong Sala, Ban Tai or the nearer west coast bays.
• Snorkelling: Mae Haad and Koh Ma, and Haad Khom in the north.

Sawa Discovery places most lodges and upscale villas in Thong Nai Pan Noi and a few isolated spots, and finds boutique hotels and resorts, often with a pool, on the west coast (Haad Yao, Haad Salad, Mae Haad) and at Thong Nai Pan. Compare villas by area in the catalogue below, or start with our shortlist of villas for groups of 8 or more.

Getting around with a group

A scooter is almost the only way to get around, and small 4WD vehicles can be rented for the price of two scooters. Scooter rental is advertised at 250 baht per day and can be bargained to 200 baht for longer rentals; Sawa Discovery says to expect 200 baht. For families and groups, Sawa Discovery suggests a car, preferably a jeep for the small winding roads, at 800 to 2,000 baht per day.

Songthaew fares are per person, not per trip, so for a group of 8 or more they add up quickly on longer routes. Walk the 300 m from the pier to the roundabout in Thong Sala and agree the price before you set off.

Ferries from Koh Samui land at Thong Sala, and Sawa Discovery names Lomprayah, Seatran and Raja Ferry among the operators; for the Full Moon you can also sail directly to Haad Rin. Fares and times differ by operator, pier and boat, so check the operators’ own timetables. Around the Full Moon, Wikivoyage advises booking ferries ahead, because they fill up quickly.

How we checked

We compared area descriptions, road notes and songthaew fares in Wikivoyage, Sawa Discovery and a TAT article published in July 2017, all read on 4 October 2026; the Full Moon dates come from the table below, which lists its own sources. The sources give no distances in kilometres, no sunrise or sunset side for the north and east, and no count of private pool villas or their group capacity, and prices change, so check fares and availability before you book.

Full Moon Party dates

Upcoming party nights on Haad Rin. Past dates are removed each time the site is rebuilt.

Party night	Event	Status	Full moon (Thai time)
Fri, 22 January 2027	Full Moon Party	Provisional	22 Jan, 19:17
Mon, 22 February 20271	Full Moon Party	Provisional	21 Feb, 06:23
Mon, 22 March 2027	Full Moon Party	Provisional	22 Mar, 17:44
Wed, 21 April 2027	Full Moon Party	Provisional	21 Apr, 05:27
Fri, 21 May 20272	Full Moon Party	Provisional	20 May, 17:59
Sat, 19 June 2027	Full Moon Party	Provisional	19 Jun, 07:44
Tue, 20 July 20273	Full Moon Party	Provisional	18 Jul, 22:45
Tue, 17 August 2027	Full Moon Party	Provisional	17 Aug, 14:29
Wed, 15 September 20274	Full Moon Party	Provisional	16 Sept, 06:03
Sat, 16 October 20275	Full Moon Party	Provisional	15 Oct, 20:47
Sat, 13 November 20276	Full Moon Party	Provisional	14 Nov, 10:26
Mon, 13 December 2027	Full Moon Party	Provisional	13 Dec, 23:09
Fri, 31 December 20277	Countdown Party (New Year)	Provisional	-

Provisional: the source has not confirmed the date yet. Check it again before booking.

Notes

1. Full moon day 21 Feb is Makha Bucha (public holiday, substitute day off 22 Feb). The party is listed for the next night.
2. Full moon day 20 May is Wisakha Bucha (public holiday). The party is listed for the next night.
3. Full moon day 18 Jul is Asarnha Bucha; 19 Jul is listed as the Asarnha Bucha Day holiday (CalendarLabs). The party is listed for 20 Jul; no reason given. Recheck in 2027.
4. Astronomical full moon is at 06:03 Thai time on 16 Sep, as the listed party night ends.
5. Astronomical full moon is 15 Oct (20:47 ICT). The source lists the next night and gives no reason.
6. Astronomical full moon is on 14 Nov (Sunday). The source lists the night before and gives no reason.
7. New Year countdown party on Haad Rin. Not a full moon night.

Sources: thaiest.com (party dates), aa.usno.navy.mil (full moon times). As of 4 October 2026.