Ko Pha Ngan
Where to lay your head
Where to lay your head
Ko Pha Ngan is a big island with plenty of beaches – so please use these links to jump down through the list. We commence at Thong Sala and go around the island counter clockwise, heading along the south coast beaches of Ao Thong Sala, Baan Tai and Baan Kai. Followed by Haad Rin sunset side, off beach and sunrise side (where the Full Moon Party is) with Haad Saikantang rounding out the southern beaches.
Heading up the east coast, we have Haad Yuan, Haad Thian, Haad Why Nam, Than Sadet, Thong Nai Pan Yai and Thong Nai Pan Noi.
Over the north coast, we have Bottle Beach, Haad Khom and Chaloklum, then we take a left at Mae Haad and head down the west coast.
The west starts with Haad Salad, then Haad Khruad, Haad Thian, Haad Yao, Ao Chaophao, Ao Seethanu, Ao Hinkhong, Ao Plaay Laem and Ao Nai Wok and there we go – back at Thong Sala.
Ko Pha Ngan's Full Moon Party is one of the most popular regular party events in Thailand, with the big parties attracting tens of thousands of party-goers. As such, rooms, especially good ones, can get as scarce – here's a primer to keep you in the race for a good bed. Most importantly, unless the party is tonight and you're on the ferry to the island right now, you'll probably find a room,... Read our full review of Should I book for the full moon party?.
If there is one thing that Ko Pha Ngan absolutely has a great supply of, it is of great, yet affordable places to stay, and here is our selection of a dozen great budget places to stay on Ko Pha Ngan. These are scattered all the way around the island, so you should be able to find something that suits your needs regardless of where on the island you're headed. All of the following have some... Read our full review of The best budget accommodation on Ko Pha Ngan.
When it comes to picking the right place for a family holiday on Ko Pha Ngan, don't make the mistake of thinking your only option is some fancy-pants expensive resort, as the island has some great – and affordable – family options. Aiming for more memorable, maybe a little rustic and definitely less cookie-cutter, here are our top picks for family-friendly resorts and guesthouses on Ko Pha... Read our full review of The best family accommodation on Ko Pha Ngan.
Ko Pha Ngan’s main port town has a clutch of dirt-cheap hostels along with a few guesthouses, making it an affordable place to base yourself while taking day trips around the island.
While you don’t get to gaze at islands from the balconies at Phangan Island View, the spotless and comfortable rooms do come with views of a central swimming pool within walking distance of Thong Sala town and the beach. Set in a pair of white two-storey concrete buildings with dark-wood trim on either side of the long pool, the rooms are spacious and equipped with comfy beds, desks, TVs,... Read our full review of Phangan Island View Hotel.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Su Casa runs a small guesthouse on Old Chinese Street and a smaller hostel on the main road running inland from a roundabout near the ferry piers. Both are good options for budget travellers needing (or wanting) to spend a night in the centre of Thong Sala town. The guesthouse occupies a three-storey concrete shophouse-style building painted bright blue and yellow – perhaps for a splash of... Read our full review of Su Casa.
Vagabond Hostel attracts eclectic characters to a location within a five-minute stroll of downtown Thong Sala and the same-named beach. With stickers, maps, party posters, guitars, photos of real live vagabonds, a good sound system pumping punk rock and a few cushioned chairs, the little lobby feels like an underground Indie record shop. Guests gather at a few tables set out front or in the... Read our full review of Vagabond.
The district capital has an underrated beach running east behind the main road towards Baan Tai. Backed by the main south-coast road, it’s a convenient location with good views to Ko Samui. Like the rest of the south coast, the water is often very shallow for a long way off shore. A few kite- and wind-surfing outfits soar over the bay for much of the year
You know that Lime n Soda is doing something different as soon as you arrive through a long tunnel of bamboo trees. The small resort offers clean concrete bungalows – all painted white with green stripes – that are suitable for backpackers who want to get a little more out of a resort than a dirt-cheap hut and nonexistent staff. Some bungalows have a circular design while others are in a... Read our full review of Lime n Soda Beachfront Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Towards the west end of Ao Thong Sala, Sabaii Bay has a wide selection of rooms that will suit backpackers looking for a touch of luxury, as well as older travellers and families after an affordable beach holiday. Though the seaside property is quite large, Sabaii Bay has the look and vibe of a smaller family-run resort. The cheapest options are fan-cooled bungalows with concrete walls that... Read our full review of Sabaii Bay Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
The Blue Parrot is a small British/Thai-run resort with good-value air-con rooms and a mature atmosphere. Accommodation comes in two rows of concrete buildings, either in grey-brushed concrete or painted amber. Fronted by terraces with bamboo chairs and tables, sliding glass doors face a central sandy area – a handful of flowering trees look good but don’t quite provide privacy, so... Read our full review of The Blue Parrot.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
The Goodtime Adventure crew from Ko Tao began sharing management of the long-running Charm Beach Resort in 2016, creating dorm rooms out of spacious beachside bungalows. It still has the charm of the old Charm Resort, with an influx of fresh energy from the well-regarded folks at Goodtime. They held on to most of what made the place popular many years ago, keeping the old “Charm Beach”... Read our full review of Goodtime Beach Backpackers at Charm Beach.
Extending over much of Pha Ngan’s south coast, Baan Tai Beach is named after a village of the same name. You’ll find plenty of choice, from dirt-cheap dorms and rustic bungalows to flash beach villas. The area hosts a bunch of restaurants and has a far less cramped feel than Haad Rin. While the beach isn’t spectacular, the late-day views are sublime.
After seeing Infinity Beach Club’s enormous swimming pool along with the beachfront location, multiple bars and fancy style, we were shocked to learn that it’s a hostel with 200-baht dorms and not a single private room. On an island with a bunch of cool hostels, this one might be the coolest. Opened in late 2015, Infinity brings a slick urban design to a beach that has long been dominated... Read our full review of Infinity Beach Club.
( Read more on Booking.com )
French-managed Le Divine Comedie combines an art-deco design with plush rooms and a beachfront pool and bar in the centre of Baan Tai village. Surrounded by wooden houses on a narrow lane, the resort’s mint-green concrete building with rounded corners and a Bombay Sapphire sign looks like it was plucked out of Miami, but somehow it blends in. A cheerful multilingual staffer led us into the... Read our full review of Le Divine Comedie.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Flashpackers and families seeking a non-pretentious beach resort with all sorts of activities will fit in well at Milky Bay. Set towards the western side of Ao Baan Tai on the way to Thong Sala, Milky Bay greets you with towering bamboo forming a tunnel over the gravel lane to reception. Bamboo appears throughout the shaded grounds, which feel relaxing and spacious despite the many different... Read our full review of Milky Bay Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Just when you think the hostels on Ko Pha Ngan’s south coast couldn’t get any more elaborate, Blue Dream hits with a bunch of sports facilities that includes a synthetic-turf soccer pitch where you can play seven-on-seven after downing buckets and beers at the poolside bar. Blue Dream looks more like an entertainment complex than a hostel as you cruise by along the main road from Thong... Read our full review of Blue Dream Hostel.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
The first resort found on Baan Tai Beach if coming from Thong Sala, First Villa is a family-run spot with good-value air-con rooms, a swimming pool and one of the spunkiest managers on the island. The seafront directly in front of the resort consists of a rocky break wall, but it takes very little effort to step down to the sand that stretches for miles to the east. The priciest freestanding... Read our full review of First Villa.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Blink and you’ll miss Mayom Garden while cruising east from Baan Tai towards Baan Kai and Haad Rin. Those who are lucky enough to notice it will find five cheap and beautiful bungalows set around a small pond behind a cafe serving great coffee and homemade breakfasts. A smooth wood footbridge leads back from the cafe before circling around past the stilted bungalows, all made of dark wood... Read our full review of Mayom Garden.
( Read more on Booking.com )
While other hostels try to lure guests with pools, beachfront locations and sports facilities, The Nomad House specialises in good old-fashioned hospitality and a fun social scene. Set along the main road near the larger Blue Dream Hostel, The Nomad House is run by an eclectic crew of Westerners and their adopted dog, who was getting a bath when we passed through. The ground floor has high... Read our full review of The Nomad House.
Many of the huts at Mac Backpackers are barely visible thanks to all of the flowering bushes streaming over the green metal roofs and porches with hammocks. Mac’s “cheapest price bungalows” have been around for decades, and they still do the trick for budget travellers who like their privacy. The bungalows are set in two rows facing one another across a narrow lawn lined by an... Read our full review of Mac Backpackers and Mac Bay Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Two Rocks has a small collection of blue wood and concrete bungalows peppered around a sandy seaside property with lots of hammocks strung to broad umbrella trees. Small and well-worn wood bungalows come with with metal roofs, mosquito nets draped over hard beds, a few windows, ceiling mounted fans and bucket-flush toilets in drippy bathrooms with hot-water showers. Concrete bungalows come... Read our full review of Two Rocks Bungalows.
Moving further east along Pha Ngan’s south coast, sedate Ao Baan Kai shifts the vibe down into an even lower key than neighbouring Ao Baan Tai. A creek running just east of Mac Bay Resort marks the border between beaches, but there’s little to differentiate one beach from the other in this area, which is filled with cheap and laid-back bungalow joints. Head further east and the road cuts uphill, with side lanes leading down to secluded patches of sand.
A winding dirt lane rambles to Golden Beach Resort, one of our top picks out of the many small, family-run bungalow spots that dot the south coast. Set on an almost-private stretch of sand towards the east end of Baan Kai Beach, this 30-year-old resort has stayed true to the laid-back and backpacker-friendly vibe that first put Ko Pha Ngan on the travel map back in the 1980s. ###6313 The... Read our full review of Golden Beach Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
An older Thai man with white hair and a calm disposition made us want to stick around at Green Peace – and the well-kept bungalows facing the sea are good choices for a quiet night’s sleep in a strategic location. In some ways Green Peace lacks the character of neighbouring Golden Beach, with straightforward white concrete bungalows set close together in a couple of rows and very few... Read our full review of Green Peace Bungalows.
An extremely steep concrete driveway cuts downhill to Silvermoon’s cluster of beach bungalows and rooms in a larger brushed concrete building, all of which were revamped in 2015. The little resort looks a bit unkempt when approaching from the road, with a broken-down military truck collecting leaves and old mattresses lying half exposed in a shack. Keep going down and you’ll find that the... Read our full review of Silvermoon Beach & Jungle Resort.
( Read more on Booking.com )
Most of the cheap bungalows at Coach are located right on a stretch of sand lined by coconut and umbrella trees, making this a great old-school option if you’re looking to forget the world for a while. The bungalows are old but solid for the price, made from either wood or bamboo or concrete – or a mix of all three – with faded metal roofs. Hard beds are raised off the floors and draped... Read our full review of Coach Bungalows.
While the area closest to Haad Rin is over-built, grotty and has lost much of its beach, the further west you go the better it gets and you'll find a few good backpacker hideaways along with an excellent resort.
Perched on and sprawling along the hillside above Haad Rin's sunset side, Suncliff remains one of the best deals in the area for travellers looking for air-con, pool, restaurant, WiFi and tremendous views with a sometimes generous dose of rustic. No two rooms are the same here, but broadly speaking they fall into two main categories – their cheapest rooms, which are in the building that... Read our full review of Suncliff Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
If you're looking for a more swanky bed, but don't really want traditional hotel style, consider The Coast – we like it a lot. Opened in late 2012, the Coast is easily the most upmarket spot on Haad Rin's sunset beach, so if you're looking for a modern finished resort with a horizon pool just designed for sunsets, a wet bar, a great restaurant, and outstanding staff, then this is the place... Read our full review of The Coast.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Family run and family friendly, if you're travelling with kids and don't mind the lack of a swimming pool, the absolute beachfront location with a pleasant patch of lawn and palm-lined beach makes this a good option for those looking for solid bungalows. The blue-roofed cream coloured and marble faced bungalows are spacious and clean with firm beds and cold (though noisy) air-con. The decor... Read our full review of Blue Marine Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Sprawling Neptune's Villa was one of the places we stayed in on our very first trip to Ko Pha Ngan in the early 1990s and, well, it has changed quite a bit. Stretching from beachside to the road and then running back from the road, Neptune's offers a wide variety of rooms from simply furnished upstairs and downstairs rooms towards the beach and hotel style lodgings overlooking the pool on the far... Read our full review of Neptunes Villa.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Towards the far (northwestern) end of Haad Rin Nai, Sun Beach is the first of a cluster of three traveller-orientated places that offer very affordable fan-cooled and air-con bungalows in a sleepy beachside setting. Sun Beach is the first of the three, closely followed by Starlight Resort and then Bird Bungalows, and is the best kept, home to a well tended lawn garden with palm trees for... Read our full review of Sun Beach Bungalow.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
A bit of a backpacker factory, Coral Bungalow claims to be famous for a regular pool party they have, but going on the size of the pool and the photos of the number of people in it, we strongly suggest not drinking the water if you take a dip. Located beachside on Haad Rin Nai, Coral offers densely packed upstairs downstairs style air-con and fan-cooled rooms, some of which have some ocean... Read our full review of Coral Bungalows.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
This area is crowded with restaurants, cafes, bars and a few places to stay and will really only appeal to those wanting to stay very close to the party. Accommodation includes a bunch of interchangeable hostels that cater to the Full Moon crowd but are often closed outside of then.
Purple and yellow Delight Resort just looks like a typical Haad Rin restaurant from the street, but it has some very decent rooms hidden away inside with a swimming pool to further sweeten a deal that yes, you could almost describe as a delight. Rooms are simple but clean. Firm beds, white linen and towels (not a towel swan in sight), minibar and safe are all standard, as is air-con and... Read our full review of Delight Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Moon Paradise is set on the rise above Haad Rin and just before it tumbles down to Haad Saikantang on the far side. As such it offers the best of both worlds, relatively easy walking access to Ko Pha Ngan's most famous party beach and one of its most beautiful beaches. We were shown what they call a deluxe bungalow, in the hillside garden above the restaurant, and while you're still very... Read our full review of Moon Paradise Resort.
Set pretty much in the centre of Haad Rin village, Nap Inn offers smart and functional rooms in a modern multi-storey building at a reasonable pricepoint for the standard. There's no swimming pool, you'll need to head elsewhere for that (we suggest the ocean), but there is a rooftop astroturfed lounge-around area, which includes a Jacuzzi, gym and a couple of bright purple deckchairs. Yes... Read our full review of Nap Inn.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
The centre of all Full Moon Party activity. Generally the places at the northern end of the beach are quieter, while the closer you get to Paradise Club, the louder it becomes. Despite the party, Haad Rin remains one of Ko Pha Ngan's most beautiful beaches.
From the beach, Palita Lodge looks far more backpacker style than it really is, with some very smart rooms and a great swimming pool running back from the beach. The grounds are shady and cool, offering a respite from the heat and the low key backpackery restaurant lets you squelch your feet in the sand while you have breakfast. The vast majority of the rooms here are off the beach, running a... Read our full review of Palita Lodge.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
For families looking for creature comforts on Haad Rin, but wanting direct beach access, the very long-running Phangan Bayshore Resort is difficult to beat. Fronting directly onto a great slice of Haad Rin Beach, the resort offers comfortable bungalows towards the rear of the resort's grounds and two multistorey hotel wings, running down both sides of the generously-sized swimming pool, towards... Read our full review of Phangan Bay Shore Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
If you're looking for flashpacker digs beachside on Haad Rin and are comfortable with a more backpacker style of standards, then look no further than Seaview Sunrise. Set at the far northern end of Haad Rin Beach, as far away from the party as you can be without climbing onto the rocks, Seaview offers very well priced absolute beachfront bungalows set under a row of swinging palms.... Read our full review of Seaview Sunrise.
A peaceful and beautiful alternative to Haad Rin, this is a good place to avoid the worst crowds while having easy access to services and night life.
The largest of the resorts on Haad Saikantang, Cocohut takes up a good length of the beachfront with rooms, the large restaurant, a beach bar and, to the far west, a spa and massage centre lining the beach. The swimming pool is more of a focal point of the resort that at neighbouring Sarikantang, with the beachfront pool backing onto water features and then a row of the premium private splash... Read our full review of Cocohut Beach Resort and Spa.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
First impressions count and the bubbly receptionist who showed us around here couldn't have been more friendly – an excellent introduction to what is a very solid midrange option on Haad Sarikantang. The older rooms are to the east of reception running down towards the beach and a somewhat uninspired freeform pool, while newer rooms are in a hotel-style building to the west, some of which... Read our full review of Sarikantang Resort and Spa.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
This is a long sweeping beach that is just a short boat-trip from Haad Rin. Accommodation is backpacker through to mid-range and just one place has a swimming pool.
Sprawling across the southern end of Haad Yuan, Barcelona Resort offers a range of fan-cooled bungalows, some with terrific views, snaking across the hillside. The bungalows are brightly coloured with decks with plastic chairs (not all have hammocks though) and clean but spartan interiors. Beds have just a base sheet and a sheet to throw over and have a mosquito net draped overhead. Rooms are... Read our full review of Barcelona Resort.
At the northern end of Haad Yuan you'll see a wonky wooden walkway snaking around the edge of the boulders then carved steps climbing up and over the stone to Bamboo Hut's large well placed multi-tier restaurant and jungle bungalows. While the restaurant enjoys arguably the best views over Haad Yuan, the fan-cooled bungalows are mostly in the woods behind it and have no view to speak of.... Read our full review of Bamboo Hut.
Set towards the northern end of Haad Yuan towards, but not on, the bouldered headland, and overlooking some excellent beachfront, Big Blue delivers clean and reasonable comfortable fan-cooled bungalows at flashpacker rates. Long running and friendly, with a couple of rows of sun recliners and a volleyball net, Big Blue does a far better job of capturing the full, sociable vibe of a beach club... Read our full review of Big Blue Bungalow and Restaurant.
If you're looking for flash lodging right on the beach at Haad Yuan, Pariya is pretty much the only show in town with smart rooms and a beachside swimming pool. Pariya's large and octagonal rooms with clean white painted walls and simple but minimal modern decor and inviting beds run up the wooded hillside from the beach offering, in some cases, terrific views over the ocean. We say sometimes... Read our full review of Pariya Haad Yuan.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Ko Pha Ngan's hippy-chic beach attracts people more for the activities and scene than the sand out front. The beach is small and not one of the island's best, but the swimming is good with an offshore pontoon to relax on.
Set back off the beach, inland at the northern end of Haad Thian and yet still only a short walk to both the beach here and Why Nam beach beach over the hill, Beam Bungalows delivers on a great feeling of jungle living. The mixed-size bungalows sprawl from a frangipani-lined path around and past the restaurant into the trees. They vary from small wood and rattan 400 baht versions up to more... Read our full review of Beam Bungalows.
If there was one place on Ko Pha Ngan that summed up the hippy chic of the island, The Sanctuary on Haad Thian on the east coast of the island, would be it. The Sanctuary is part resort, part spa and part detox centre but it is probably best known for its outstanding beachside restaurant. Nestled into the southern end of Haad Thian, with accommodation both scattered across the hillside and... Read our full review of The Sanctuary.
Family Bungalows are often overlooked due to their tucked-away location set back behind Sanctuary and the Wellness Centre, but, for the area, they're a good deal for those on a budget. You'll find them set down a path through the back of The Sanctuary with only a small faded sign announcing their existence. The reception is part of their shop, which offers the basics and is where the family hangs... Read our full review of Family Bungalows.
Why Nam? Why not! A classic beach hideaway home to a single good resort. A beautiful, small beach.
Why Nam is the only setup on this peaceful little cove, and is possibly the most tranquil spot on all of Ko Pha Ngan — an ideal cluster of simple bungalows along the southern side of the beautiful bay. The sand is a little coarse and the sea floor rocky, but the swimming is great — even at low tide — and the tranquility makes Why Nam well worth checking out, especially for those looking... Read our full review of Why Nam Hut.
A gleaming off-white beach with a mix of backpacker focussed accommodation. Very little shade to speak of, though plenty of cheap spots to stay. Now that the road has improved greatly it is much easier to reach.
Mai Pen Rai Bungalows really lives up to its name with a laid back, uber relaxed vibe along with the best beachside setting on Than Sadet. Long-running, Mai Pen Rai's bungalows are scattered all over the place – beach bums will love the beachfront rooms that run alongside the restaurant, while those sitting limpet like along the rocky northern headland below Plaa's Restaurant will appeal to... Read our full review of Mai Pen Rai Bungalows.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
A lovely sweeping beach with very good flashpacker to mid-range accommodation along its entire length. A classic Ko Pha Ngan destination. Very popular with families.
Set at the northern end of Thong Nai Pan Yai, right before the rocky headland, Candle Hut Resort is a solid flashpacker option with over-sized bungalows on spacious lawn grounds. We preferred the wooden bungalows with sliding glass doors to the more luxurious concrete ones, but all the fare here is of a pretty good standard and very generously sized. Balconies have chairs and a hammock on the... Read our full review of Candle Hut Resort.
Set up by Australian Kim and Thai Giet many years ago, Dolphin was once the place to stay on Thong Nai Pan Yai with a very cool vibe and excellent hosts. Sadly however, they lost control of Dolphin some years ago, and while the current incarnation is still good, it isn't as great as it once was. Rooms come in three main styles – older fan-cooled wooden bungalows and two types of larger,... Read our full review of Dolphin.
Longtail Beach Resort is the southernmost spot to stay on Thong Nai Pan Yai and with solid bungalows, friendly staff and spacious leafy grounds, it is worth the walk. The bungalows come in both fan-cooled and air-con flavours and are quite spacious, with generously sized decks already slung with hammocks and mosquito-net shrouded beds within. Bathrooms are clean and well looked after, nearly... Read our full review of Longtail Beach Resort.
If you're looking for hotel-style accommodation on Thong Nai Pan Yai, Havana is arguably the best bet with smart oversized rooms in a series of multi-storey blocks running back from the beach. Despite the relatively narrow beach frontage, Havana packs in the rooms with their two-storey blocks set behind the medium-sized freeform swimming pool and the beachfront restaurant. Wood-floored rooms are... Read our full review of Havana Beach Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Ping Chan went through a complete redevelopment in 2015, bulldozing the old budget huts and replacing them with quite swanky large bungalows making it the most upmarket option on Thong Nai Pan Yai proper. Considerable effort has gone into the rooms and the beachfront option we took a look through was a very smart affair. A large deck (no hammock unfortunately) overlooks the beach and the bed... Read our full review of Ping Chan Koh Pha Ngan Beach Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
The name Nice Beach Resort may be unimaginative, but the beach here is indeed nice and the resort sits midway along its length, between the centre and southern end of Thong Nai Pan Yai. Reception is to your right as you walk in off the beach, overlooking the quite smart freeform swimming pool and offers a mix of old budget bungalows and newer mid-range rooms. While there are a couple of smart... Read our full review of Nice Beach Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
Towards the centre of Thong Nai Pan Yai, Starlight offers three kinds of rooms – somewhat musty and aged bungalows and smarter newer rooms in a two level motel-style building, but the real selling point is the well positioned swimming pool. As with nearby Nice, Starlight's bungalows here have certainly seen better days and we'd say if you're looking for a bungalow stay elsewhere, but the... Read our full review of Starlight Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
One of Ko Pha Ngan's best. Also decidedly upmarket with nothing cheap left facing onto the beach. Still, a stunning stretch of sand and turquoise water offshore makes for a great excursion if you can't afford to stay here.
Until Thong Nai Pan Noi went all fancy pants, Panviman Resort Koh Phangan, set on the rocky headland that separates the two bays which together form Thong Nai Pan, was easily the flashiest digs in town and while that's no longer the case, it still offers luxurious lodgings across a sprawling property. Sprawling over the boulder scattered, jungly headland, the 20+ year old resort is... Read our full review of Panviman Resort Koh Phangan.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Thong Nai Pan Noi isn't any great shakes when it comes to budget bungalows, but if you don't mind being off the beach, the very friendly Sandee Bungalow fits the bill. As you walk into Thong Nai Pan village you'll reach a point where the road splits, continuing straight to the beach and Buri Rasa and turning left to Anantara – Sandee is on this junction, just look for the reception in a two... Read our full review of Sandee Bungalow.
( Read more on Booking.com )
One of the most beautiful and quiet beaches on Ko Pha Ngan, with dramatic rocky hills behind a sweep of glowing white sand. Home to some very chilled backpacker options, and even as a day trip, a serene place to relax.
Bottle Beach I is like Bottle Beach II for grown-ups – it offers smart bungalows, a great swimming pool and a comfortable, good restaurant – you do pay for these pleasures though and it is significantly more expensive here. While they have a range of rooms available, the best of the bunch are the beachfront, wooden, fan-cooled rooms that are set in a row right by the beach under shady... Read our full review of Bottle Beach 1 Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
If you're on a budget and don't mind living simple, eastern most Bottle Beach II is where you want to head on Bottle Beach. It has long been the most rustic of the places to stay on Bottle Beach, so much so it seems almost like they build bungalows in a fallover style by design, but they're slowly rotating in a more modern style that will appeal to flashpackers and families while still... Read our full review of Bottle Beach II.
( Read more on Booking.com )
Haad Khom has a mix of places from decent to dire and electricity is only provided dusk to dawn. The snorkelling here is reasonable (for Ko Pha Ngan) making it a popular stop for boat trips.
If you're a travelling family looking for a great place to stay on a secluded beach, you need look no further than Ocean View Bungalows. The larger family-orientated rooms here are unlike anything we have seen elsewhere on Ko Pha Ngan, with plenty of space, large sweeping decks and very clean and well maintained interiors. The standout (to us) was a split level beach villa that offered a... Read our full review of Ocean View Beach Resort.
Set at the eastern end of Haad Khom, Coconut Beach's highlight is the restaurant overlooking the beach. They have two main kinds on bungalows on offer – very old and battered wooden huts and slightly newer and in better shape concrete limegreen bungalows. All run up the hill and back from the restaurant, but most don't have much of a view. The wooden huts are the cheapest you'll find on... Read our full review of Coconut Beach Bungalows.
Chaloklum's beach can be muddy at low tide and is partly sheltered due to the offshore retaining wall that was built to protect some of the fishing boats. This is a very quiet area and the resorts tend towards being quite spacious. The centre of the bay has a pier for the fishing fleet and this is also where you'll find many of the best eating options.
Set overlooking the water at the centre of Chaloklum village and roughly modelled on a traditional trader's house, Mandalai offers easily the smartest rooms on Chaloklum, providing a comfortable respite from typical island bungalows. Smart and comfortable rooms are arranged across both floors of the U-shaped building, with a small swimming pool at the centre and the beachfront rooms facing... Read our full review of Mandalai.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
Malibu's primary selling point is the gorgeous white sand beach where the resort restaurant sits a short walk over a bridge from all the bungalows – even if you're not staying here, make the time to come and hangout at the beach bar and restaurant. The resort describes the beach as being a private beach on an island, but it is more just cut off from the rest of Ko Pha Ngan by a tidal... Read our full review of Malibu Beach.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Chaloklum's beach road ends at North Beach, a classic-style beach bungalow operation with old, run down, but not unreasonably priced wooden bungalows. With a restaurant sitting by the end of the road, the resort overlooks some of the best and least disturbed, of Chaloklum's beach. North Beach (we assume the name is referring to Chaloklum being on Ko Pha Ngan's northern coast) has a single row... Read our full review of North Beach Bungalows.
The western stretch of Mae Haad is stunning with decent snorkelling offshore, while the eastern side is not so suitable for swimming and sees a good deal of small-scale fishing from longtail boats. Offshore sits Ko Ma, accessible by a sandbar at low tide.
While it is a bit cheeky calling this place a resort, Mae Haad Beach View presents solid backpacker bungalows on a better stretch of Mae Haad's main beach. The brown (they looked freshly painted to us) rattan, wood and bamboo bungalows have deep blue edgings that are carried through to very clean and well designed (and blue) smoothly finished concrete hot water bathrooms that are a step above... Read our full review of Mae Haad Beach View Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
A very pretty, albeit quite developed, beach. Haad Salad has a broad range of guesthouse and resort options and some good snorkelling offshore — the brilliant sunsets are free. Very popular with families.
If you're looking for a spendier, more luxurious choice on Haad Salad, the friendly and well designed Green Papaya, set towards the northern end of the beach delivers the goods. Despite being around for quite a few years now (note the lush, well tended gardens), the resort remains in very good condition and we were taken aback by just how friendly the manager and staff were here. The resort... Read our full review of Green Papaya Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
At one stage in the early 90s Salad Hut had half the beach while My Way had the other half and Salad Hut was always the slightly pricier and better presented option of the two, a distinction which remains accurate today. If you're a travelling family heading to Haad Salad, Salad Hut should be right up towards the top of your short list and you'll be wanting to book early as they do not have a... Read our full review of Salad Hut.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
If we weren't so attached to My Way, Double Duke, set at the southern end of Haad Salad would be our number one pick for a budget bungalow by the beach. These are classic Ko Pha Ngan beach bungalows – a single cloth hammock slung over a wooden deck and frame on concrete posts with rattan and wooden walls and a couple of small boxy windows. The bed is a mattress on a raised platform and the... Read our full review of Double Duke.
One of the originals, My Way was the first place we ever plonked our bags down on Ko Pha Ngan and it retains a soft spot in our heart. When we used to stay here in the early 90s a bamboo beachfront hut was something like 40 (not 400!) baht and the only other place to stay was Salad Hut. Oh how times change. True to its roots, My Way remains budget focussed with two rows of bungalows running... Read our full review of My Way.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
A veritable suburb of cheap bungalows sits behind Haad Salad Villa, making it a good spot to hunt for those not fussed about being a few minutes from the sand. This is actually two properties, but as we could never get a clear answer of exactly what is going on, and as they share the same reception, we've listed it all under one. The closer beachside rooms are set behind a massage sala and... Read our full review of Haad Salad Villa.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
This small, hidden away bay is mostly rocky with a tiny stretch of sandy beach. Remote and you'll appreciate having your own transport if staying here.
If you thought Haad Thian was isolated, take the right spur off the dirt road and follow it until it takes a final steep drop and scratches out to nothing at the parking area for Haad Gruad Beach Bungalows – now this is isolated. With all the development rolling across Ko Pha Ngan, this cute and laid back family-run place has stuck to their guns delivering simple accommodation with a welcoming... Read our full review of Haad Gruad Beach Bungalow.
( Read more on Agoda.com )
This beach is one of Ko Pha Ngan's smallest and is home to just a single eponymous resort, making it lovely and secluded, but still close enough to Haad Yao if you need a little variety. The snorkelling offshore is reportedly decent.
When you walk into the reception at Haad Thian Resort, look for the photo on the door of the swaying bamboo and thatch bungalows – oh how places change over the years. While the bungalows here have grown up over the years, what was a problem then remains a problem now – the beach is quite small. Most of the resort is sheltered behind a many times cracked and resurfaced concrete and stone... Read our full review of Haad Tian Beach Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Haad Yao is a sweeping beach with bungalows all the way along its length as well as more climbing up the rocks at each end of the beach and the hillside behind. The beach maintains an upscale feel, and even the most basic bungalows can cost more here than similar places on other beaches.
There is hidden away and then there is Ling Sabai hidden away – clinging onto the cliffside around to the north of Bayview, Ling Sabai has a handful of rooms that offer some of the best cliff views of Ko Pha Ngan. Even if you are not staying here, the clifftop monkey-themed (ling means monkey in Thai) restaurant offers spectacular sunset views and is well worth wandering to to try out.... Read our full review of Ling Sabai.
You'll find Seaboard towards the southern reaches of Haad Yao where they offer some very smart, renovated midrange concrete chalets along with some older, more affordable backpacker focussed bungalows. The older huts are pretty typical fare for Ko Pha Ngan – wood faced, with small square wood-shuttered windows and a wooden deck out front with a hammock strung and waiting along with a couple... Read our full review of Seaboard.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
There is nothing ordinary about See Through Boutique Resort and while it won't be to everyone's taste, they've obviously done something right as they're often jammed and we salute them for trying something a bit different and doing a good job of it. See Through is the southern-most of three long thin blocks running from Haad Yao's main drag through to the beach. Immediately north of here is... Read our full review of See Through Boutique Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
They weren't kidding when they named this place Over Bay Resort and with bungalows ideally placed for marathon trainers you'll feel like you've walked all over the bay after a few runs up and down. Good things come to those who climb ridiculous hills isn't all that common a saying, but here deliverance comes in the form of spectacular views right, well, over the bay. Views are better the... Read our full review of Haad Yao Over Bay Resort.
Named after a planet in Episode 220 of 'Star Trek - The Next Generation' (yes, seriously!) Shiralea markets itself as a backpacker resort and that is pretty much exactly what it is. While it lacks a beach of its own, there is a swimming pool and if you want a beach you can cut through the monstrous Bayview Resort and you're on the sand at the northern end of Haad Yao in just a few minutes.... Read our full review of Shiralea Backpackers Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Silver Beach is one of a clutch of three places in a narrow block that runs from the beachfront back to the main Haad Yao road, just to the south of Long Bay, and offers simple clean, bungalow accommodation. They have a single row of bungalows, the closer to the beach ones are concrete, the ones further back concrete and wood, running back from the beach and while they have no beach views,... Read our full review of Silver Beach Bungalows.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Not as beautiful as some of Ko Pha Ngan's other beaches, Ao Chaophao is a great spot for those wanting to avoid the hordes while taking advantage of good swimming. It's relaxed atmosphere and mostly inexpensive bungalows give it a laid-back vibe that's worth a look.
In business since the late 1980s, Thai-Canadian run Seaflower Bungalows remains the pick of the bunch on Chaophao, with a range of good rooms, lovely gardens and a perfect, centre of the beach location. Seaflower offer a wide variety of rooms catering to most budgets, but it is flashpackers and families who will feel best served by their accommodation options. While we're not sure if any of... Read our full review of Seaflower Bungalows.
( Read more on Booking.com )
As the road starts to rise at the northern end of Ao Chao Phao you'll see the clearly signposted Benjamin's Hut on your left, offering modern, smart rooms running down to the beach. They finish at an equally smart polished concrete restaurant that overlooks the beach and is a good spot to relax through the midday heat. Both the restaurant and rooms are from the polished bare concrete school... Read our full review of Benjamin's Hut.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
While they'd not qualify as jungle on the National Geographic channel, the lush yet well tended gardens at Jungle Hut go a good way towards delivering a jungly by the beach feel. The gardens also deliver a dose of privacy to the cute huts that run down from the roadside reception and restaurant area down to the beach, making this a popular spot for those who like to swing in the hammock –... Read our full review of Jungle Hut.
( Read more on Booking.com )
Seethanu is broken in the middle by the boat anchorage, with the northern stretch of the bay being the more popular and developed area. The sand is very white and the sunbaking is terrific. The far northern stretch is one of Ko Pha Ngan's nudist beaches.
Phangan Cove sits towards the southern end of Sri Thanu, just before the river mouth, and offers a large variety of well-priced and originally-styled rooms to choose from, clustered around a tree-lined pathway weaving through the grounds between the beachfront restaurant and the entrance at the rear. Rooms are generally good-sized, with grey wash wall exteriors and well-maintained balconies... Read our full review of Phangan Cove Resort .
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
One of the cheapest sets of bungalows in this part of Ko Pha Ngan, Golden Rock has simple thatched roof editions on stilts set in a lawn garden at the extreme southern end of Chao Phao or northern end of Seethanu (depending on your point of view). Most of the bungalows are back off the beach a short distance, with the small wooden and stilted restaurant enjoying the best placement looking out... Read our full review of Golden Rock.
Oh-so-long-running Laem Son Bungalows sits on a great stretch of Sri Thanu beach, with glowing dusty white sand out front and calm waters beyond. You'll also see here referred to as Laem Son Resort and Laem Son 1, but the accommodation on offer is more straightforward, with three main options on hand. The cheapest are wooden bungalows in a couple of rows just to the north of the restaurant,... Read our full review of Laem Son.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Long and shallow, Ao Hinkhong is home to a couple of haunts along with some great seafood eating. This is a very quiet part of the island.
You'll find Castaway midway along Ko Pha Ngan's Hin Kong Beach, poised on the beach head looking out to sea, waiting for yet another glorious sunset to roll on through. They have just a clutch of wood and rattan-faced bungalows, each with a good sized deck, well positioned to take in the beach outlook. There's a hammock and a lazy bench on each deck where you can relax while the palm frond... Read our full review of Castaway Beach Bungalows.
( Read more on Booking.com )
Ao Plaay Laem has a few piles of boulders around, but its mostly just sand and clear water. Most of the accommodation is budget focused along with one high-end resort. Brilliant sunsets here.
Easily one of the flashest resorts on Ko Pha Ngan's west coast, the decidedly upmarket Kupu Kupu Resort offers a selection of stylish villas between the restaurant and beach along with a second low running along the beachfront – if you're looking for luxe, you're in the right place. Kupu Kupu is an Indonesian brand, with two resorts on the popular Indonesian island of Bali, and this Ko Pha... Read our full review of Kupu Kupu Phangan Beach Villas and Spa.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Lush and jungly, Shambhala sits on a great stretch of Plaay Laem Beach and offers an excellent standard of well maintained classic Ko Pha Ngan beach bungalows. The setting is lush, with palms and banana trees (we could almost reach some bananas from our balcony hammock) delivering a generous dose of privacy to just about all the bungalows, each of which has a good size deck with at least one... Read our full review of Shambhala.
Laid back and uber friendly, the ramchackle Beach 99 delivers simple and eclectic beach beach bungalows in a rustic setting at towards the southern end of Plaay Laem, just around the boulders from Cookies. These are some of the simplest bungalows we list for Ko Pha Ngan, and we're pretty sure there wasn't a single straight edge in the entire hut we stayed in here, but it was smack-bang on the... Read our full review of Beach 99.
( Read more on Booking.com )
This narrow strip of sand stretches straight north from Thong Sala town, offering a quiet atmosphere within a 10- to 20-minute walk of the ferry piers, night market, Old Chinese Street and all of the other conveniences found in town. You can also walk from here up to the next beach, Ao Wok Tum and Plaay Laem, which hosts Amsterdam and some other popular bars.
Baan Manali is a relaxing small resort with smart bungalows and a beach with a private feel in the far southern corner of Ao Nai Wok. Most rooms come in the form of large, freestanding bungalows with concrete walls, thatch roofs, hardwood floors and wide glass windows overlooking spacious wood balconies, all with at least partial sea views from chairs and good-quality hammocks. Beds are... Read our full review of Baan Manali Resort.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
The friendly owner of Suan Inn serves up good-value bungalows strategically located within a 10-minute walk of downtown Thong Sala and a few hundred metres from a pretty stretch of Ao Nai Wok. Lined up in a casual row beneath umbrella trees, the backpacker-style fan bungalows are made of dark wood and concrete and come with two screened windows, basic wet bathrooms with bucket-flush toilets,... Read our full review of Suan Inn Bungalows.
The Travelfish newsletter is sent out every Monday and is jammed full of free advice for travel in Southeast Asia. You can see past issues here.