Koh Phangan Thailand
Day 1: Bangkok to Koh Samui to Koh Pha Ngan
Upon a recommendation from a friend, we booked five nights at the Santhiya Resort in Thong Nai Pan. When we landed at the Koh Samui airport, Santhiya had a shuttle waiting to take us to the dock. We picked up mango smoothies across the street and boarded the resort boat which took us to Thong Sala, the main town on Koh Phangan (pronounced ko-pawn-yawn, which I naively did not know when the customs agent asked where I was staying in Thailand). From there, Santhiya brought us across the island to the resort. We booked a villa with our own private pool, which was completely worth the extra expense. Santhiya provided 5-star service at an incredibly affordable price.
On our first night, we went for a swim and explored. Thong Nai Pan is mellower than Thong Sala, with fewer restaurant options. As day people, it matched our vibe when we wanted to come home and chill after hours of adventures.
Day 2: Beach to Waterfall
The Santhiya breakfast was a huge highlight. Grab a delicious cappuccino and bite to eat while overlooking the beach from the dining area. We walked back along the beach into Thong Nai Pan to rent a scooter for the day. It was inexpensive and the best way to get around the island. However, be extremely careful and wear a helmet! Our first stop was Haad Khom. We had the beach almost completely to ourselves. We snorkeled and relaxed for a couple hours, grabbing yet another mango smoothie from the beach restaurant before taking off.
Next, we grabbed some delicious (and cheap!) bites from Pantip Market in Thong Sala. Fueled up, we went toward Than Sadet National Park. Before going inside the actual park, you can park at a man's shop on the right, buy a few waters or snacks, and head down the trail on the right of the shop to an awesome waterfall. The shop is just past the King Rama V Monument. In the river, there are slow moving areas where you can swim and enjoy the fresh water.
We took the scooter back to Thong Nai Pan and finished the day off with foot massages. Treat yourself! We ended up getting a massage almost every day because they were so affordable. After showering off, we walked back into town for dinner at Anantara's Japanese restaurant.
Day 3: Day trip to Angthong Marine Park
We scheduled a full day trip to Angthong Marine Park with Asia Blue. They picked us up from the hotel in the morning and drove us to the boat in Thong Sala. Whatever it was was not a speedboat, but it made for a memorable day. We met an awesome group of travelers, got to snorkel some of clearest water I've ever seen, and hiked to an incredible viewpoint. We also got to the see the emerald lagoon and kayak around the park.
Drink lots of water throughout the day. It was very hot and we were constantly on the move. I would highly recommend the trip if you are ok with roughing it a little and are willing to go with the flow. We didn't get back until well after dark, but they dropped as back at the hotel where we ordered room service and fell asleep within seconds.
Day 4: Secluded Beach + Full Moon Party
Based on a tip from a new friend the day before, we rented a scooter again and went back toward Than Sadet National Park. This time, we went all the way into the park gates, which required a small entrance fee. The river runs along the right side of the road as you enter the park and there are numerous spots to pull over and hike down to it. We stopped off for a quick dip on the way back out. At the end of the road is Haad Sadet - a beautiful beach with a café if you're in need of a cold beverage.
The secret, though, is to walk all the way to the right. A footbridge and path will bring you a little further south to a secluded beach. We saw one other couple there and then had the place to ourselves for snorkeling and lounging. We even saw a monitor lizard (which I could have gone without).
Our trip happened to coincide with Koh Phangan's infamous Full Moon Party. We weren't sure we wanted to go, but figured it was a must! Think neon lights, beers on the beach, street food, face paint, fire limbo. My fiancé even ended up doing double dutch on a fire rope. We ran into our day trip friends and all hung out for a while listening to music and dancing. On the way in, we had paid the man who rented us scooters to drive us to Haad Rin, where the party takes place. We had to pay a little more than usual for a ride back to Santhiya, but it was well worth it to feel safe in a car, rather than on scooters at night.
Day 5: Chilling at Santhiya + Sunset Dinner at 2C
For the last day, we completely vegged out at Santhiya. We sat down at the lounge chairs at the beach, read, snorkeled, enjoyed our pool, and only left to grab a quick lunch in Thong Nai Pan. We wanted to have a memorable last night, so we took a long walk to Thong Nai Pan Yai. We had planned to come swim here sooner in the trip, but tended to stick in front of Santhiya if we weren't heading elsewhere on the island. From the beach, we hiked up to dinner at 2C Bar. Should've gone here sooner! The best sunset views, awesome food, super nice service. A great night all around. We even saw a lighting storm off in the distance as we walked back to Santhiya.
Day 6: Koh Phangan to Koh Samui to Bangkok
Sadly, the time had come for our last Santhiya cappuccino. It was back the way we came to Koh Samui where we boarded our flight back to Bangkok. Koh Phangan is definitely worth a visit and I'm glad we stayed as many days as did because there was still more on my list!
The home for unique & authentic travel
