Koh Pha Ngan & Koh Tao

16 September 2024

Koh Pha Ngan is an island in the Gulf of Thailand known for its monthly Full Moon Party at Haad Rin Beach. Beyond its nightlife, the island features dense jungle, waterfalls, and quiet beaches on the north and east coasts. It is accessible by ferry from Koh Samui and the mainland. If you’re planning a visit to Koh Pha Ngan, you’re likely interested in the party.

Día 1

Full Moon Party

We had mostly rainy days in Thailand, but this day, we were lucky enough to have some decent weather. We got up at 8:00 am and rented a scooter to meander around the island. We rented the cheapest model from a shop right next to our hotel for 150 bht/day. I was suspicious because I rely heavily on Google Maps to make decisions about which businesses are trustworthy, and this place has no online presence. That, and the guy gave me a suspicious vibe, so I was a little wary of being scammed. I still went through with it, and luckily, we had no issues.

We drove to a craft store in town, where Indi got some crochet equipment to start a project while laying on the beach. We went back to the hotel and got ready for a beach day.

We checked into our hotel, a bungalow situated right on the beach with a view from the front room. I walked out into the ocean alone and was surprised by how shallow it remained, even after walking a long distance. Eventually, I just sat in the mid-shin-deep water. Indi later joined me, and afterward, we headed to the pool to meet up with the others.

We arranged a taxi to the Full Moon Party through our hotel and had dinner at a nearby halal restaurant – Farida Halal Food Restaurant – Ko Phangan. I ordered massaman curry, which turned out to be the best I’ve ever had. The flavors were bold and unexpectedly complex, with perfectly balanced textures. It was a dish worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant. My only regret was not having time to eat there again. This bowl of curry was one of the very best dishes I tried in Asia.

Full Moon Party

The Full Moon Party is a monthly beach party held on Haad Rin Beach. It attracts thousands of tourists who come for electronic music, neon body paint, and all-night festivities. The event features multiple stages, fire shows, and vendors selling drinks and party accessories along the beach. Keep in mind that parties aren’t my scene. I went along for the hype.

The Full Moon Party was pretty much what I expected—crowded, loud, and hectic. We each paid 200 THB for glow-in-the-dark body paint. I chose for my face to be painted. They have a wall of body paint ideas behind the “artists”, but they also take requests. You could likely find something cheaper, but that’s the deal we got. We walked around the beach, enjoying the atmosphere and dancing. The crew seemed to be having a good time. After a while, I decided I’d had enough and took a taxi back, while the rest of the group stayed to keep the party going.

Día 2

Koh Tao Snorkeling
Nang Yuan Island

We packed up and got picked up by the van that would take us to our tour meeting point. After a short ride, we were dropped off at a terminal and guided toward a boat. Before boarding, we were warned about the large waves. The weather was cloudy, adding to the intensity of the weather conditions. Indi, Brandon, and I managed to get seats in the back row, while Jocelyn and Ashley were a couple of rows ahead—also a decent spot. Despite having good seats, the boat ride to Koh Tao was rough. The waves were big, and we were tossed around continuously during the hour-long journey. Pro tip: Choose a seat at the back of the boat for a smoother ride.

Koh Tao Snorkeling

We blessedly arrived at the first stop at Koh Tao to snorkel. I hopped in the water right away. Because I was so eager to get off the boat, I was separated from the group and ended up snorkeling by myself most of the time. The reef was the best I saw in Thailand. I have been ruined by the snorkeling in Indonesia, so I’m no longer impressed as easily as I once was. Still, there was a good variety of hard corals and fish species. I saw a large school of parrotfish and a giant clam.

After doing my own thing for most of the alloted time, I swam over to the other side, where almost everyone else was snorkeling, to find that it was mostly dead. The only thing of note was a large, black fish that may have been some kind of porcupine fish.

Nang Yuan Island

We got back in the boat and drove 15 minutes to Koh Nang Yuan, a small island located near the comparatively larger, though still small, island of Koh Tao. It is known for its unique sandbar that connects three smaller islands. The island offers clear waters suitable for snorkeling. It is a popular spot for day trips, but it wasn’t too crowded when we visited.

We ate lunch near the dock, and the food was pretty good. There are bathrooms guests can access next to the tables. After lunch, we hiked up to a viewpoint where you could see the famous view of the sandbar connecting the small islands. Nang Yuan Island was probably the prettiest island I saw in Southeast Asia. What makes this island and Koh Tao so unusual is the large boulders piled near the ocean.

After spending some time at the top of the hill, we hiked back down to go to the beach. I snorkeled for a bit but didn’t have much time before we had to go. A titan triggerfish was patrolling the snorkeling area, so I didn’t dare go too far. The beach on Nang Yuan Island is probably a top 10 for me.

We got back in the boat and were relieved that the return journey was much smoother than the morning’s wild ride. Even so, I still felt unwell for the rest of the day from mild motion sickness. Once we arrived at Pha Ngan, we got a ride back to the hotel and went straight to the pool to cool off. We had our hotel call a taxi to take us to the ferry terminal.

At the ferry terminal, we waited for some time before boarding the boat back to Koh Samui. Once there, finding a taxi was difficult. It felt like everywhere we went, drivers were trying to overcharge tourists, making transportation more frustrating than it needed to be.

We finally accepted the offer of a driver who had charged us a lot of money at the terminal but lowered the price once we walked further down the road. We hopped in the bed of his truck with our bags and he drove us into town. We left our things in the hotel for the night and left to find food. We had our final dinner in Thailand, where I ordered Pad Thai and loved it.

Next time

On our next adventure, we return to Indonesia to surf the island of Lombok.