When you think of Thailand, you think of Hangover 2, right? I get that song about One Night in Bangkok stuck in my head at least once a month. More than that hilarious movie, you probably think of beaches. Thailand is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters. Let us paint you a picture of our time on the magical island of Ko Pha Ngan.
When deciding how to spend our time in Thailand, we got a lot of great recommendations on places to go enjoy the beach after our time in Chiang Mai. A few friends we know have traveled to Ko Pha Ngan on a few occasions and had the best things to say about it. We did a little research and found out that the island is known for the Full Moon Party. The rest of the month, the island is a quiet and peaceful place with very affordable places to stay and hang out for a while. Our travel dates coincided with a new moon, so we booked it.
Getting there can be a bit challenging. We flew to Ko Samui (the larger island next door) and then took the 30-minute ferry to Ko Pha Ngan. We found an Airbnb bungalow on the northern side of the island and it was perfect.
During our 9 days there, we got into a bit of a routine. I thought sharing this would be the easiest way to paint you a picture and maybe even convince you that this is the Thai island for you as well.
Our Typical Day on Ko Pha Ngan
Sunrise
When the light filled the room, we got the water boiling for coffee. The front porch had a view of the ocean and we could sit in the hammock and enjoy a cup of coffee and read for a while. There were a few mornings we tuned into the Democratic Primary debates as well, but it was usually pretty quiet. There was a small kitchen and we were able to have yogurt and fruit in the mornings to hold us over for a while.
Late Mornings
Using our rented motorbike, we would get out and explore the island a bit each day. We found several beautiful beaches to swim, sit and snack. There are waterfalls (not during the dry season) and other amazing hikes on the island as well. We did a little bit of everything including lunch in a treehouse. On the two rainy mornings we had, we rode down to the coffee shop near our place for board games and brunch.
Mid Afternoon
Once the sun had exhausted us, we would ride back to the house for a little writing, more reading or sometimes just chatting with Marcus who owned the bungalow next door and was our Airbnb host.
Happy Hour
Once the sun was low in the sky, we would head down the hill to the beach closest to us. We would order one large Singha to split while watching the sunset over the ocean. We would choose between noodles or rice with veggies from one of the three restaurants on the beach.
It was the perfect wind down after a day of activity and sunshine. There is something so peaceful about watching the sun dip into the ocean.
Evening
Upon returning home, we would usually split another Singha on the front porch or some dessert while FaceTiming with family or watching something on Netflix. It was rare that we would be awake later than 9 PM. The sun and fresh air really help us get good sleep.
And then we would just repeat again and again.
Details on Our Ko Pha Ngan Stay
Here is the link for the place we stayed. Any of Marcus’ properties are recommended. He is the best host and that area of the island is so quiet and beautiful.
We rented the motorbike directly through Marcus. There are a bunch of places that offer rentals on the island, so just ask around. I would definitely recommend doing that if you want to explore, but there are lots of hills.
Here is a link for the ferry company we used from Samui. It was cheap, fast, and comfortable. Flights are frequent there from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.
Final Thoughts on Ko Pha Ngan and Island Life
After a few months of sightseeing, museum hopping, and moving around, it was the perfect place to relax completely. The island is small and easy to get around, but there are plenty of places we didn’t see this time around. This is a spot that we would love to return to with friends in the future, and we would recommend it to anyone looking for beautiful beaches and affordable prices (just avoid that Full Moon time unless you are looking to rage).
Hope you are planning that next island vacation soon.
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