Although Phangan is most famous thanks to his large monthly "full-beard" party "Full Moon Party", which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, the island with a snow-white "powder" sand offers a bunch of other amazing options for a full-fledged rest.
Phangan - medium-sized islands and pretty mountainous (mountains occupy an area of 168 square kilometers, about 70% of the island area - mining jungle. The rest is beaches and coconut groves). The island is located about two sea steps from the island, Samui and to Tau.
The indigenous inhabitants of the island, inequate, were originally either marine gypsies, or the people who came from Pattani (city in South Thailand) or Nakhonsithammarata (provinces in the south of the country, on the eastern shore of the Siamese Gulf). They settled on the island and were engaged, naturally fishing and growing coconuts.
Today, the coconut and fisheries are still very developed on the island, but they have already interrupted the tourist business. Indigenous people may have once preferably Muslims, today the population is mostly Buddhists. This is partly due to the massive influx of labor from other places to Thailand - local residents need work with a good income - of course, today it is a prosperous tourist industry. More than 10,000 people constantly live on the island, most live around Tong Sale, the main city on Ko Pangan (where most workers' current beaches and hotels of the island originally lived and live).
From the middle of the eighties of the last century, the popularity of Pangan took off among tourists and at times, they were looking for something new, a solarded alternative to a more developed and already most developed Samui (not among our compatriots, of course, Doli European Tourists, and Local Thais from the mainland) . The most popular island added that the most Full Moon Party . Currently, Phangan is both luxury hotels, and in secluded places where tourists can accommodate with tents and enjoy wildlife - it is also well practiced on the island.
As for the legendary party, it goes to the full moon on the Had Rin Beach beach (Haad Rin Beach).
This monthly event with a large number of alcohol, loud music and drugs once attracted only knowledgeable people in small quantities. Nowadays, there are entire special tours from major European cities, only on this disco. For about twenty thousand people comes to the party.
By the way, if you are going to this party, it is not at all necessary to look for accommodation right on the beach Had Rin: from each other beach island there is a shuttle service to the discount point, even with Samui.
This party, however, like a stick about two ends. Like all such events. On the one hand, it is unrestrained fun, beautiful coastal views, sand and sea breeze. On the other hand, countless thefts (directly from the bungalows and from pockets of those who disconnected after several cocktails on the beach), smart drug trafficking and sexual violence cases. Even before the fatal outcome - they write a little about it in the newspapers, so as not to sigh the tourists. But still, the spectacle is an impressive, and, if you know the measure and abide by adequacy, you can have a good fun.
After all, thousands and thousands of people still calmly go to the island every month, and the only consequences of this party are no more than a headache the next day. Sale of drugs, by the way, illegal in Thailand, fines are quite serious, so if you are not able to buy off your way out of the police station, do not even think to take these things. And, at the same time, if you stay at the hotel, it is better to leave your valuable things there, in the safe - shorter, do not take anything to this party, you will cry about whose loss or theft later.
In any case, you definitely not be disappointed if your schedule does not match Full Moon Party - parties are prepared for you Half Moon Party, "Dark Moon Party" And various other events, a little less well-known and large, but not less fun, within a month. If you come to the pangan just a couple of days, most likely, you will define one of these parties.
And yet, Phangan is much larger than this partner. The island is surrounded by more than a dozen luxury beaches - some with small white sand, which literally creaks between your fingers, and other beaches with grainy yellow sand. Most beaches are available in accessibility - roads will improve every year. Although some beaches can only be reached by boat.
Southern Pangan coast Stretched from the capital of the island of Tong Sala, from Ban Tai and Pan Kai to Had Rin and Had Saikantang - the most crowded and famous beaches of the island.
The south side of the beach is facing the "face" to Samui, the beaches surround the reefs (away from the coast), there is very small, so this is the perfect option for traveling families with young children. Plus on these beaches along the entire length you can find a wide variety of bungalows and small hotels.
On the east coast Which stretches from the northern part of Had Rin on the twin bays Tong Nai Pan Noah and Yai places one of the most isolated and beautiful beaches on the island. Swim cool there, because there is deeper. The dwelling on this part of the island varies from the village shacks on Thhan senses to the luxurious villas on Tong Nai Pan Noah.
North coast Encompasses Bottle Beach (Bottle Beach, a long secluded beach) and Chaloklam Bay - the main fishing port of the island and the epicenter of a not particularly developed diving industry in Pangan. On the north coast, there is also an island of Ko Ma (you can walk to it on sandy spit) in front of the outskirts of May Haad Beach (Mae Haad Beach).
Also quite popular among tourists part of the island.
West Coast , as well as the eastern, permeated with small bays and wild beaches. South-West Island Coast (not reaching Tong Sala) will offer you a very cheap dwelling. Although the beaches on this coast are almost wild, they are actually connected with Tong Sala with relatively good roads.
That's it!