 Koh Phangan is the second largest island after Koh Samui in the southern Gulf of Thailand, and is around 100km from the mainland. Stretching over an area of 168 sq km, 70% of its topography is mountainous with peaks up to 600 m and stunning viewpoints. Remainder are beaches and coconut groves.
Over 10,000 people permanently live on the island, with the majority concentrated around Thong Sala. A huge number of migrants also call the island home. As in the rest of Thailand, most people are Buddhist, but some Muslims live in the village of Baan Tai. The first inhabitants of the island are believed to have been Muslim Sea Gypsies (Pigmy, Semung and Proto-Malay) from the Malay Peninsula.
Aside from the tourist trade, the mainstays of the island's economy are fishing and coconuts. It's worth knowing that between them, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui produce more than one million coconuts each year for export to Bangkok.
The best time to visit Koh Phangan is during the hot season from January to April. July to December sees the monsoon set in, with more unpredictable weather, though the period from May to September always give you a lot of sunny and wonderful days.
It’s also worth to remember that rain on the islands can be quite heavy for about 1 hour, and the rest of the day it stays dry and sunny even in the worst part of the monsoon.
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Although best known for its full moon parties, which attract thousands of travellers from all over the globe, there is a lot
more to stunning Koh Phangan than getting trashed and passing out in the powder-soft white sand.
