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A
BRIEF INTRODUCTION
For
a lot of people Phangan
Island is synonymous with
the world famous Full Moon
Party, which attracts up
to 15,000 people every month
to the island. It is definitely
worth experience it but
it should be remembered
that the area where the
party takes place (Haad
Rin) is just a small slice
of the island's shoreline
and that Phangan Island
has much more to offer.
Whether you want to do yoga
at sunrise, get a massage
on the beach, go diving,
do hammock stretching exercises,
go hiking in the jungle
or one of the national parks
or dance all night, Phangan
Island offers it all.
Phangan Island
is part of the Suratthani
province and is located
in the Gulf of Thailand.
It is the center island
of the Samui archipelago,
stretching about 15 km north
to south and 10 km east
to west. A large proportion
is covered by coral reef
fringed beaches, tropical
rainforest and coconut groves.
Fishing and coconut production
are still an important source
of income, together with
tourism.
Phangan Island
still has the island feel
that many islands lost because
of overdevelopment. Phangan
Island is renowned for its
relaxed special atmosphere
which brings people from
all over the world back
every year.
WEATHER
ON PHAGNAN ISLAND
Due to its proximity to
the equator, Phangan Island
has a tropical climate with
an average temperature of
25° - 34° C, with
lots of sunshine, high humidity
and - as the word tropical
rainforest implies - the
occasional showers.
The weather is pretty constant
during the year but roughly
there are three main seasons:
the dry season (mid December
- April) when it is mostly
dry and relatively cool,
the hot season (May - September),
when it can be very hot
with occasional storm showers
and the wet season (October
- mid December), when there
can be a strong and windy
monsoon and a lot of rain.
However, like in every country
the weather can be unpredictable
and local: on one part of
the island you might lie
on the beach while on the
other side you may have
to shelter for a scattered
thundershower. Overall we
would say the best time
to visit Phangan Island
is from January to August,
when the weather conditions
are usually at their best.
If you like a tan, be aware
that the sun can be extremely
strong. Even on a cloudy
day you can get sunburnt
easily.
BEACHES
AND AREAS ON PHAGNAN ISLAND
Phangan Island has more
than 20 different beaches.
There are roughly two tidal
seasons: April to November
(low) and November to April
(high). In low tidal season
swimming on the West coast
is not always possible during
certain hours of the day
due to sand banks and shallow
water, where as it is possible
on the Northeast side of
the island. Each beach has
its own characteristics
and atmosphere. It really
depends on what you are
looking for and the time
you'll visit Phangan Island
to tell which beach is best
for you. Around full moon
almost every area and beach
is more lively. Many people
that come for the party
choose to stay in a more
quiet area because it is
easy and cheap to go to
Haad Rin by taxi. If you
want you can read about
each area first to decide
where you prefer to stay.
By clicking on the map on
the homepage or here you
get a more detailed description
of the five different areas:
the Northwest, the Southwest,
Haad Rin, the Northeast
and the Southeast.
GETTING
AROUND THE PHAGNAN ISLAND
An easy way to get around
the island is by taxi also
called songthaew. Prices
are negotiable and vary
depending on the amount
of people in the car.
The most common
way to explore Phangan Island
is by motorbike. You can
hire motorbikes in every
village for around 150 to
250 baht, depending on the
type. Although there are
still many dirt roads, it
is possible to visit a big
part of the island because
the Southwest and Northwest
area have good cemented
roads. Please note that
having a " Phangan
Island Tattoo" is a
very well known expression
on the island so remember
to drive very carefully.
It is advised to wear a
helmet and not to drive
faster than 40 km/h. Be
aware of stones, sand and
water on the road and use
the rear brake instead of
the front brake as much
as possible. Also it is
recommended not to put any
valuables in the basket.
As there are
still quite some (steep)
dirt roads, 4WD jeeps are
a good way as well to get
around the island. Most
of the hired jeeps are not
insured, so shop around
if you want insurance. Hiring
a jeep is a great way for
making daytrips to the more
remote parts and attractions
of Phangan Island like the
Than Sadet waterfall, Thong
Nai Pan or Haad Rin.
THINGS TO SEE &
DO ON PHAGNAN ISLAND
Getting bored being lazy?
There are plenty of activities
to do. Click “things
to see and do” in
the menu.
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