When the full moon party is over and the sun has set on Had Rin you’ll be surprised to find how much more Koh Phangan has on offer. As a natural paradise island in the Southern Gulf of Thailand, Koh Phangan serves as the perfect getaway retreat; relaxing on quiet deserted beaches, snorkelling and learning to dive at the distinctive island of Koh Ma – a protected National Marine Park; trekking in the footsteps of Thai Royalty at Than Sadet National Park steeped in history and culture; seeking adventure in the nearby Ang Thong archipelago composed of over 40 islands endowed with pristine beaches, natural caves and the tranquil Tha Laem Nai – the salt water blue lagoon lake featured in The Beach by Alex Garland. It seems that whatever it is you are looking for, theres something here for everyone.

Koh Pha-Ngan is situated in the Southern Gulf of Thailand, 100km from Suratthani, the district centre. The nearby Island of Koh Samui has an international airport that receives flights from all over Thailand and Asia. Koh Pha-Ngan is a 15km boat journey from Koh Samui with ferries all day.

There are two seasons in Southern Thailand: wet and dry. Although there are two different seasons the temperature on Koh Pha Ngan tends to remain faily constant year round.

It’s best to avoid the wettest months of September and November, although as the weather conditions are determined by the monsoons this can change and December can end up being very wet as well.

The dry season tends to be from February to April. There is some rain year-round, but you’ll find the rain may only last a couple of hours a day which makes it manageable.

The island tends to be most crowded between the months of November, December, February, March and August while January and July can also be busy sometimes. Consider arriving in April, May and June if you would like to avoid the crowds and take advantage of lower prices. If you are looking for a beach holiday with lots of sunshine then, although cheap, the months October and September are best to miss.

The beaches on Koh Pha-Ngan are some of the best in the Gulf of Thailand, and remain more popluar for people wishing to avoid the crowds of Koh Samui. Not all have been developed, so there are still those quiet deserted beaches which can be very attractive. There is also snorkelling to be done, with many beaches having live-coral formations.

The Full Moon Party

The Full Moon is far more than a party; it is Had Rin’s dance music festival, with everything from drum and bass to full-on psy-trance. Paradise Bungalows, the site of the original Full Moon Party, consistently puts on the biggest show with inspired decor and a combination of superb resident and guest international DJs. Worth looking out for is DJ A, who also holds residency at the Backyard, possibly the most famous after party venue in the world, starting at 11am as Had Rin’s beach shuts shop, licks its wounds and counts the casualties. The Backyard also puts on three cracking nights per week, each catering for the full spectrum of dance music heads in a totally refurbished, two floor club with mind bending fluoro sculptures.

The Drop In plays a more commercial set with a few classics thrown in, and still pulls in big crowds from when it launched way back in 1989, as does the Cactus with a similar policy. The Vinyl Club pumps out hard techno and psy-trance, also putting on pre Full Moon Party parties in Ban Tai, with an Israeli DJ massive keeping it banging.
The Big Boom Bar is a daytime favourite, especially with their volley ball contest a few days before the Full Moon Party. Their commitment to leaning away from trance, by playing progressive to hard house with a fair few anthems thrown in means that resident DJs Simon (UK) and locals Tony and Dai have the beach going ballistic every Full Moon Party.

If you want to rinse it out true DnB stylee, the Orchid headed by resident DJ Kay puts a smile on many a trance-tired face. For a real refuge, head out to the Outback Bar to enjoy superb Thai and European tucker, pool and live sports in a bar that looks as good as the paintings it sells!

PLACES OF INTEREST

KOH MA
Koh Ma is a small island connected to the beautiful beach Had Mae Had by a sandbar.

LAEM SON
Laem Son lake is a popular place for both local Thais and Farang. During the hot months many people flock to the lake to cool down and relax under the shady trees.

CHINESE TEMPLE
The Chinese Temple was built in honour of the Chinese Buddha, Jaomae Kuanim, and is a place where many people come to try one’s luck or trust in luck.

WAT KHAO TAM
Wat Khao Tam is not actually a true temple as there are only a couple of monks in residence, but rather serves as a Buddhist Meditation Center in the Theravadin tradition.

WAT PHO – HERBAL SAUNA BATHS
Relax and enjoy the many great benefits of a traditional herbal steam sauna where natural herbs like lemongrass are heated by a log wood fire to create the steam that is filtered into the sauna.

KAO RA VIEWPOINT
Kao Ra is the highest mountain peak on Koh Pha-Ngan and offers the most spectacular viewpoint on the island.

PHAENG WATERFALL
Phaeng Waterfall is protected by National Park status and offers beautiful natural scenery and an energetic walk up to a spectacular viewpoint.

source:  www.phangan.info