Western beaches of Koh Phangan
They are very different from each other. Therefore, it is very important not to make a mistake when choosing a vacation spot, otherwise lovers of silence may well find themselves in the party town of Haad Rin, and vice versa, active young people - in the wilderness, where they will have to ride a motorcycle or tuk-tuk to get to entertainment. In total, there are more than three dozen beaches on the island, if you count the smallest ones.
List of Koh Phangan beaches:
Basic tips for choosing a vacation spot are as follows. In the east and north of Koh Phangan there are secluded places where, apart from hotels and a few restaurants, there is practically nothing else. Some of them don’t have a normal road at all (not even gravel) and you have to get there by boat. Such inaccessibility makes them not particularly popular with tourists and, as a result, there are few people there, in general - an ideal place for those who want to retire.
For partygoers, there is simply no better place to visit than the southeastern beaches of Koh Phangan. It is here that the famous Haad Rin is located, where every month a grandiose disco on the coast is held, attracting thousands of people. On other days (high season) there is also usually music after sunset, so this is not a place for a relaxing holiday. But if you come in the low season, for example, in May and don’t get to the Full Moon Party, then in the evenings the beach is quite calm and there are not many people.
The western coast of the island is heterogeneous - there are calm sections of the coast, where there are only a few hotels with bungalows, and there are also more lively ones, where there are even bars with music. But in any case, they do not reach Haad Rin and there is not much noise or crowds here.
Haad Rin Nok, Sunrise Beach
This beach hosts parties every day and a Full Moon Party once a month. Had Rin Nok - for lovers of large companies and entertainment until the morning. For this, there is everything you need - bars with powerful sound systems, restaurants, a large selection of accommodation, water activities, volleyball and football on the beach. This is the youngest beach on Koh Phangan.
Video of Haad Rin Nok
Haad Rin Nai, Sunset Beach
The second name “Sunset Beach” speaks for itself: there are very beautiful sunsets here. But this is not the best place for a beach holiday, since its width is only a few meters, and in some areas the water even comes right up to the trees that stand on the shore.
Despite this, there are plenty of hotels, because from here you can walk to Haad Rin Nok, where the main party of Koh Phangan is located. There is also a pier from which you can sail for 200 baht. Nearby there is a small town that has everything: restaurants, clubs, bars, massage parlors, travel agencies, banks, motorbike rentals and much more.
Video by Haad Rin Nay
Mae Haad
The beach is located 3 km west of the bay and the village of Chaloklum. One of the best places for diving and snorkeling, as Mae Had is surrounded by a magnificent coral reef.
The coast is divided into 2 parts - western and eastern. There are many more hotels and tourists in the west, as this part is longer and more comfortable. In the east there are much fewer vacationers; it is not as clean as in the western part. It is mainly used by local residents to store their boats. But the main feature of Mae Had is the island of Koh Ma located opposite it, which can be reached on the sand in 3 minutes during low tide, and during high tide - knee-deep or waist-deep water. The island also has its own beach.
Haad Yao West
One of the most touristy beaches in the west of Koh Phangan. There is quite a lot of entertainment here: bars, restaurants, supermarkets, souvenir shops, massage parlors, car and motorcycle rentals and many other attributes of civilization. This is a place for those who don't like to be bored.
Chao Phao
A popular beach on Koh Phangan with developed infrastructure and low cost of living. It consists of several bays and coves, fenced off from other beaches by rocky formations. Here the depth of the sea does not depend on the ebb and flow of the tides, as in most other places. You can rent a boat and go sailing on the sea. There is a coral reef 150 m away, so it is a good place for diving and snorkeling.
Haad Salad
There are quite expensive hotels on Haad Salad Beach, but there are several places with bungalows where you can stay for much less.
This is a popular tourist spot on Koh Phangan with a supermarket, restaurants, bars, massage parlours, ATMs and internet cafes. Many travel agencies have their offices here. If you wish, you can rent a kayak. At 200 meters there is a coral reef - a favorite place for divers.
Seekantang Beach
This beach on Koh Phangan is popular because it is located behind Haad Rin, but at the same time it is not particularly popular. The place is very beautiful, not many people. It is quiet in the evenings (especially in the eastern part), only on the days of the Full Moon Party you can hear music from your neighbor. In the west, in , there is a bar with a sound system, so sometimes discos are held here too.
Video from Seekantang Beach
Ban Kai Beach
In ancient times, gold was mined in this area of Koh Phangan, and now there is a fairly popular beach with bars, hotels and shops. But it is much calmer here than on Haad Rin.
Ban Tai
Another beach for lovers of entertainment and nightlife. Black Moon Culture Parties are held here once a month. The party takes place in the western part of the coast, closer to Ban Kai.
All life is concentrated near the coast, and if Haad Rin is full of bars, restaurants and hotels far from the sea, then there is nothing like that here. In the western part of Ban Tai there is a pier from which you can get to Koh Samui.
Chaloklum Beach
Chaloklum is one of the ports, so there are quite a lot of ships and local boats. Cheap seafood is available for sale.
It is believed that this is the best place on Koh Phangan for surfing, as there are often high waves in the sea when there is wind. But only the eastern and western parts are suitable for swimming (rather shallow), since there is a pier in the center, and the beach there is not particularly pretty. The infrastructure is well developed, there is a 7/11 store, restaurants, hotels. But since this is largely a Thai village, you won’t find discos or much entertainment. In general, in our opinion, this is not the best place for a beach holiday; it’s hard to feel the tropical idyll here.
Thongsala
This is the main settlement on the island of Koh Phangan. It is here that almost all ships from the mainland, Koh Samui and Koh Tao arrive. Here is the best place for shopping, a large selection of inexpensive guesthouses (in low season you can stay for 300 baht in a room with air conditioning, a refrigerator and a TV), many travel agencies and motorbike rentals (almost at every turn), there is a night market and the only supermarket on the entire island Tesco Lotus with groceries and some household goods, such as electric stoves.
If you come to Koh Phangan for a beach holiday, then it’s better not to settle here, as the proximity to the pier leaves its mark - the sea is not particularly clean, there are a lot of boats, the coast is narrow. Although a compromise can be found, since the neighboring uncrowded and good Nai Wok beach can actually be reached in 15-20 minutes. There is no nightlife in the town itself, but on the way to the east you will find drinking bars with available girls.
Bang Charu
Bang Charu Beach is a great alternative to Thongsal. They follow each other, but the coast of Bang Charu is very nice, there are not many people. At the same time, you will have access to shopping in Thongsala and bars on the main road. The coast is wide, there is a lot of sand. There is also a stadium and a Thai boxing school here.
Srithanu Beach
If you are interested in the real life of Thais, then settle on this beach. There is a village nearby, the life in which is the same as many decades ago on Koh Phangan. You will see how the locals lived before the “conquest” of the island by tourists. One of the attractions of Srithanu is Laem Son Lake, which has improvised water rides. There are not very many people resting on Sritanu. At the same time, if you move a little away from the coast, you will come across travel agencies, a 7/11 store, and motorbike rentals.
Thong Nai Pan
The beach is located in the northeast of Koh Phangan. It consists of two sections, similar to each other and separated by a rock. The infrastructure is more developed in the south - there is even. Since it is not so easy to get here, prices in stores are higher than in other places. Thong Nai Pan is quite crowded, there is an observation deck with a magnificent view of the island and the bay. Housing is available both expensive and cheap. It is quite possible to get there by motorbike through the center of the island. True, the road turns from asphalt to gravel halfway, so novice bikers are better off not taking risks. Thong Nai Pan is a good place to watch the sunrise (around 6 am).
Haad Yao Beach is located in the western part of Koh Phangan. Haad Yao beach is considered one of the most popular beaches in Koh Phangan according to guidebooks. We stopped at Had Yao for a few days to form our own opinion about this beach and show you what it really looks like.
Haad Yao Beach Review
The beach is quite large. Some even consider it the longest on Phanagna. The coastline is about 700 meters. During low tides, the beach becomes wide, and during the high tide season, on the right side the water can reach almost to the palm trees. The sand is light, almost white. It's nice to walk barefoot.
Hotels on Haad Yao beach
- See Through Resort
- Sun Moon Star Resort
- Haad Yao Bayview Resort
- High Life Bungalow
- Longbay Resort Koh Phangan
All hotels on Koh Phangan
On the right side (if you are facing the sea) there is a non-swimming place. There are boats there, even smaller and the bottom is more rocky. To swim you should go to the left side.
Almost the entire coastline, except for a few sections, is built up with hotels. There are massage parlors in several places. Massage costs 300 baht. Several beach restaurants. Prices are reasonable. There is even one Indian costume store. But what we like most about Hat Yao are the tall palm trees!
Few tourists
There are few vacationers on Had Yao Beach. Even on the eve of the Full Moon Party there were no crowds here. And on ordinary days the beach can be almost deserted.
The contingent of vacationers on Had Yao are European youth, especially during the Full Moon period, and middle-aged people. There are tourists with small children. There are few Russians; in 6 days we heard only one Russian-speaking company. By the way, large tattoos on the thigh or back are now in fashion for European girls. Literally every first Euro girl on Koh Phangan has these weird tattoos.
Sunbeds
There are no sun loungers at Had Yao. Only near hotels can there be sun loungers for guests of these hotels. On the beach itself you can only sleep on your own mat.
Where can I order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.
Shadow
There is very little natural shade. If there is shade in the morning until 12-13 o'clock, then after lunch there is almost no shade left. This is due to the fact that the beach is western. In the afternoon, the sun shines from the sea and there is almost nowhere to hide from it. A little shade can be found in the central part under the coniferous trees.
Where to eat on Haad Yao
There are several beach cafes in the central part of the beach. There is also a 7 Eleven further in the area. All hotels have restaurants. Therefore, there will be no problem with nutrition.
Where to swim on Haad Yao
It seems that everything should be fine, the beach is large and beautiful, the water is blue, there are not many people. So why such a question? In fact, it turned out that swimming on Haad Yao is problematic due to the shallow sea and rocky bottom in most of the beach. All tourists swim on the left side of the beach near the Haad Yao Resort hotel and the IBIZZA cafe. For swimming in the sea, choose these bright clearings with a sandy bottom.
There is no depth, but you can swim even at low tide. The water does not go away completely, it remains somewhere knee-deep, or at best waist-deep. Therefore, swimming at Haad Yao is not swimming, but simply sitting at the bottom.
That’s what everyone does here, they went in and plopped into the water. It will not be possible to swim further, since the dark spots in the sea that are visible in the photo are stones, corals and algae. But people like it at Had Yao. We ourselves have also become accustomed to this feature of the western beaches of Koh Phangan; we lie in the shallow water with pleasure. The main thing is that the water is clear and there are no waves.
Sunsets
Sunsets are visible every evening on Haad Yao. You can admire the sunsets from a restaurant while having dinner or just during an evening walk on the beach.
By the way, while we were watching the sunset, we noticed that a pig was running on the left side of the beach. We found out that she lives in one of the cafes, like a pet, and sometimes she is let out to run around to the joy and surprise of tourists. We also saw a large green parrot. Perhaps he also lives in a cafe and sometimes flies out for a walk.
There are also dogs on the beach in the evenings, as on all Koh Phangan beaches. Therefore, walking in the evening may not be very comfortable. Especially if you have warmed up food from 7-11 in your bag.
Haad Yao video
Watch an overview video of the beach from different angles.
The beach is separate and has its own small infrastructure. You can walk the entire beach along the shore from edge to edge in about ten minutes, and on a scooter along the road you can cover the entire area even faster. The entire first line is occupied by bungalow resorts, and I must say that, according to my observations, this area is a popular place among Russians; Russian speech is often heard here.
Haad Yao Beach is a secluded, beautiful, quiet place on Koh Phangan. If you decide to live here for some time, it is better to have transport nearby.
Although, if you think about it, this advice is generally relevant for all areas of Koh Phangan, provided that you are not going to sit on the beach all your free time. But if you are going, then in Haad Yao it is in principle possible. A good sandy beach, everything you need to eat and seal is here.
Entering the water, depth and waves
To my delight, it turned out that Haad Yao is a white sand beach. No matter what enthusiastic vacationers say, the beaches of Koh Phangan do not suffer from an excess of snow-white coral sand - the geography is not the same, unfortunately. But thank God, there are some beaches where the color is as close to white as possible.
In my photographs the sand is wet, so its color is yellowish. As on the entire island, at high tide the sand strip at Haad Yao becomes narrower; this is inconvenient when you walk along the beach, and coastal cafes place their tables right on the sand. Sometimes you have to go around chewing people right across the sea, knee-deep in water.
The ebb and flow of the tides play a big role in the appearance of the beach, and in swimmers too. The bottom is flat, flat, no surprises. When the water goes away, there will be wet sand with shells and walks in the sun. When the water comes, there will be chest-deep depth five meters from the shore and full swimming. On the other hand, if you come to Koh Phangan with children, then this beach will be ideal for them.
Sunbeds and shade
As you yourself understand, on the west coast of any island on the planet, there is shadow only until noon, until the sun reaches its zenith. Haad Yao is no exception. There is more than enough shade here: on the shore there are casuarinas and palm trees mixed together, although you will have to respect the invisible boundaries of the resorts.
Despite the fact that all beaches belong to the royal family and passage must be free anywhere in the kingdom, Thais prefer not to remember this law and may ask you to leave or pay for your stay on the beach section in front of their establishment. So it is preferable to throw your things under the trees in neutral territory. If all the trump spots are occupied, then you can sit in a cafe.
I didn’t notice any sunbeds on Had Yao.
Beach photo
Near Sea Through and Ibiza Bungalows
In the morning hours the shadow reaches the water - very cool for a beach holiday.
Closer to Haad Yao Bayview Resort
And the fly in the ointment: the blue pipes are the drain from the bungalow. Usually the pipe is not visible under the sand.
Infrastructure
I would not say that this is a place with developed infrastructure. There are massage parlors, several cafes, but in general, you zip through the entire area on a bike without noticing, it’s so small. Basically, people are content with the infrastructure of their resort or hotel, whose employees will feed you, give you a massage, offer rentals, and can send you on excursions.
On Haad Yao there is a 7-Eleven mini-market, the assortment of which is quite sufficient to meet the needs of this micro-district. By the way, it’s very cool for any beach to have its own 7-Eleven or FamilyMart. This immediately increases its attractiveness for tourists who are planning a stay for a long time and do not want to spend money on renting a car or risk renting a scooter. Among the less well-known establishments - on the shore.
Local infrastructure, a minimarket on such a small beach - it’s very cool
Houses and hotels on the beach
Haad Yao, despite its relative smallness, is full of housing of various categories, from guest houses to decent resorts with a good rating. For example:
I lived right on the border of Had Son and Haad Yao beaches, at the Haad Son Resort , but it is on the mountain.
Here, many beaches are located in lowlands and are separated by passes with ascent and descent, and so my hotel turned out to be on such an ascent. Walking to Haad Yao Beach is fun, but getting up is a bit difficult, although you can only go to the hotel beach. .
Be sure (and I insist) to check for discounts or special offers on a great service. It will quickly and easily show you discounts in all existing booking systems. In Asia, for example, there are a lot of offers on Agoda.com, which are much more interesting than for exactly the same hotels on Booking.com.
Haad Yao Beach. Photo credit: Ian Duffield, Flickr
A pleasant place with a hospitable, friendly atmosphere, so you want to come back here again and again. Haad Yao is a universal beach. It is suitable for young couples, families with children, as well as singles who prefer a quiet, relaxing holiday. There is enough space for everyone on the beach and, even more, in some places it remains almost empty.
Haad Yao. Photo credit: Ian Duffield, Flickr
Haad Yao Beach. Photo credit: eric molina, Flickr
The beach has all the amenities for a comfortable, pleasant holiday: massage parlors, yoga classes, diving schools and beach restaurants with cocktails and barbecues at sunset. Some of the latter work until late at night.
Beach restaurants. Photo credit: eric molina, Flickr
Beach volleyball. Photo credit: pethamguy, Flickr
Restaurant on the beach. Photo credit: Christian Fusi, Flickr
Photo credit: Koji Kominami, Flickr
About the beach
Along the beach on the road side there are shops, restaurants, pharmacies and ATMs. By the way, in small Thai restaurants located along the road you can eat a little cheaper than on the beach itself. The cost of main dishes here starts from 50 baht, on the beach - from 100 baht.
The main infrastructure of the island is approximately 20 minutes away, in Thong Sala. You can take a car to the Thong Sala pier at the hotel or along the road, near 7-Eleven (an international chain of small shops).
There is not much walking around the beach, because... everything is completely covered with greenery, but if you wish, you can ride a bike to the neighboring beaches, go to the Thong Sala night market or to the famous Full Moon Party in the southern part of the island (taxi can be ordered from the hotel).
Among the attractions nearby are the Wang Sai waterfall and Laem Son lake, where you can have a picnic, but it is better to avoid swimming - its bottom is dotted with dense plants in which it is easy to get entangled. Wat Phu Khao Noi Temple near Thong Sala Pier or the Chinese Temple just past the Chaloklum diving village. Mae Haad Beach is the best snorkeling spot on the island and the small idyllic beaches of Malibu and Haad Khom. See more about Koh Phangan.
The road above Had Yao Beach. Photo credit: Alexis Padilla, Flickr
Beach Features
The soft white sand literally blends into the turquoise water, making it a great place for swimming. Haad Yao Beach has high and low tides. At the same time, they are not critical and also facilitate recreation with children in shallow water. During low tides, little ones can play on the shore in complete safety.
Haad Yao Beach. Photo credit: Caffeinehit, Flickr
Low tides on Haad Yao during low tide season. Photo credit: Jurgen Menu, Flickr
Baby on the beach. Photo credit: Katya Stavitskaya, Flickr
400 meters from the beach there is a coral reef with lots of colorful life, making it an excellent place for snorkeling. The strip of beach on the south side is quite wide, while closer to the north the sand narrows so that during high tides the water rises to the foot of the restaurants.
Haad Yao Beach. Photo credit: Ursel Ramsch, Flickr
Haad Yao Beach. Photo credit: Samantha Rodrigues, Flickr
Where to live on Haad Yao Beach
Haad Yao Beach belongs to the category of beaches where it is better to book accommodation in advance, especially during high season.
Traditional Thai bungalows on the beach. Photo credit: James Evans, Flickr
View of the beach from the hotel. Photo credit: TNP Life, Flickr
How to get to the beach
Haad Yao Beach is located in the northwestern part. From the port of Thong Sala you can get there in 15-20 minutes by songthaew (pick-up trucks), taxi or motorbike. The beach is connected to all the western beaches and the diving village of Chaloklum by a large, good road, along which regular songthaews operate. Remote beaches on the east coast can be reached by taxi boats.
Sometimes it is also sometimes called Long Beach. This beach, about a kilometer long, quite wide, with fine white sand, is considered one of the most beautiful beaches on Koh Phangan. Near the shore there are picturesque palm trees, coniferous and deciduous trees, which create a pleasant shade for relaxation.
Haad Yao Beach has very fine white sand and clear turquoise sea. But there are noticeable low tides in the sea, of course the low tides are not as bad as on the beaches in the southwest of the island, but still it’s not very comfortable to swim in the sea in the evening. Not far from the shore there is a reef where you can snorkel and look at the fish and corals.
On the shore on the beach Haad Yao(Haad Yao) there are no local settlements, but only hotels and bungalows for every taste and budget. We lived at the very beginning of Haad Yao beach (if you come from the Thong Sala port) in a hotel. There is a normal road from Thong Sala port to the hotel, travel time is 15-20 minutes.
The beach on this side of Haad Yao is wide and there is room for playing football or volleyball. But towards the end of the bay, near the cape, a lot of algae was noticed, which is why swimming in this place was not very comfortable.
On the opposite side of the beach, the beach strip is narrower and in the morning, at high tide, the water reaches almost to the hotel restaurants.
There are restaurants and bars on the beach that offer Thai and European dishes.
Very nice bar on the beach - Vaga Bar 
Vaga Bar in the evening In the evening, closer to sunset, many restaurants set up tables on the sand and people gather to first drink a cocktail and watch the sunset, and then try BBQ or other delicious dishes.
Evening gatherings on the beach with a cocktail 
My favorite Thai cocktail is Mai Tai :) In the evening, all bars are beautifully illuminated and many host fakir shows.
Haad Yao is located in the west of Koh Phangan and offers stunning sunsets.
On Haad Yao beach there are many salons with Thai massage for 300 baht (I can’t say anything about the quality of the massage - they didn’t do massage there, as there was always no time) and, for some reason, many shops for tailoring suits!!! We haven’t seen this on the beach for a long time 😎
There is a rocking chair on Haad Yao Beach that is so nice to ride on 😎
A little further, on the road parallel to the beach, there is a 7 eleven store, which opened in 2011. You can buy water, coffee, nuts, chocolate, wine and other small items there. Prices at this 7 eleven are cheaper than on the beach, but more expensive than at . And what surprised me was that there were queues at 7 eleven! This is the first time I've seen this!
Near 7 eleven in the evening they bake and sell delicious Thai pancakes. And here is the fruit market on the beach Haad Yao was not noticed. But we didn’t really look, because we specifically went to the market in Tong Sala and to Tesco Lotus for fruit and water.
There are many houses for rent in the Haad Yao Beach area. As we understand, many winterers from Russia also live in this place 😎
Here are some offers for houses for rent on the island of Koh Phangan - there are phone numbers in the photo, you can call and find out the rental conditions and book your house:
Contingent on the beach Haad Yao different from the contingent on Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach. If a more respectable public relaxes on Tong Nai Pan Yai beach, then on Haad Yao beach there are more young people and more informal people, and there are a lot of families with children and many Russians. We haven't heard so much Russian speech since...
If we compare the two beaches where we lived on the island of Koh Phangan, I liked the beach more than Haad Yai beach. Firstly, because of the contingent living on the beach, and secondly, because Haad Yai is somehow less well maintained, the beach is less well cleaned, and the cafes are not so nice 😎 . And there are much more people on Haad Yao beach.
Although for those who need at least a minimal party and the ability to easily get to the largest town on Koh Phangan - Thong Sala, Tesco Lotus, the market, other attractions and beaches of Koh Phangan, I recommend the beach for accommodation Haad Yao.
