Koh Phangan:
Koh Phangan is world-renowned for its monthly Full Moon Party. A few days every single month, the island witnesses some 30,000 people cramming onto Haad Rin Beach looking to party their absolute minds out. And look, if you just can’t wait for the big kahuna, they also throw Half Moon and Black Moon parties to let you loose. It doesn’t matter what week it is in the lunar cycle—there is always a wild party raging somewhere on this island.
Now, Barbie and I would have been front and center at this over-the-top Full Moon festival back in our prime. But these days, as aging nomads, we were perfectly content hanging out on a much more mellow, secluded part of Koh Phangan, simply sitting back and watching the world go by.
From Bamboo Huts to 5-Star Flashpacking
You really don’t need much to be happy when you’re living on these islands in the Gulf of Thailand. A simple bamboo hut perched on top of a hill overlooking the sea is all you really need to find paradise.
However, if a rustic shack with limited electricity is definitely not your thing, don’t worry—you can easily splash out and find gorgeous five-star resorts and luxury rental villas where you will feel like the king of the island. Whereas these islands used to be exclusively backpacker beach havens back in the day, the Thai islands now beautifully cater to all styles of travelers. It’s a flashpacker’s paradise.
Koh Phangan has an endless array of accommodation options scattered across many different secluded bays surrounding the island. The ultimate key to success here is selecting the right bay to base yourself. The beaches are by no means equal, and the extreme tropical tides can significantly affect the quality of the sand and water throughout the day.
Being the nice guy that I am, I’m going to point you in the exact right direction. If you want a first-rate beach with perfect sand, the bay to choose is Ao Thong Nai Pan, located on the northeast part of the island.
We pulled the trigger on the Buri Rasa Resort, and it proved to be a fantastic choice. The resort sits on an awesome stretch of beach and is attached to a relaxed, bohemian-style village. It’s the perfect setup because you can easily venture out to eat at one of the many locally owned, laid-back outdoor restaurants for a change of pace from the resort menus.
The setup at Buri Rasa was good—easily one of the highlight beach destinations of our entire trip. In fact, it was such a good setup that we didn’t even bother to venture out and explore the other beaches on the island. My thinking was simple: nothing could possibly beat Ao Thong Nai Pan. That said, next time we visit (and we will most definitely will) this island, we will definitely explore other areas, as I’ve been told there are some equally impressive hidden beach coves waiting to be discovered. We did not have a rental car on the island and absolutely did not need one because we isolated ourselves to the Ao Thong Nail Pan cove. However, a rental car is an absolute must in order to access all the other killer beaches on this island.
The Casual Island Lifestyle
What I really love about all of the Thai islands—at least the ones that haven’t become completely ruined by overdevelopment—is that they possess such a deeply relaxed, casual atmosphere. You don’t need any fancy clothes whatsoever. Board shorts, flip-flops, and a beach towel will be your daily uniform.
The ocean water is crystal clear, the sunsets are world-class, the beach massages are a flat-out steal at only $10 per hour, and the fresh, grilled seafood whipped up right on the sand is just so incredibly tasty.
Koh Phangan is a phenomenal island to kick back and simply enjoy a slower beach scene. The island is much less built up and moves at a significantly slower pace than its neighboring island, Koh Samui. In my opinion, it boasts much better beaches, too. Being only a brief 45-minute speedboat ride away from Samui, Koh Phangan is a completely logical island stopover to combine with Koh Tao when you are visiting the Gulf of Thailand.
🍽️ Island Culinary Rotation
- Buri Rasa Beach Cafe: Elite beachfront dining right on the sand.
- Hacienda Happy Days & Jip Shop: Fantastic local spots in the village for authentic, laid-back Thai food.
LOOSE STOOLS INDEX: A Perfect 10
So, how exactly did Big Doug achieve a perfect 10 stool rating in Koh Phangan? It marks the very first perfect 10 rating of this entire round-the-world trip!
Now, I will be completely straight up with you: some cheating was definitely involved. I happened to be on the tail end of my very first antibiotic regimen of this trip, which I originally began back in Koh Samui.
The flu kicked both of our asses, big time, while we were traveling through Laos, and it miserably lingered right through our first stay in Samui. To prevent our continuous, hacking coughing from turning into a full-blown respiratory infection, the local doctor put us both on antibiotics.
I am obviously not a medical doctor, so I am not entirely sure of the scientific reason why, but being on those antibiotics completely cleansed my pipes. As a direct result of that medication, I temporarily turned into the most efficient, well-oiled pooing machine on the planet. The stools were an absolute work of art. It was pure, unadulterated bliss.
Thru the Binocs
Traveling full-time with my lovely companion, Barbie, and literally spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week living and breathing as one on this road trip, sure has its beautiful moments. However, I have noticed through the binoculars that there are exactly two times per month—specifically during the Full Moon and during PMS—that my sweet little girlfriend, at times, transforms into a fire-breathing demon. When that happens, she is fully capable of unleashing an absolute tsunami of bitchery.
The only known way to kill this demon and survive the storm, you ask? A pint of super fudge chocolate ice cream coupled with a very healthy, disciplined dose of keeping my damn mouth shut. Works every single time.
Big Doug & Barbie Drop Out of Society 