10 Best Beaches On Koh Phangan: Complete Guide With Map 2025
- Kate Colliety
- Mar 19
- 9 min read
During our visit we soon realised Koh Phangan has some of the best beaches in Thailand, therefore we visited nearly all the bays, sandy stretches of golden sand and hidden paradises the island has to offer.
Although small, Koh Phangan is packed with stunning beaches waiting to be discovered. If you don’t have time to visit them all don’t worry! We’ve narrowed it down to our top ten, sharing our personal experiences along the way.
Whether you're searching for the best beaches for swimming, snorkelling, or partying, you’re in the right place. If, like us, you prefer the quieter side of Thailand, you can still find hidden coves with crystal waters perfect for a relaxing day trip or like many you’ve come for the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach we’ve got everything you need to know.
Let’s dive into planning your perfect itinerary for the best beaches in Koh Phangan.
Quick Look At Our Koh Phangan Beach Recommendations:
Best Swimming Beach Koh Phangan: Bottle Beach
Best Snorkelling Beach Koh Phangan: Mae Haad Beach & Haad Khom Beach
Best Party Beach Koh Phangan: Haad Rin or Zen Beach
Best Beach To Stay At: Haad Baan Tai
Best Beach For Sunsets In Koh Phangan: Hin Kong Beach
Contents
Map Of Koh Phangan Beaches
To help with your planning we have created a map of Koh Phangan’s Beaches!
Best Beaches Koh Phangan
I’ve decided to start with our favourite beach and one of the best beaches on Koh Phangan even though it’s a little out of the way at the top of the island.
Haad Khom is a secluded paradise surrounded by towering handland, lush palm trees and often is uncrowded. Not the easiest beach to get to due to the hilly headland some visitors may be put off visiting, however paradise awaits!
Situated in the North of the island, Haad Khom Beach offers a relaxed day out. When we arrived there were only a handful of people sunbathing and we easily found ourselves a spot with a little bit of shade perfect for the midday heat of Thailand.
Being off-the-beaten-track there’s not much here apart from a small cafe, a prime snorkelling reef at high tide and ample space for sunbathing. Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
Situated on the Haad Khom beachfront is the luxury resort Coconut Beach Bungalows which offers a private beach area, infinity pool, fitness centre and comfortable bungalows for couples or families to enjoy their time in Koh Phangan.
Malibu Beach, Koh Phangan can be found in the north of the island and is a beautiful headland with white powdery sand. With the finest sand on the island, a palm tree fringe to provide shade and a small local town, we loved this Thai paradise. Although the water isn’t ideal for swimming due to how shallow it is, we saw a few groups of backpackers playing catch in the waves to cool off.
Malibu Beach is the headland of Chaloklum Beach which is connected to the town with restaurants, cafes and bars. Chaloklum is a quieter area of Thailand filled with beauty, chill vibes and stunning beaches, a must visit if you ask us! Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
Right on the beachfront is Malibu Beach Bungalows, a luxury resort with large balconies and a beautiful outdoor pool. The surrounding area leads over a wooden bridge and to the headland covered in powdery sand with miniature shaped trees, which are unusual but picturesque.
Mae Haad Beach is a Thai tropical paradise on the island of Koh Phangan. While exploring each corner of the island we came across this unique strip of sand, leading to an overgrown island called Ko Ma, that was just asking to be explored.
The beach itself is the epitome of a Thai Beach, soft white sand, calm turquoise waters and stunning marine life, making this a perfect place for a spot of snorkelling.
If you walk over the sand strip to Koh Ma Beach and Island you’ll find a collection of cairns which are stones piled on top of each other making this island look even more mystical than it already did! Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
A beachfront resort that has stunning views across the sea and offers easy access to Ko Ma. The resort offers basic bungalows for people on a budget.
Our favourite Mae Haad Beach accommodation, nestled within a tropical garden centre, these comfortable bungalows are the perfect peaceful retreat. The accommodation is a 1-minute walk away from Mae Haad Beach and 10-minutes from Wangsai Waterfall.
Zen beach is classic Thailand, towering palm trees, white sand and turquoise water greet you as you walk down to the shore. If you choose to visit in the evening, then you have a good chance of seeing one of the most beautiful sunsets on the island, joined by other travellers who have gathered to watch the sun dip below the horizon.
This beach definitely has hippie roots, as the sun sets people will start playing their instruments, dancing and occasionally there will be a fire show put on for you to watch. If you’re looking for a drink on Zen Beach head to Grasshopper Beach Bar where you can also grab some cheap Thai food for dinner.
One thing we should mention is that Zen Beach has a nudist section. Nudism is actually illegal in Thailand, so we were surprised to stumble across this area, however it seemed respectful and quite busy! Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
Next to Zen and Srithanu Beach is Nice Sea Resort. A family run beachfront resort which offers bungalows straight onto the sand and with sea views. It’s perfect for those looking for an affordable yet comfortable stay right on Srithanu Beachfront which is a 5 minute walk from Zen Beach.
Right next to Zen Beach is Srithanu Beach which stretches along the west coast of Koh Phangan and unlike some of the busier beaches, it has a peaceful charm when you arrive. You can enjoy bathing in the shallow water, lounging under palm trees or catching a golden sunset over the Gulf of Thailand.
The beachfront of Srithanu isn’t packed with bars but you can find a handful of cafes and resorts where you can grab a smoothie or Thai meal while enjoying the sea views. Some of the most popular places to eat are Pure Vegen Heaven, Koh Raham and Srithanu Kitchen. Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
Set in a lush mangrove forest near the beach, Srithanu Mangrove villa offers a serene escape surrounded by nature. It’s ideal for travellers looking for a quiet retreat while still being close to the cafes and yoga centers in Srithanu.
Haad Rin - Full Moon Party Beach
Haad Rin is arguably the most famous beach in Koh Phangan and the best party beach on the island, as it is home to the Full Moon party.
During the days around the full moon, hoards of backpackers arrive here making the beach crowded but lively and full of people wanting to party. If you want to experience the open air club vibe on the beach we recommend you book your accommodation in advance as it gets super busy.
If you’re not visiting at full moon Haad Rin still keeps the party going with its many beachfront bars open to travellers and backpackers looking to have a good time.
Personally, this wasn’t our favourite beach due to large crowds & rubbish. There are plenty of nicer, more beautiful beaches on the island waiting to be explored however we had to include it on our list of best beaches Koh Phangan due to the infamous status and epic party nightlife. Location 📌
Hin Kong Beach on Koh Phangan is a long stretch of golden sand that runs parallel to the main tourist road, however the bay is often uncrowded and a perfect spot to explore the unique sandbank or watch the sunset.
Although swimming here isn’t great due to the shallow waters you can opt to hire a kayak or paddle board to enjoy the ocean.
We loved our time at Hin Kong Beach as we were the only people here! This is a great beach on Koh Phangan to visit on the way or way back from some beaches further north. Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
Castaway Beach Bungalows - Beach Front Resort
At Castaway Beach Bungalows you can step out of your accommodation and onto Hin Kong Beach, you can fall asleep while watching the sunsets and enjoy a rustic wooden bungalow which is perfect for a quiet getaway. This is a basic beachfront stay that we love the look of.
On the southern fringe of Koh Phangan you can find Haad Baan Tai Beach and Pier. During our time on the island, we visited this beach many times due to the stunning sunsets, peaceful vibe and long stretch of sand perfect for an evening stroll after dining in town.
The long-stretching beach of Baan Tai faces the larger Koh Sumui and has golden sand, calm water in peak season and perfect kiteboarding conditions during the rainy season. Due to the shallow water the conditions are not ideal for swimming however we managed to cool-off with an evening dip when the tide was high. Location 📌
Where To Stay Nearby?
If you’re backpacking like us, See Sea Backpackers is a budget-friendly and social hostel. Only 80m from the beach, close to our favourite restaurant Mama Tai and with air-conditioning we think this would be the perfect stop for solo travellers or couples on a budget.
Salad Beach - Best Beach For Relaxing
Salad Beach has become one of the most popular spots and is among the best beaches Koh Phangan has to offer.
The long stretching white sand is protected by large headlands meaning this bay has calm tropical water that’s perfect to swim, paddle board or snorkel in. Be aware that the water has a lot of ‘salad’... well seaweed but don’t let this put you off. On the beach there are plenty of palm trees providing shade and when we visited we enjoyed lunch with a gorgeous view over the bay. This beach is gorgeous and definitely one of the best beaches in Koh Phangan. Location 📌
Bottle Beach - Most Secluded Beach
Our final beach is the hardest to get too… but hey, isn’t that part of the adventure? Bottle Beach is found on the North East of Koh Phangan and has a sketchy unpaved road to its entrance. You could opt to walk or get a boat taxi from Chaloklum to the small, picturesque bay.
With sand to rival Malibu Beach, tall palm trees and clear water perhaps we have left the best beach in Koh Phangan till last!
Although the beach is the hardest to get to, you can still rent a sunbed or grab a drink in the beachfront bar. This would be the perfect beach to spent all day as it’s one of the best swimming beaches in koh phangan. Location 📌
So… What Is The Best Beach On Koh Phangan?
As there are so many beaches on Koh Phangan, your favourite will depend on what you’re looking for.
For us our favourite beach was Haad Khom, it was secluded away from the crowds, had silky, soft sand and had the perfect swimming conditions when we arrived.
Best Snorkelling Beach Koh Phangan
For the best marine life head to Mae Haad (Koh Ma), Salad Beach or Haad Khom. Often to reach the coral reefs you’ll need to swim out a little further and it will need to be the right tide. Koh Phangan has two tides a day and they are also seasonal. High Tide Season is between December and March allowing for easier access to the reefs. At Low Tide Season the water is too shallow on some beaches to reach the reef.
Best Swimming Beach Koh Phangan
Swimming can be tricky on Koh Phangan if you arrive at low tide. However, we loved swimming at Haad Khom, Salad Beach and when the tide was in Baan Tai.
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