"A Great little island....C ..." a Ko Phangan Travel Page by LakeFever

The office map of Haadrin on the beach boasts 712 residents.....certainly during the travel season this number swells immensely and places to stay become more scarce....more times than not though, a bungalow can be found somewhere on the island. There are beaches on every stretch of all the coastlines and you can choose to stay on either the sunrise side (east) or the sunset side (on the west).....there is a huge amount of diversity on the island ranging from the all night full moon party to the deserted island chill in a hammock scene.....over the years travel here has increased and peak times can be more challenging in finding the ideal places to stay. Transportation is decent - as the island is fairly small - and taxis are available for 100baht to any direction from the ports. Some of the roads are sketchy so water taxis - or long boats - are a consideration as well. Ive visited Koh Phan on two different occasions - both over Christmas and New Years - and have absolutely loved every minute. You do though, have to be wanting and willing to meet people...put up with a little more noise and people (in some cases)..and have an open mind about the backpacker cliches that are popping up more and more.....you know...like sitting in a restaurant watching the movie The Beach.....95% percent of the place is fantastic! Its why I travel to Thailand. Chock Di!

This is an interesting contrast since I am standing with the ocean and shore behind me, where there is a row of bars and bungalows - beach long - in front of me. This is the beach where the full moon party takes place. Most evenings there is a decent party and vibes going. We enjoy visiting here but only for an evening or two....maybe a couple times while on the island. Taking in a good party night is fun but so too is finding that perfect beach to relax and then relax some more....Haad Rin is a bits nutty but it does have its place in any itinerary to the island. This place seems to bring out the most interesting backpackers Ive seen....a real collection from all around the world. Check out some of the other pics on here of Haad Rin...see if its something for you.

This is a good picture but a sad picture since it was taken from the back of the ferry leaving (Jan 2006)....the clouds reflect the weird weather we had when there....different than previously....although everyday had great sun, it would also rain at some point most days. The first time I visited it was sunny and hot each day with only a couple storms in the evening.
Travel to the island is pretty easy with various boats departing and returning to different locations from Koh Samui and the main land - Surrattanni. You can arrive at the Haad Rin or the Tong Sala ports all the way from BKK in a route that includes - train, bus, boat - 12hrs 1000baht. Alternatively you can fly from BKK to Koh Samui ($60-$75) and then 300 baht ferry.