Koh Phangan is just north of Koh Samui - 20 minutes by Catamaran boat. The media portrays Koh Phangan as purely a Full Moon party island but in actual fact there are numerous resorts and fantastic beaches away from Haad Rin on the South. It covers an area of 168 square kilometres and Haad Rin the scene of the large paries is only a couple of square miles - so there is a lot more to see. For example moving North from the port of Thongsala along the West Coast are beaches such as Haad Yao and Haad Son that offer excellent entertainment and views. Mae Haad beach is simply stunning.
Moving south from Thongsala are beaches such as Baan Kai and Baan Tai with amazing views of Koh Samui in the near distance. When the lightening storms highlight the bigger island it is amazing. The Eastern side of the island is more remote and the roads to reach it are hard but upon reaching your final destination there are beauties to behold. For example Thong Nai Pan Noi has been listed as one the most beautiful beaches in Asia. Than Sadet has an amazing waterfall that was visited by a past King of Thailand and has his initials burned into the rocks.
One of the quieter spots on the island is Chalok Lam Bay in the north of the island about 15 minutes from the port of Thongsala and 30 minutes from the party town of Haad Rin. Many people choose to party hard in the south and then relax in the less developed north. Chalok Lam Bay is an area of natural beauty - very calm, tranquil and under developed. The village peole are very calm and welcoming. The fish is caught locally and is very fresh and cheap.
The first time that I visited Koh Phangan was in 1994 and I stayed in Haaad Rin for 2 weeks. In those days the place really was like a desert island. The road to the headland was just mud and sand - a windy stretech that weaved upwards, sidewards and downwards. All the roads in Haad Rin were from red earth and you really felt remote. Very few vehicles came in and out of the place as the road was very dangerous. The raods have now been concereted and there are taxi ranks to take people in and out of the place.
Koh Phangan as a whole is being developed now with higher class hotels appearing every year, but it is still more relaxed than Koh Samui or Phuket. Best things to do include a diving or a snorkeling trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park, visit to Bottle Beach, a trip to one of the temple (early in the morning to witness the ceremonies), lay on the beach or hike to one of the waterfalls.
The island is best viewed by Motorbike in my opinion and the views as you drive around are just amazing, the wind in your hair and sun in your face make you feel great. Drive carfully as there are quite a lot of bends and there is sand over the road that blows in from the coast reducing traction. It takes just 25 minutes through the longer coast road to reach Chalk Lam from Thongsala by bike and about 25-20 minutes through the center of the island route (as I write this is being rebuilt). From Thongsala to Haad Rin is about 20 minutes although I would be vary wary of doing the last stretch by bike - only experienced bikers as the windy road in my experience is very dangerous for bikes and much safer for cars.
The Catamaran docks on Koh Samui at Mae Haad beach on the North of Koh Samui - just 10 minutes from the international airport. Koh Phangan is easy to get to. Alternatively fly to Surat Thani and then catch connecting bus and ferry. Surat Thani is an intersting place - no beaches. Very few tourists stay there and not many people speak English. The restaurants are many - try down by the riverside by crossing one of the bridges and then choosing a restaurant. In the evening there are also quite a few places with Live music or karaoke which is quite amusing.
So whether you are partying hard or just chilling out Koh Phangan has much to offer all.
