Best beaches Koh Phangan: our west coast guide
Eight west and north-west beaches we use every week, with drive times from Mira, tide notes and what each one does best.
The short answer: of the best beaches Koh Phangan has to offer, the west coast picks are Haad Yao for swimming, Koh Ma and Haad Son for snorkelling, Hin Kong and Mae Haad for sunset, and Malibu and Chaloklum for families with small children. The one thing to plan around is the tide: the west coast is shallow, so swim near high tide and save low tide for walks and sandbars.
We live and work on the quiet side of the island, in Wok Tum, and these are the eight beaches we actually use, listed in order of how far they are from our villas. Every drive time below is from Mira by scooter or car. After our picks, there is a shorter section on the best beaches elsewhere on Koh Phangan for a day trip, and a comparison table to help you choose.
If you are still deciding where to base yourself, our guide to Koh Phangan's west coast explains how the different villages feel.
Before you go: west coast tides
Koh Phangan's west coast faces the sunset, which is why we love it, but the sea here is shallow and the island has roughly one high and one low tide a day. At low tide some bays turn into wide, rippled flats and you can walk a long way out before the water reaches your knees.
Three practical rules:
- Swim near high tide. Check a tide table (tide-forecast.com covers Ko Pha Ngan) or ask your host the evening before.
- Use low tide for exploring. It is when the Hin Kong sandbank and the Koh Ma sandbar appear.
- Expect the lowest daytime tides in the middle of the year. Locals call the dry summer months "low tide season", while from roughly November to March the higher water tends to fall in daylight. The pattern shifts week to week with the moon, so always check the actual times.
Reef shoes are worth packing. Several of these beaches have rocks, coral rubble or sea urchins near the edges.
Our picks: the best beaches on Koh Phangan's west coast
1. Hin Kong — 2 km, 4 minutes
Hin Kong is our home beach and the one we walk to most evenings. It is a long, quiet bay lined with palms, a few beach bars and restaurants, and very little traffic.
- Best for: sunset, long walks, paddle-boarding, dinner with your feet in the sand.
- Tide note: very shallow, with a sandy and stony bottom. At low tide a long sandbank appears and you can walk far out; swimming is only realistic near high tide, which tends to fall in daylight from about November to March.
- Facilities: beachfront restaurants and bars, including our friends at Romanzo Tropicale (beachfront Italian, cash only), Charlie's and Alcove. Plenty of shade under the palms.
We have put the best tables for the evening light in our guide to sunset spots on Koh Phangan.
2. Srithanu — 4.1 km, 8 minutes
Srithanu is the beach of the island's yoga and wellness village: calm, unhurried, popular with long-stay residents. At the northern end, a short walk around a rocky outcrop at low tide brings you to the stretch nicknamed Zen Beach, where people gather at sunset for music, acro-yoga and fire spinning.
- Best for: a quiet morning, sunset with a social feel, walking.
- Tide note: a strong low tide; in the morning you may walk a few minutes before you reach swimmable water. If you walk round the rocks to Zen Beach, come back before the tide rises.
- Facilities: cafés and healthy restaurants a short walk inland in Srithanu village. Note that nudity is illegal in Thailand, whatever you may see on Zen Beach.
3. Haad Son (Secret Beach) — 5.7 km, 12 minutes
Haad Son is a small, sheltered cove of around 100 metres, framed by a cliff on one side and big granite boulders on the other. It is no longer much of a secret, but it is still one of the prettiest bays on the coast.
- Best for: snorkelling and a swim with a view.
- Snorkelling: the best spot is off the rocks by the Koh Raham restaurant on the cliffside, where coral and fish start almost straight away. Access is free, through Haad Son Resort.
- Tide note: clear water and fine sand; at low tide you need to wade out further to swim.
- Facilities: the resort's restaurant and the cliffside restaurant; limited shade on the sand itself.
4. Haad Yao — 6.9 km, 16 minutes
If we only had one swim in a day, we would drive to Haad Yao. It is a long, even arc of white sand facing due west, with a fringing reef offshore and a gentle slope that holds its depth across more of the tide than the bays further south.
- Best for: swimming, a full beach day, sunset.
- Tide note: perfect around high tide; shallower at low tide, when the deeper channel at the right-hand end (as you face the sea) is your best bet.
- Facilities: the most developed beach on our list, with resorts, restaurants, beach bars and sun loungers along its length. Bubba's Roastery has a café here if you want good coffee before your swim; our breakfast and coffee guide has more.
5. Chaloklum — 9.1 km, 16 minutes
Chaloklum sits in a wide bay on the north coast and still feels like a working fishing village, with longtail boats pulled up on the sand, a pier, dive centres and seafood restaurants facing the water.
- Best for: families, a slow seafood lunch, boat trips.
- Tide note: soft sand and water that stays shallow and calm for a long way out, which small children love.
- Facilities: village shops, restaurants and the pier, which is where longtail boats leave for Bottle Beach (see below).
6. Malibu — 9.8 km, 17 minutes
Malibu is the western end of Chaloklum bay, with some of the whitest sand and clearest water on this part of the coast. The bay is protected, so waves are usually minimal and the sandy seabed is soft underfoot.
- Best for: families with young children, floating, photographs.
- Tide note: shallow; at low tide you will wade some way before it is deep enough to swim, but around high tide it is lovely.
- Facilities: a few beach restaurants and bungalows, and casuarina trees for shade.
7. Mae Haad — 10.3 km, 20 minutes
Mae Haad, at the north-west tip of the island, is one of the most photographed beaches on Koh Phangan, thanks to the sandbar that curves out to the small island of Koh Ma.
- Best for: sunset, the sandbar walk, snorkelling from the shore.
- Tide note: the sandbar to Koh Ma is only exposed at low tide; snorkelling is better at high tide, when there is enough water over the coral.
- Facilities: beach restaurants and bars with hammocks and beanbags, several resorts, and free scooter parking. On the hill above, the viewpoint bar formerly known as Three Sixty (now 420 Club Phangan) looks straight down on the bay.
8. Koh Ma — 10.5 km, 20 minutes
Koh Ma is the little island at the end of the Mae Haad sandbar, and the waters around it are the island's best-known snorkelling spot: coral gardens, parrotfish, butterflyfish and, now and then, small blacktip reef sharks. Several local guides describe it as a no-fishing zone.
- Best for: snorkelling.
- How to do it: walk across at low tide to explore, or swim and snorkel around high tide from Mae Haad. Bring your own mask; never stand on the coral.
- Safety: keep an eye on the tide while you are on the island, and come back across the sandbar well before it covers.
Best beaches Koh Phangan: west coast comparison table
| Beach | From Mira | Swimming | Snorkelling | Sunset | Families | Low-tide note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hin Kong | 2 km · 4 min | High tide only | No | Excellent | Good for walks | Long sandbank appears |
| Srithanu | 4.1 km · 8 min | High tide | No | Very good | Good | Wide flats; walk to Zen Beach |
| Haad Son | 5.7 km · 12 min | Good | Good, off the rocks | Good | Fine | Wade further out |
| Haad Yao | 6.9 km · 16 min | Best on the coast | Reef offshore | Very good | Good | Deeper channel at right-hand end |
| Chaloklum | 9.1 km · 16 min | Calm, shallow | Limited | Fair | Very good | Shallow a long way out |
| Malibu | 9.8 km · 17 min | Good at high tide | Limited | Fair | Very good | Wade some way |
| Mae Haad | 10.3 km · 20 min | Good at high tide | Good | Excellent | Good | Sandbar to Koh Ma opens |
| Koh Ma | 10.5 km · 20 min | Around high tide | Best on the island | Good | Older children | Walk across, return early |
The best beaches on Koh Phangan beyond the west coast
The west coast is the calm, sunset side of the island. For a change of scene, these four are worth a day trip.
Haad Salad
Haad Salad sits between Haad Yao and Mae Haad, so it is barely a detour from our picks. It is a sheltered bay with calm, clear water and a coral reef about 100 metres out, which makes it one of the better snorkelling beaches on the island. Swimming is best at high tide; at low tide it is ideal for small children to paddle.
Thong Nai Pan
On the north-east coast, Thong Nai Pan is a pair of neighbouring bays, Thong Nai Pan Yai and Thong Nai Pan Noi, with a more resort-style feel and a paved road in from the south. Being on the east side, it can see more wind and waves during the north-east monsoon at the end of the year.
Bottle Beach (Haad Khuad)
Bottle Beach is a remote cove on the north coast with no proper road. The easy way in is a longtail boat from Chaloklum pier, about 15 to 30 minutes; fares vary with the season and the number of passengers, so agree the price before you set off. You can also hike in from Haad Khom, or climb the trail to the viewpoint above the bay. The track from Thong Nai Pan is for experienced riders only.
Haad Rin
Haad Rin, on the south-east peninsula, is home to the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Nok (Sunrise Beach). Away from party nights, Haad Rin Nai (Sunset Beach), on the west side of the peninsula, is quieter, with slightly deeper water and views towards Koh Samui. Go for the experience, not the peace.
How to plan a west coast beach day
- Morning: coffee in Srithanu, then Haad Yao or Haad Son while the sea is calm and the sand is cool.
- Midday: lunch in Chaloklum or on Haad Yao; the sun is fierce between about 11:00 and 15:00, so find shade.
- Late afternoon: Mae Haad for the sandbar if the tide is low, or straight back to Hin Kong.
- Evening: sunset on Hin Kong, then dinner close to home; our west coast restaurant guide has the list.
Tides and weather both change with the season. If you are choosing dates, our best time to visit Koh Phangan guide covers the monsoons month by month.
Mira's six private pool villas sit 4 minutes from Hin Kong, which puts all eight of our west coast picks within 20 minutes. When the tide is wrong for swimming, there is always the pool. You can check dates and book directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best beach on Koh Phangan for swimming?
On the west coast, Haad Yao is the most reliable for swimming because it keeps more depth through the tide than the shallow bays further south. Haad Son and Haad Salad are good second choices, ideally at mid to high tide. On the north-east, Thong Nai Pan and Bottle Beach have deeper water.
Can you swim at Hin Kong beach?
Only around high tide. Hin Kong is very shallow, with a sandy and stony bottom, and at low tide the sea pulls back a long way. We treat it as a walking, paddle-boarding and sunset beach rather than a swimming beach.
When can you walk to Koh Ma?
Only at low tide, when the sandbar between Mae Haad and Koh Ma is exposed. Check a tide table before you go, keep an eye on the water while you are on the island, and come back well before the tide turns.
Which Koh Phangan beaches are best for snorkelling?
Koh Ma, reached from Mae Haad, is the best-known snorkelling spot on the island. The rocks at the end of Haad Son and the reef off Haad Salad are also good. Snorkel around high tide, when there is enough water over the coral.
Are Koh Phangan's west coast beaches good for families?
Yes. Malibu, Chaloklum and Srithanu have calm, shallow water that suits small children, and Haad Yao is easy for older children who want to swim. Bring reef shoes for the rockier stretches.
Is Koh Phangan's west coast too shallow at low tide?
Some bays are. Hin Kong and Srithanu in particular become wide flats at low tide, and daytime low tides tend to be lowest in the middle of the year. Plan swims around high tide and use the low tide for walks and sandbars.
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