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Wandering on Koh Phangan is a wonderful way to experience the lush nature of Koh Phangan up close. Amidst a jungle atmosphere, like something you’ve probably only seen in movies, adventurous routes and viewpoints reveal themselves to you.
Hiking on Koh Phangan – The Most Beautiful Trekking Tours
Koh Phangan is ideal for hiking. In this article, we present to you 5 half-day and full-day tours that you can experience as a nature enthusiast. We had a blast on all the hiking trails mentioned below, and most of them were even proper adventures!
How to get to Koh Phangan
The island of Koh Phangan doesn’t have its own airport, which means that a boat trip to reach the island is necessary. With a flight to Koh Samui or Surat Thani you can only bring one leg behind you. Tickets for flights are best found at Skyscanner.
In addition, you can travel by bus or train to Surat Thani, but even there you have to change to a boat at the end. There are several providers to choose from such as Lomprayah, Seatran, Raja Ferry etc. Tickets and connection times can be found on 12go.asia or GetYourGuide.
Accommodation in Koh Phangan – our hotel tip
The bungalows in the Sea Love Beach Bar & Bungalows are rather small, but they and the whole resort area have an absolute feel-good atmosphere! Located directly by the beach, Sea Love offers a beautiful and quiet environment. The village of Ban Tai with many restaurants, shops and a 7-Eleven is only a 5 minutes walk away. There is also a swimming pool and plenty of hammocks, where you can admire the wonderful Koh Phangan sunsets every evening.
For more hotels in Koh Phangan visit this page.
Notes on Safety and Equipment
For all tours, especially 1-4, you should pay attention to some safety instructions. Hiking on Koh Phangan is not always a walk in the park. You must never forget that you are on a tropical island, far away from civilization.
- Rule Number 1: Bring enough water (about 3-4 liters per person)
- Also, pack some small snacks that can provide you with quick energy
- Inform your accommodation or friends in advance about your plans, where you are going, and when you expect to return
- Have a fully charged mobile phone with you (in the jungle, there might be a weak signal)
You should bring a daypack that provides enough space for water and food (and everything else you might need). Hiking boots, or at least sturdy shoes, are essential. On the easier hiking routes or sections, hiking poles can also be useful for you. It’s difficult to find high-quality hiking equipment on Koh Phangan, so it makes sense to acquire such items before your trip. There is a wide selection available online, especially for hiking poles.
By the way: Yes, there are snakes in the wilderness! However, they are usually shy and don’t intend to attack you without reason. As soon as they hear footsteps, they tend to hide and only attack when they are cornered. In the overgrown jungle, it makes sense to occasionally stomp loudly on the ground and make other noises so that they can disappear in time.
1. Hike to Bottle Beach
For this hike on Koh Phangan, you should plan the whole day and start early. It takes you to the idyllic north of the island, where you start from Haad Khom (shortly after Chaloklum) and visit one of Phangan’s most beautiful beaches: Bottle Beach.
This trek starts where the road to Haad Khom ends. If you’re arriving with your own scooter, you’ll first head to Chaloklum and turn right at the main intersection (coming from Thong Sala). You’ll recognize this intersection, by the way, because of the 7-Eleven directly across from it. At the next fork, turn left and follow this road until the end. There’s a parking lot where your hiking adventure begins.
The approximately 2.5-hour trekking covers all possible levels of difficulty. From initial hiking on dirt roads and trails to steep, rooty climbing sections, everything is included. You just need to follow the plastic bottles and tree markers that guide you to Bottle Beach.
We opted for the coastal hiking route and occasionally had beautiful views of the sea. Apparently, there is another, significantly shorter path that goes over the mountain and is slightly steeper. We were told that this route takes only 1.5 to 2 hours.
To return to Haad Khom, you can take a boat from Bottle Beach. Therefore, it is important not to start too late, as you might miss the last boat back.
2. Bottle Beach Viewpoint
On this hike, you will visit one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Koh Phangan! If you are really fit, you can connect it with the previous hiking route from Haad Khom. However, we ourselves did not have the strength to climb this mountain at Bottle Beach after the strenuous trekking. Our advice is, therefore, to book a night in a beach bungalow and enjoy staying right on the dream beach. The next day, you can head to the Bottle Beach Viewpoint early in the morning when it’s not too hot.
The ascent to the viewpoint begins roughly in the middle of the beach behind the bungalows. It only takes 30 minutes, so it’s not quite as strenuous. There are some steep, rooty sections, but overall, it’s manageable. The most challenging part is the final one. There, you have to climb over a massive rock that drops steeply on both sides. Extreme caution is required here!
Your reward will be a view of Bottle Beach and the mountain landscape that is unparalleled. You can find a detailed report about it in our article on Bottle Beach.
3. Koh Phangan Hike to Haad Yuan
The Haad Yuan is also one of the most beautiful beaches on the island for us, making a hike worthwhile in more ways than one. You start in the main tourist town of Haad Rin, where you initially head to Palita Lodge. Shortly after, you will find an unpaved road that runs parallel to the Haad Rin area. Also, keep an eye out for the wooden signs that will guide you. When you reach the starting point of the hike to Haad Yuan, you’ll feel like you’re entering someone’s garden. Don’t worry; this is the right way, and it gets quite steep right from the beginning.
After conquering this challenging part in about 20 minutes, the hike becomes very pleasant, surrounded by nature. To your left and right, you’ll have wilderness, small streams, and the sounds of diverse fauna. After a total of about an hour, you’ll reach a fork in the trail with a marked tree.
For a breathtaking view, be sure to turn right. Shortly afterward, the bays of Haad Yuan and Haad Thian will reveal themselves in the distance. A dream! Enjoy it and take a break before following the arrow on the tree, heading toward Haad Yuan. From this tree, you’ll mostly be hiking downhill until you finally reach the unpaved road from Baan Tai to Haad Yuan.
This route takes approximately 2.5 hours (including the viewpoint), and it’s worth starting early. This way, you can enjoy the rest of the day at the beach and take a taxi boat back to Haad Rin.
4. Koh Phangan Hiking to Khao Ra
Khao Ra, at 627 meters, is the highest point on the tropical island. This hike was one of the most challenging for us on Koh Phangan, but we were rewarded after approximately 2.5 hours with a beautiful view (unfortunately, not 360 degrees). It takes you through dense jungle at times, and it’s not always easy on either of the possible routes. You should plan at least half a day for this and, above all, do not start too late. Also, please pay attention to our safety instructions at the beginning of this article.
We have already provided detailed information about the hike to Khao Ra on our blog. You can find all the essential information there.
5. Easy Hiking: Domesila and Phaeng Waterfall
The ascent to the Domesila Viewpoint at Phaeng Waterfall is considered easy hiking on Koh Phangan. You don’t need to allocate much time for this, 1-2 hours including a stop for swimming at the waterfall are more than enough. It is perfect to combine this hiking route with other destinations on a Koh Phangan scooter tour.
Both highlights are located in the Than Sadet National Park, and Phaeng Waterfall is also signposted on the main road between Thong Sala (the main town) and Chaloklum in the north. On-site, you can park your scooter and then pay a small national park fee of 20 Baht before you embark on your journey.
Along the river, you first come across the small Phaeng Waterfall Noi, which usually doesn’t have much water. A little further ahead, about 5 minutes from the entrance, you’ll reach the large Phaeng Waterfall and a staircase that leads you upwards. On the left side, you’ll find the ascent to the Domesila Viewpoint.
Here, it gets a bit more challenging with flip-flops, so sturdy footwear is definitely better. The well-trodden path leads you higher through tree roots. There are ropes on the side that you can hold on to. The short but demanding ascent to the Domesila Viewpoint in the high humidity of the jungle rewards you in the end with a great view of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.
After descending, you can walk a little further along the path you came on. There, on the right, you will find small access points to the Phaeng Waterfall with natural pools where you can cool off after the ascent to the viewpoint.
Koh Phangan: Tours and Tickets
Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Koh Phangan in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Koh Phangan.
Have you ever been hiking on Koh Phangan? Which hiking trails did you like the most? Write us a comment below.
