Beaches of Koh Phangan. Our reviews and summary of the East Coast
Prices on the page are as of September 2018.
Search for flights to Koh Samui (closest airport to Thon Nai Pan)
Thon Nai Pan Hotels
In Ton Nai Pan Bay there is accommodation for every taste and budget: if Ton Nai Pan Noi mainly has luxury hotels with all amenities, then its neighbor Ton Nai Pan Yai offers budget hotels and guesthouses, in including for those who decided to stay on the island for a long time.
Beaches of Thon Nai Pan
The beaches are a 15-minute walk from each other.
Thon Nai Pan Noi beach, which is half the size of its neighbor, is considered more picturesque: the sea here is deeper and there are more bright colorful fish. You can go surfing, kayaking, beach volleyball or trekking. The nearby village of the same name has some nice bars and restaurants.
Ton Nai Pan Yai Beach is longer, the resorts here are more “stretched” along the coast and there is no village on the shore - therefore this beach is considered calmer and quieter. But there are many trails for hiking through the mountains and to waterfalls, as well as a decent selection of rocks suitable for experienced climbers.
We were there for only a few hours, but I liked it so much that as soon as we left for the neighboring equally beautiful beach, I immediately wanted to go back :)
And I walked along this beach with a camera for almost an hour, I couldn’t stop taking pictures :)
Why did I like this beach so much, and why, in my opinion, is it one of the best beaches on Koh Phangan?
1) Pure transparent water and amazing color combinations.
2) The gentle entrance to the sea is ideal for children.
3) Small waves, at least there were on the day of our trip to this beach. But if you go to the right (if you look at the sea) part of the beach, closer to the rocks, then there are almost no waves there. 
4) Nice picturesque boulders on the right side of the beach when looking at the sea.
5) There are really very few people on the beach, it seems to me that if you come there out of season, you can be there in almost splendid isolation :)
6) There are many fewer boats on the beach than on the neighboring beach.
Disadvantages of the beach.
1) They don’t show sunsets here :) But they show sunrises, but that’s not relevant to me yet :)
2) There are practically no budget hotels here. On booking.com. There is only 1 such hotel. And the reviews on it are quite contradictory.
3) This beach is not easy to get to, especially on bikes that are so popular in Thailand, but this is rather a plus, since as a result there are few people there :)
Well, as a small summary of the above - a short video from this beach
How to get to Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach?
The beach is located in the northeast of the island, in a neighboring bay with Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach. As I already wrote in the article about the neighboring twin beach, it is better to go to this beach by car, or ask your hotel to organize a transfer for you (that is, meet you and take you to the place).
But when the road is finally completed, it will be quite possible to ride a bike. From Thong Sala Pier, the journey takes approximately 30 minutes. You can even get to this beach by sea. It is also very easy to get from Thong Nai Pan Yai to Thong Nai Pan Noi - the distance there is about 1.5 km. Since we were with a baby and without a stroller, we took a taxi (for 100 baht), otherwise we would have walked :) The length of the beach is about 1 km.
Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach is a neighbor of the same beauty on the northwestern coast of Koh Phangan. A small, beautiful beach, with deep sea and far from the main tourist trails. Nai Pan Noi instantly sinks into your soul and leaves no chance for negativity - you will love it.
It has a light but decent tourist infrastructure, and is located at the end of a new, cool highway that runs through the mountainous middle of the island. There are a lot of options for placement and everything you need is at hand, albeit on a miniature scale. Also, the cheapest boats go from here to the paradise of introverts - (200 baht per person).
Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach stretches 600 meters along the shore of a bay, bordered at the edges by steep cliffs and piles of boulders. It is not possible to get to Nai Pan Noi along the sea from another beach, only from the shore, only along a rather difficult road.
Therefore, the beach should be considered either as a permanent place of residence and recreation, or for a one-time swim. It will be difficult and dangerous to travel here every day.
There is a hotel on the left near Cape Pak Chong.
And on the right, on the top of Cape Klang, which separates the twin beaches, is built. The rocks on which Panviman stands are separated from the rest of the beach by a small river that does not dry out even during the hot season.
The beach itself is quite wide, at high tide - about 15 meters on average, and with low tide it reaches 30-40 meters of clean, coarse and loose sand with a yellowish tint.
Entering the water, depth and waves
The slope of the coast at Thong Nai Pan Noi is quite steep, but not extreme. In general, after all these shallow, flat-bottomed beaches that are continuous on the west coast, on Pan Noi you want to run and shout: “Here it is, here it is, the fish of my dreams!”
Taking into account the fact that the beach is very small, and the shore is divided between a dozen resorts that lick it from the very morning, Pan Nai can be called a classic beach holiday. A clean shore, uniform width along the entire beach, entry into the water without stones or irregularities, shoulder-deep depth ten meters from the shore - what more could you wish for on vacation?
Sunbeds and shade
To complete the experience, you need a sun lounger in the shade. There are sun loungers on Ao Nai Pan Noi. A lot of. Everywhere. True, they belong to resorts, but no one canceled ordering a cocktail in exchange for the privilege of lounging around like a white man. The shadow on the beach is mainly from trees, there are many of them, they are everywhere.
Plus, Nai Pan Noi is located on the east coast, which means the relatively hot start of the day will be compensated by increasing shade in the afternoon. This is very important if you remember that when the tide goes out, the water goes away, which means the shadow remains close to the sea all the time.
Beach photo
On the left, the beach also abuts the cape. Behind, on the sand, there is an improvised fence of a neighboring resort.
If you look at the sea, the view is perfect, the sand illuminates the water.
Each resort has its own sun loungers. The shore is a little washed out by the waves, but I was here during the rainy season, so it's normal.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure of a small beach for tourists. Roughly speaking, all amenities are located within 200 meters from the sea, behind the first line occupied by the resorts.
In addition to two mini-markets, on the streets of Thong Nai Pan Noi there are tourist and rental offices, laundries, cafes, bars, restaurants and massage parlors. There are also several ATMs from different banks installed here, and there are even city telephone lines. In fact, everything you might need in two weeks of rest.
Houses and hotels on the beach
The most trump cards of them, in addition to those already mentioned, are:
Be sure (and I insist) to check for discounts or special offers on a great service. It will quickly and easily show you discounts in all existing booking systems. In Asia, for example, there are a lot of offers on Agoda.com, which are much more interesting than for exactly the same hotels on Booking.com.
How to find the beach
But here you will need a taxi driver or navigator. From Tong Sala you have to go to the right, along the southern coast, until the exit to the new highway, which you can find with your eyes by following the signs, but it’s easy to get lost in the Phangan intricacy of turns. I marked the required exit on the map, then you will have to drive along a new and good highway.
However, it is worth knowing that the track is replete with turns and changes, so careless driving is fraught with falls - before my eyes, the guys fell apart because of the sand in the turn.
You will have to drive for a long time, past the deer statue, past the roundabout and the stela with balls, before turning onto the concrete road to Thong Nai Pan Noi (also on the map). Drive to the Panviman Hotel barrier, then left and to the end. At the end there will be a large parking area shaded by trees.
Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi shines through ahead. The most convenient passage to the sea in this place.
Thong Nai Pan Noi. Photo credit: Kyle, Flickr
In Thailand, by the way, you can often find names with the same root and endings Yai and Noi, Yai means big, Noi means small. The ending in the name of the bay beach speaks for itself: Yai is a larger beach, Noi is a smaller one. But despite his size, Noah is much more developed than his big brother.
About the beaches of the bay
The beaches of Thong Nai Pan Bay are very picturesque; many agree that these are the most beautiful beaches on the island. In this part the sun rises and meeting the sunrise on the beach is a mandatory point of the program). The format of relaxation here is relaxation, relaxation and relaxation again - it is very calm, quiet and lazy here.
View of Tong Nai Pan Yai. Photo credit: Fabio Achilli, Flickr
You can swim all year round; in this part of the coast there are no problems with tides. Transparent turquoise water, gentle entrance to the sea, pleasant fine sand on the beach. There are cafes and small restaurants along both beaches. Massage loungers are located in the shade on the beaches. At both beaches you can rent a kayak and walk along the bay.
Beach restaurant on Thong Nai Pan Noi. Photo credit: The muggers, Flickr
For entertainment outside the beaches, there can be walks along the path between the latter (about 15 minutes), as well as a hike to the Thaan Prawet waterfall, located in the mountains, again between two beaches. View points with stunning views (especially at dawn) are located north of Noi TNP and south of Yai TNP. On both beaches you can rent a motorbike or a boat and go to neighboring, no less remote beaches - Bottle Beach to the north of the bay and the beaches of Thaan Sadet National Park, where the most picturesque waterfalls of the island are located.
There are villages near both beaches. The village near TNP Noi is smaller; near TNP Yai is the largest village in the region.
Housing format in Thong Nai Pan Bay
Thong Nai Pan Noi is more developed, with a special semi-bohemian atmosphere. There are several small boutique hotels and nice hotels, and budget accommodation includes inexpensive bungalows. In the farthest northern part of the island is the absolutely magnificent Santhiya Resort & SPA - perhaps the best spa hotel on the island.
Tong Nai Pan Yai is more democratic. The housing format here is mid-price and budget beach bungalows with a very good price-quality ratio. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed.
In Thong Nai Pan Bay. Photo credit: Foex, Flickr
How to get to Thong Nai Pan Bay
From the main pier of Koh Phangan (see main article) songthaews - route pick-ups - run to the bay. Price is about 300 TBH per person.
There is only one road leading to the bay, laid through the jungle (this, in fact, is the biggest charm of the bay). The road starts in the Baan Tai area. Therefore, when planning a trip, take into account the time, weather and your own strength - from the main road to the bay it takes about 40-50 minutes by motorbike. Most of the road is serpentine, in some places it is a dirt road. Avoid traveling in the evening and in bad weather.
By boat (boat taxi) the beaches of Thong Nai Pan Bay can be reached from Haad Rin, Chaloklum beaches, as well as from neighboring small beaches.
Find out more about Koh Phangan
Read in the Guide about everything you need to plan an independent trip to Koh Phangan -.
The beach is located in the most beautiful bay in the northeast of Koh Phangan. The beach is divided into two parts by a high cliff; there is a beach in the northern bay Thong Nai Pan Noi , on which there are mainly expensive luxury hotels, in another bay, which is crescent-shaped, there is a beach on which there are cheaper hotels. The beaches are surrounded by high mountains, densely covered with tropical vegetation.
A significant advantage of the beaches of Thong Nao Pan is that you can swim there at any time of the year. The ebb and flow of the tides are almost unnoticeable here. Whereas on other beaches, especially in the west of Koh Phangan, there can be significant problems with the sea: sometimes the sea goes so far that swimming becomes completely impossible.
On the beach Thong Nai Pan Noi there is a village of the same name and several good bars and restaurants. The sand on this beach is not as white and fine as on neighboring Tong Nai Pan Yai, but larger and beige.
The sea here is deeper and when there was calm on Thong Nai Pan Yai beach, there were waves on Thong Nai Pan Noi beach. We stopped by this beach the day we rode along the northeastern side of the island on a bike. We didn’t swim, we just stopped by to see the beach, because our main goal was to get to
On the cliff that separates these two beaches, one of the most expensive hotels on the island is located - the Panviman Koh Phangan Hotel. The hotel offers panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand and the bay. Also on this mountain there is an observation deck (Viw point), which is indicated on all tourist maps of Koh Phangan. But we never found the road to get there.
Thong Nai Beach Pan Yai
The beach is longer and more flat than its twin neighbor. There is no village on the shore, so this beach is even quieter and more deserted than the neighboring beach.
Thong Nai Yai Beach You can get to these beaches along one road that goes through the mountains. From the port of Thong Sala, where we traveled for about 40 minutes by sorengo (minibus). You have to ride your bike very carefully on this road. We managed to fall off the bike just on this road, although before that we had traveled to Samui for more than two months without any problems at all. During the season, you can sail to this beach and take boats from Koh Samui, which depart from the center. Keep in mind that the boat is small and floats for about 2 hours - it can get very seasick.
Many tourists are hesitant to go to the beaches of Thong Nai Pan because they are scared of the road to them. Once upon a time, in 2008, a dirt road led to these beaches, which was severely washed out during the rainy season. Now the whole road is normal asphalt. But still, I advise you to drive very carefully.
This is the road you can take to get to Thong Nai Pan Beach:
On the way to the beaches of Thong Nai Pan we pass the elephant riding area, and then we drive on asphalt 
On the road from Thong Sal to the beaches of Thong Nai Pan Then an excellent asphalt road with good markings begins. But serpentines!
Excellent stretch of road to Thong Nai Pan Beach 
Road to the beach 
A mountain road through the jungle leads to Thong Nai Pan Beach For three days we stayed at the Dreamland Resort on Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach. I already wrote, . We really, really liked this beach :) Finally, I saw the color of the sea, in which I want to swim and not get out of the water, because for some reason there was nothing like it. Thong Nai Pan Yai beach has very fine white sand and a gentle entrance to the sea.
Fine white sand on Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach 
After lunch the tides were low, but it was still comfortable to swim. The water is very clear and warm.
Low tides at Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach 
There are no merchants walking along the beach or offering anything (this is a plus!). You can get a massage on the beach, but there are not many massage parlors. Here is a massage in our hotel (to the right of the restaurant), Thai massage - 300 baht, I did it, I liked it.
Massage at Dreamlend Resort You can rent a kayak (we wanted to, but were lazy) and swim to the nearby Thong Nai Pan Noi beach. You can go diving or boating on the nearby beaches. All this can be organized at any hotel.
There are about 11 hotels along the coast, each with a restaurant and bar, which is a pleasure to visit both during the day and in the evening.
Fire show near this bar in the evening 
The beach is very quiet, there are few people, mostly foreigners, families with children. Although Koh Phangan is considered an island where people come to hang out at the Full Moon Party, we have not met such a crowd of people on Tong Nai Pan Yai beach. There are also very few Rassamans, yogis and other people with informal views on this beach :) At 10 pm life comes to a standstill, with only a few bars playing soft music. And this despite the fact that we were on the islands during the Full Moon Party!
There is a central road along the beach, on which there are several tents with tour services: you can order a taxi, rent a boat, rent a bike, take things to the laundry, change money.
Road along the beach with several shops and various tour services 
In the center of this street is a 7-eleven store where you can buy water and other small items. Everything is slightly overpriced. For example, water on Samui at 7-eleven cost 13-15 baht, on Koh Phangan on other beaches - 15-16 baht, on Thong Nai Pan Yai beach - 18-20 baht. And such inflated prices for everything: fruits (there is almost nowhere to buy them; on one layout we saw mangoes for 100 baht per kg (expensive!) and some green bananas. And that’s all).
In the 7 eleven store - buy water and nuts :) Observation deck
If you drive to the end of the road along Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach and climb up the mountain, you will get to the View Point, which offers a beautiful view of two bays. We were at the lookout in gray weather, before the rain, but still the view of the sea and bays is magnificent!
View from view point of Thong Nai Pan Yai beach 
Thong Nai Pan beach and mountains around. The beauty is unreal! 
In the jungle near View Point There are several villas near View Point, so if you want to live here for a long time, no problem.
Villas on the mountain with magnificent views of Thong Nai Pan Beach 
Contacts for those who want to buy or rent one of these villas Conclusion
Beach Thong Nai Pan Yai Suitable for nature lovers, families with children and those who come for a romantic holiday. I don’t know how suitable this beach is for long-term stays, because prices there are more expensive than in other places on Koh Phangan and the Tesco, Big C, and Macro stores are not very close.
For me, this is one of the few beaches in Thailand where I want to return!
Video
Enjoy the video clip of Thong Nai Pan Yai Beach:
