how to get to Ko Phangan

Introduction
First of all, welcome and have fun surfing on our web page about ko phangan. You will see many different spelling of the Thai names. Since I'm from switzerland I'm using a simple phonetic translation, as you would say it in "Thai" i'm using the german alphabet for pronunciation, because it fit's better to the spoken language in Thailand. The Thais using their own alphabet, influent by the indian culture and Buddhism.

If you never been on this amazing island, on this web site you will find all requested information to do the trip on your own. Thailand is very easy to travel (and it was all the time before). Actually you need only a small bag and some very few personal items, all the rest can be bought on site here and everywhere. So safe the place for things to take back, rather the carrying stuff with you, you never will use due to the climate here, all year round. You will find any clothes convenient for you, even here on the island. You don't even need a giude book.

Make booking for your trip to Ko Phangan first day when arriving in busy BKK, you may find fully booked trains, plains and buses! Around Fullmoon (high season, Dec - March) it can get difficult to get a bungalow few day's before the monthly event.

But even those can be avoided by using our secure and experienced BOOKING System. You pay the price you would pay here, but you sure you have a bungalow!!

If you are a "newbies" here in Thailand or Asia, use the "info" button (top) for navigation. Don't worry and get a cheap ticket to Bangkok (BKK), reserve your flight early enough. Prepare your travel and if you short of time, take the local "Bangkok Airways" or new "Thai Airways" to Ko Samui and the boat to the island. Everything on site organized for you, just follow the advises of the staff members. They know where you want to go (if you tell them correctly) and bringing you to the appropriate pier. There are several leaving points for the boat's in Samui. Check Time Schedule for all transportation possibilities to Ko Phangan.

Train
A good cheap way is to travel with the train for long distances. 1. class (AC) or 2nd class sleeper (Fan). The trains leave at time and arriving a bit late. But always a connecting bus is waiting for you and even included in the ticket, when buying a so called "joint ticket" at first.

Tickets
Everybody at the Kaosan Road sales those tickets (different liners). This trip is best via Suratthani and boat. Of coarse on any other place in BKK too!

New Route:
By train only until CHUMPON and from there taking the boat to Ko Phangan (stop over on Ko Tao). The times for the train are not very convinient. With the bus it fits better on this route and the bus ride is much shorter, about 6 hours.

Bus
The VIP Buses and the government buses are the cheapest way t travel in Thailand. Only to recommend, when young and finding easy sleep or traveling on budget! If you have time, even after a hard trip you wake up the next day on the beautiful island under palms at the beach, everything about the trip is far away ;-)
It's a good way to save travel expenses.

Beaches (coasts)

choose coast (west, south etc.) go to the beach you want to visit and you will find there some of the bungalows resort. There you can find the map, the pictures, general info's about that particular beach part, resorts name and info, such as email, phone etc. If the resort is able for booking there will be also an booking link to reserve your chosen bungalow, if available for the time preferred. Watch this button below!

Bungalows

if you have any specific bungalows or resort, search under "bungalows", go to the beach and further down the hierarchy until you find your resort (if it is on our web site)

hierarchy is always:

coast
beach
resort or bungalows name
info's
booking

info / Maps

there you can find all specified information about, bus, train, air plain, from bangkok and the "kaosan road" the biggest travel center on the globe, timetables, weather (from ko samui, which is the sister island), local news, links, from ko samui by boat (if you arrive with the "bangkok airways" on ko samui), maps made by myself, goggle info, message board, and guest book ;-)

special

contains all my other stuff related to the web page title (hadrin.com = techno, trance, goa, wellness, holiday, being, finding yourself, yoga, meditation, herbal sauna, retreats, hadrin and the party scene for ravers and globetrotters, plants on the island, marine national park trip (3day), bungalow booking, houses for rent etc. general housing business around had chaopao, had yao, hinkong, wogtum

and special HADRIN / Haadrin / Hat Rin and all the party events and dates, YouTube

language:

english (all available pages)

german (info stuff and special ones, click on the flagg to check, updating constantly, (slow connection)

thai (in progress)

japanese (in progress, coming soon) ko ni che va (click the Japan flag! Maybe you lucky ;-)

and trance ;-) the holy bum bum

FROM THE SOUTH
A good start from the south is PENANG (Malaysia) if you traveling from the south Oz or so ;-)) get your Minibus ticket there!

In Penang you find all the Booking Shops for Koh Phangan and all other Places. With Mini Bus you go to the "Jail like" (malay side) the Border Malasya/Thailand at Pedang Besar in Had Yai you will change the Mini Bus and heading for Suratthani. When you leave early morning in Penang you will catch the evening boat to Koh Phangan. Joint Tickets available!
Price: ca. 600 Baht by Holliday Tours, Suratthani

an easy place is the Swiss Hotel in the Chulia Street 431/F in Georgtown (262 01 33)
- the Waldorf Hotel is good value to!

http://www.penangnet.com/sdmotel/
http://www.penangnet.com/eng-aun/

In Penang look or ask for Jim's Travel at the Chulia Street, to purchase the ticket to Suratthani (Donsak Pier). http://jimsplace-penang.com/ phone Office +6016-6536963, Mobile +6017-4460644, blackangel90@hotmail.com