Oxus Research   Frontier Level Research

Thongsala is the principal town on the Thai island in Koh Phangan. Unlike the neighboring island of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan doesn’t have an airport (and seems unlikely to get one in the future) this means that most people arrive by ferry and disembark at Thongsala. As is commonly the case with port towns in Thailand, most tourists immediately get off the boat and jump in a taxi to take them to a beach. For many the only time they see Thongsala is when they arrive and depart.

This is a shame because Thongsala is an interesting town with plenty of facilities that can make a good base from which to see the rest of the island.

The second biggest town in Koh Phangan is Haad Rin. This is where the world famous Full Moon Party is held. It is a commercialized area full of bars, restaurants, travel agents and hotels. Haad Rin has the most expensive prices for everything and is largely geared towards catering for those who want to party 24 hours a day.

In contrast Thongsala has more of a Thai feel to it. There is a small night market and several cheap roadside restaurants serving authentic Thai food. The road running parallel to the main road is called ‘walking street’. It is also China town. Here there are a few old wooden Chinese style fishermen’s houses still intact, and it is here that you will find the best sea food restaurants.

It is convenient to stay in Thongsala. There is the main post office, banks, DVD rental shops, book stores, travel agents, jeep hire places and the newly opened Tesco Lotus Supermarket. For people intent on self-catering Thongsala has the best variety of foods on offer.

Thongsala also has some good restaurants and bars. There’s the Bangers and Mash pub that has live music every Monday and Thursday night. For western cuisine there’s A’s café and the Food Factory. For Mexican food there’s the Ando Loco on the road out to Ban Tai. On the Hin Kong road there is the Mason’s Arms that is in a mock Tudor style and serves a wide array of imported foreign beers.

Near Thongsala is Koh Phangan’s oldest Temple, Wat Phu Khao Noi. It marks the first settlement of monks on the island more than 600 years ago and has a great view of the area.

Thongsala is the access point for the west coast of Koh Phangan. It is a little explored part of the island. There are the mud flats of Hin Kong that are a haven for wild life at low tide. There is Laem Son, Koh Phangan’s largest lake and a national park. There are also the diving and snorkeling beaches of Haad Yao, Mae Haad and Haad Salad.

Thongsala is also just 10 minutes away from Bantai Village in the south of the island. Bantai has a long stretch of white sand and is famous for holding the Half Moon Party and the Jungle Experience party in the jungle nearby.

And of course, Haad Rin is just 20 minutes away from Thongsala. There are regular taxis between the two towns.

There are several hotels in Thongsala itself to stay in. The best accommodation in Thongsala is just out of town: A’s Beach Place and the Grand Sea Resort. The former offers comfortable air-con beach bungalows; the latter is a big resort with swimming pool and bungalows featuring Thai architecture.

In short, it is a pity that more people don’t stop to explore Thongsala when they get off their ferry. They would surely discover a whole new side to Koh Phangan.

Further research: Thongsala