Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan are two popular islands in South Thailand, known for their stunning nature attractions and vibrant atmosphere. Koh Phi Phi is located on the Andanman Sea, offering bracketing limestone landscape and fine white sandy crystal beaches and lively party scene.
Koh Phangan is located in the Gulf of Thailand, best known for its Full Moon Party and many wellness centers and yoga retreats.
In this article, I will compare Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan to help you decide which island is best suited for your visit. I visited both islands and explored most parts of these places, so I hope to give you some good information based on my first-hand experiences.
Should you visit Koh Phi Phi or Koh Phangan?
I enjoyed my visit to both Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan. I explored most parts of Koh Phi Phi on foot and rented a scooter to explore most parts of Koh Phangan.
The thing I enjoyed the most in Phi Phi is hiking around the island and hiring a private long tail boat to get to Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh in the early morning.
There are trails connecting most beaches on Koh Phi Phi. At low tide, you can walk along the coast and the jungle from Tonsai Village, to Nui Bay, Loh Lana, Laem Tong, and Chalok Ban Kao Beaches. There are also trails connecting the main village with the northern beaches via viewpoints 1, 2,3.
All beaches on Koh Phi Phi have white fine sand, crystal turquoise water and stunning scenery of the limestone cliffs. They’re perfect for taking photos, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and chilling.
In Koh Phangan, I enjoyed riding a scooter around the island, visiting different beaches, hiking, checking waterfalls, and viewpoints. This island also has some cool night markets, good food.
The beaches on Koh Phangan are not as stunning as Koh Phi Phi but they are great for swimming, and enjoy water activities. The sunset on both islands are magnificent.
Haad Rin is one of the main beaches on Phangan, and is the location of the Full Moon party. To the north coast, you can find quieter beaches for relaxing such as Zen Beach, Srithanu, Mae Haad, Chaloklum, and Thong Nai Beaches.
Both islands have a great nightlife scene, especially in Tonsai village on Koh Phi Phi and Haad Rin on Koh Phangan. Koh Phangan has wider nightlife options as it is a larger island. In addition to the bars and restaurants, there are large night markets in Thong Sala to enjoy the nightlife.
In terms of shopping, Koh Phangan has more hops as well as several local markets. For food, Koh Phangan also has better choices including both Thai, international, and many vegan options.
Both islands have lots of natural attractions and outdoor activities to explore including both the beaches and mountain activities. Koh Phangan has more in terms of cultural attractions, night markets, shops, and food.
I would recommend visiting Koh Phi Phi if you want picture-perfect beaches and dramatic scenery of limestone cliffs. It’s perfect for those who want to explore the Andaman Sea visiting Phuket, Ao Nang, Raily, James Bond island, or Koh lanta.
I recommend staying in Koh Phangan if you want a good mix of natural attractions, beaches, tourist amenities, and activities. You can enjoy the beaches, party, hiking, waterfalls, shopping, and eating lots of different food.
Both islands are ideal for backpackers, party lovers, nature lovers, solo travelers, and couples. Koh Phi Phi is more popular for first-timers to Thailand and short-stay travelers. Koh Phang attracts more digital nomads, longer-stay travelers, and wellness seekers.
Best places to stay in Koh Phi Phi:
- Luxury: SAii Phi Phi Island Village
- Mid-range: Phi Phi CoCo Beach Resort
- Budget: Phi Phi Villa Resort
My recommended hotels in Koh Phangan:
- Luxury: Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort
- Mid-range: Amaya Boutique Resort
- Mid-range: Phangan Bayshore Resort
Location & How to Get There
Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan are both located in South Thailand. Koh Phi Phi is located in the Andaman Sea, close to the famous Phuket and Ao Nang/ Krabi. Koh Phangan is located in the Gulf of Thailand, close to Koh Samui and Koh Tao.
There are no airports on either Koh Phangan or Koh Tao. The only way to reach these islands is by taking boats from the nearby islands and mainland.
The closest airport to Phangan is in Koh Samui, and the closest airports to Koh Phi Phi are Phuket and Krabi Airport. You can fly into these airports then take additional road and sea transports to get to the final destinations.
To reach Koh Phangan, you can take boats from nearby Koh Tao and Koh Samui, as well as in mainland Chumphom and Surat Thani. It’s around 30-60 minutes boat rides from Samui to Phangan, 1-1.5 hours boat ride from Koh Tao to Phangan, 3-3.5 hours boat ride from Chumphon to Phangan.
To reach Koh Phi Phi, you can take a boat ride from nearby places such as Phuket, Koh Yao Yai/ Noi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe, or Ao Nang/ Railay in Krabi. It’s a 1-2 hour boat ride between Phi Phi with Phuket and Ao Nang/ Krabi.
Size
Koh Phangan is much bigger than Koh Phi Phi. It’s around 15km long and 10km wide. Koh Phi Phi is only around 7km long and 4km wide.
Both islands have mountainous terrain with lots of hiking trails, viewpoints, and stunning views of the beaches and mountains. They have plenty of beautiful beaches along the coast.
If you want big-size islands with a wider range of things to do and see, Koh Phangan is the place to go. It’s best to explore on a scooter, but be cautious when driving because the island has many winding steep roads.
If you want a small-size island with more stunning beaches, Phi Phi is a better choice. You can explore the whole island on foot. There are coastal trails and jungle trails connecting most beaches around Phi Phi.
Beaches
I personally prefer the beaches in Koh Phi Phi more because it has fine white sand crystal clear water beaches with breathtaking views of the striking limestone cliffs.
Koh Phangan is a larger island and it also has a wide variety of beaches for swimming, sunbathing, and enjoying watersport activities. On both islands, you can easily find busy party beaches and peaceful ones.
The main beach of Koh Phi Phi is the Tonsai Beach and Loh Dalum Beach near the main village and the pier. These beaches, especially Loh Dalum, are very lively from late after to late at night. People come here to watch the sunset, enjoy drinks and watch fireshows at many big beach clubs along the beach.
Long Beach is located around 15 minutes walk from the main village. It is lined with many luxury resorts and is close to Blacktip Reef Shark Point, which is a popular snorkeling and diving spot on Phi Phi.
For a more secluded atmosphere, you can check out the peaceful beaches on the northern coast of Phi Phi like Nui Beach, Loh Lana, Laem Tong, or Loh Ban Kao Beach. They are accessible within a 30-60 minute boat ride from the main village, or via hiking trails along the coast and the jungle.
In addition to the beach on the main island of Koh Phi Phi Don, you can take the long tail boat ride to see the world’s well-known Maya Beach and Pileh Bay in Phi Phi Leh island.
Most beaches of Koh Phangan are located in the west coast of the island, with some beaches on the northeastern coast and southeastern coast.
Haad Rin, located at the southern tip of the island, is the place to go for the Full Moon party. Zen Beach and Srithani beach, in the central west coast, is a popular place for wellness centers, yoga retreats, and healthy restaurants.
The beaches get quieter further north. Mae Haad Beach is the unique beach on the island, with a long sand dune connecting with nearby islands, Koh Ma. At low tide, you can walk along the sand dune to get to Koh Ma island.
Places like Bottle Beach are very remote, only accessible by boat or songthaews. Thong Nai Pan Yai and Thong Nai Pan Noi are only beaches on the north east coast with resorts on it.
Accommodations
Both Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan have a wide range of accommodations for all budgets. There are luxury beachfront resorts, budget backpacker hostels, and mid-range guest houses.
In Koh Phi Phi, if you want to be in the middle of the action, you can choose to stay in Tonsai Village, Tonsai Beach, and Loh Dalum Beach. This place has more budget-friendly hotels and hostels than other parts of the island.
You can find a wide range of mid-range and luxury resorts in Long Beach, which are perfect for those who want a bit quieter stay but still within walking distance to the main town.
For those who want luxury and a bit of a remote atmosphere, away from the nightlife, you can choose to book resorts in the northern side of the island, either at Laem Tong or Loh Ba Kao Bay.
When booking hotels in Koh Phi Phi, you need to check how you get from the main pier (Tonsai Pier) to your hotel, especially if you stay in the area outside of the main town.
Some resorts offer free scheduled long tail boat pick up and drop off from the main pier to the hotel, or you might have to rent a private boat by yourself to get to some resorts.
Also check if your hotel is located high on the hill and if you are carrying a suitcase. While you can enjoy stunning views, walking up and down steep staircases from your hotel to the town and beaches is not pleasant at all, especially on a hot day.
Koh Phangan also has different areas for booking accommodations. If you want a lively atmosphere and vibrant nightlife, you can stay in Haad Rin Beach and Village. This area is home to the monthly Full Moon party.
For a quieter atmosphere, you can choose to stay on the north side of the island. Thong Sala is the main town and is a convent for taking the boat and to shop and eat local food.
Places like Srithanu, Zen Beach, Haad Yao, Haad Salad, Mae Haad Beach, Chaloklum Beach, and Thong Nai Pan Beach offer a more laid-back atmosphere. If you want a very remote experience, you can stay in the Bottle Beach area.
These two islands are very popular tourist destinations, and are often packed with people in the high season, from November to May. So, I recommend booking well in advance to secure your stay.
See more:
Nightlife
Both islands have a great nightlife scene. You will be able to find wild nightlife spots and quiet areas in both places. Koh Phangan has more varied vibes depending on the area you’re visiting.
The nightlife hubs of Koh Phi Phi are Tonsai Village and Loh Dalum Beach. These areas are packed with restaurants, bars, and night clubs, with loud music from late afternoon to early morning. There are big beach clubs along the beachfront with DJs and fire shows.
If you’re not into nightlife and just want a relaxing night, you can head to Long Beach, Laem Tong, and Loh Ban Kao Beach. Chalok Ban kao has a village with numerous restaurants and bars with a more laid-back atmosphere.
The nightlife center of Koh Phangan is Haad Rin located at the southern tip of the island. This beach is the location of the monthly Full Moon party and there are many bars and clubs in the main village.
Apart from the Full Moon, the island has many parties such as Half Moon Festivals, Black Moon parties, Waterfall Parties, Jungle experience, and Oxa parties.
Thong Sala is the main town of the island, also has a good nightlife scene with a walking street with numbers bars and several night markets like Phangan Food Court, Pantip Market, or Saturday Walking Street. You can spend a night out searching for good street food or buy souvenirs.
Other beaches like Srithani, Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Thong Nai Pan have relaxing nightlife experiences with sunset bars and activities on the beaches such as yoga or drum circle.
Shopping
You can find typical Thai souvenirs in both Koh Phangan and Koh Phi Phi. There are small local shops on both islands selling magnets, keychains, beach accessories, clothing, and handmade jewellery.
The shops in Koh Phi Phi are centered on the small narrow streets in the main village Tonsai. The shops in Koh Phangan are centred in Thong Sala, but you can also find shops scattered around the island in the popular beach towns.
There are no big shopping malls on either island. In Koh Phangan, you can shop at several night markets in Thong Sala such as Pantip Night Market, and the Saturday Walking Street near the pier. In addition to the usual Thai souvenirs, Koh Phangan is a great place to shop for tie-dye clothes and bohemian dresses.
Food
Both islands have a wide range of Thai food such as Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong, curry, or papaya salad. Seafood are also popular beaches on both islands.
The restaurants in Koh Phi Phi are centered around the main village, Tosai Village. There are also some international chain fast food restaurants near the main pier such as Mc Donald’s and King Burger.
There is no Mc Donald’s in Koh Phangan, but the island has a wider range of dishes including Vegan, vegetarian, healthy dishes, and international food. In addition to the local restaurant, you can find food at street food stalls at the night markets.
To try local authentic food, I recommend checking out local restaurants in Thong Sala where locals eat. I also enjoyed the food at the Saturday Walking Street night market.
Places like Phangan food court have a wide selection of dishes like Mexican, Italian, Vietnam, Laos, and Thai food, but in my opinion, it’s mostly for tourists and the price is a bit more expensive compared to the local restaurants.
Cultural attractions
Koh Phangan has some cultural attractions to explore. Koh Phi Phi is all about the natural beauty and party and there are no significant cultural attractions on the island.
Koh Phang has a mix of traditional Thai culture and spiritual lifestyle. It has several temples, meditation centers, yoga retreats, and mindfulness practices rooted in Buddhist traditions.
I recommend visiting the peaceful Wat Phu Khao Noi, which is the oldest temple on the island. Other temples to visit are the Chaloklum temple and the Kuan Yin Temple (Chinese Temple) in the northern part of the island.
Viewpoints and Hiking
Both Koh Phi Phi Phi and Koh Phangan have excellent hiking trails and stunning viewpoints. If you’re hiking enthusiastics, these islands are great places to visit.
In Koh Phi Phi, you can walk around the island. There are beautiful easy coast trails from the main village to Tsai to Long Beach. It’s just around a 15 minute walk. From Long Beach, you can walk up for around 10 minutes to the more secluded Loh Moo Dee Beach.
At low tide, you can walk along the big rocks along the coast from Loh Dalum Beach to Loh Lana, Nui Beach, Laem Tong, and Loh Bakao Beach in the north. If the tide is high, you can change the coast route by hiking though the steep stairs at Phi Phi Viewpoint 1,2,3.
Then, there is a beautiful hike through the jungle from Phi Phi Viewpoint 2 to Phak Nam Bay. This is an isolated beach with only one resort on it, so you can enjoy a relaxing atmosphere with just a few people on the beach.
I did a few challenging hiking trails in Koh Phangan, and I loved it. I enjoyed the hike to Khao Ra Viewpoint, Haad Yuan Viewpoint & Haad Yuan Beach, and Dom Sila Viewpoint.
The Bottle Beach Viewpoint is also a popular place to visit on Koh Phang. It is a moderate hike from the parking area. It’s just a bit challenging at the last part of the trail, when you need to climb on the side of the big rocks to the viewpoint. From the viewpoint, you can hike down to Bottle Beach.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls are one of the main attractions of Koh Phangan. It’s the must see in the rainy seadon. Koh Phi Phi doesn’t have any significant waterfalls.
I recommend visiting Phaeng Noi Waterfall, Khao Rao waterfalls, and a range of waterfalls inside Namtok Than Sadet National Park. You can swim at these waterfalls in the middle of the jungle. It’s refreshing and peaceful.
Island Hopping
Both Koh Phi Phi and Koh Phangan are great for island hopping and boat trips. A must see island hopping tour from Koh Phi Phi is the boat trip to Koh Phi Phi Leh to visit the famous Maya Bay, Lipeh Bay, and Viking Cave.
Koh Phi Phi also has many boat tours to nearby small islands for snorkeling and diving like Bamboo island and Mosquito Island. There are also direct boat connections between Koh Phi Phi with other islands in the Andaman Sea like Phuket, Ao Nang/Krabi, Koh Lanta, or James Bond island.
From Koh Phangan, there are fewer options for island hopping tours than from Koh Phi Phi. But, you can take a boat trip to Koh Tao (the best snorkeling and diving island in Thailand), Koh Samui, and Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park.
Getting Around
I rented a scooter to explore Koh Phangan and explore Koh Phi Phi on foot. There are also plenty of tours on each island to help you to explore their famous attractions and beaches. In both islands, you can rent long-tail boats to access the less accessible beaches.
Koh Phangan also has plenty of songthaews, so you can use this transport for exploration. You can hire a private driver and share the ride with other people.
Koh Phi Phi is a relatively pedestrian-friendly island. There are almost no vehicles in the main villages. There are some local motorbikes and songthaews on the northern parts of the island.
See more:
- Koh Phi Phi vs Koh Samui
- Koh Lanta or Koh Phi Phi
- Phuket or Koh Phi Phi
- Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, or Koh Tao
- Phuket or Koh Phangan
- Koh Phi Phi or Koh Tao
I hope you have found some helpful information from my website. Overall, I would recommend visiting Koh Phi Phi if you want picture-podcast beaches and stunning limestone cliffs scenery. It’s ideal to visit if you’re in the Andaman Sea area such as Phuket, Ao Nang/ Krabi, or Koh Lanta.
Koh Phangan is a better choice if you are interested in the Full Moon Party, and wellness retreat and yoga center. The island is a popular destination for digital nomads, backpackers, and long term travelers. It’s an ideal place to visit if you want to explore the Gulf of Thailand, visiting Koh Tao and Koh Samui.