Koh Phangan Hiking – 5 Great Hiking Trails
Hiking on Koh Phangan is a wonderful way to experience the green nature of Koh Phangan up close. In the midst of a jungle atmosphere that you probably only know from films, adventurous routes and vantage points are revealed to you.
Hiking on Koh Phangan – the most beautiful trekking tours
Koh Phangan is ideal for hiking. In this article we present you 5 half-day and full-day tours that you can experience as a nature lover. We had a blast on all of the trails below, and most of them were real adventures!
Arrival to Koh Phangan
Overnight stay on Koh Phangan – our hotel tip
Information on safety and equipment
For all tours, especially 1-4, you should follow a few safety instructions. Hiking on Koh Phangan is not always a Sunday stroll. You must never forget that you are on a tropical island far from civilization.
- Rule number 1: Take enough water with you (about 3-4 liters per person)
- Also pack small snacks that give you energy quickly in between
- Let your accommodation or friends know in advance where you are going and when you plan to come back
- Have a fully charged mobile phone with you (connection is also partially available in the jungle)
You should take a daypack with you that offers enough space for water and food (and everything else you need). Hiking shoes or at least good, sturdy shoes are indispensable. Hiking poles can also be useful for you on the easy hiking routes or sections. Good quality hiking gear is hard to come by on Koh Phangan and it makes sense to get these things before you travel. There is a wide range of options online, especially when it comes to trekking poles. Here is the test .
By the way: Yes, there are also snakes in the wilderness! However, these are usually shy and they have no intention of attacking you for no reason. As soon as they hear footsteps etc. they tend to hide and only attack if they are in a bind. In the overgrown jungle, it makes sense to stomp loudly on the ground every now and then 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 goes to the idyllic north of the island, where you start from Haad Khom (shortly after Chaloklum ) and visit one of the most beautiful beaches in Phangan: Bottle Beach.
This trekking starts where the road to Haad Khom ends. If you arrive with your own scooter, you first drive to Chaloklum and turn right at the main crossing (coming from Thong Sala). By the way, you can recognize this crossing by the 7 Eleven directly opposite. At the next fork, turn left and follow this road to the end. There is a parking lot where your hiking adventure begins.
alt=”Hiking trail from Haad Khom in the north of Koh Phangan to Bottle Beach” width=”1024″ height=”576″ />The approximately 2.5-hour trekking includes all possible levels of difficulty. From the initial hike on dirt roads and trails to steep, rooty climbs, it’s all there. All you have to do is follow the plastic bottles and tree markers that show you the way to Bottle Beach.
We chose the walking route along the coast and had nice views of the sea at times. Apparently there is a second, much shorter path that leads over the mountain and is a bit steeper. We have been told that this route only takes 1.5 to 2 hours .
You can take a boat back to Haad Khom from Bottle Beach. It is therefore important that you do not start too late. Otherwise you might miss the last boat back.
2. Bottle Beach Viewpoint
This hike takes you to one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Koh Phangan! If you are really fit, you can combine it with the previous trekking route from Haad Khom . However, we ourselves would not have the strength to climb this mountain on Bottle Beach after the strenuous trekking. Our tip is therefore: book a night in a beach bungalow and enjoy spending the night directly on the dream beach. The next day you can go to the Bottle Beach Viewpoint early in the morning when it’s not that hot yet.
The ascent to the viewpoint begins approximately in the middle of the beach behind the bungalows. It only lasts 30 minutes and is therefore not quite as strenuous. There are some steep, rooty sections, but overall it’s doable. The hardest part is the last one. There you have to climb over a massive rock that drops steeply down to the left and right. Absolute caution is required here!
You will be rewarded with a view of Bottle Beach and the mountain landscape that is second to none. By the way, there is a detailed report on this in our article on Bottle Beach .
3. Koh Phangan Hiking to Haad Yuan
For us, the Haad Yuan is also one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, so a hike is doubly worthwhile. You start in the main tourist resort of Haad Rin , where you first go to Palita Lodge . Just beyond is a dirt road that runs parallel to Haad Rin village. Also pay attention to the wooden signs that guide you. Where the hiking route to Haad Yuan starts, you will feel as if you are walking into someone’s garden. Don’t worry, this is the right path and it gets very steep at the beginning.
After you have overcome this strenuous stretch after about 20 minutes, it will initially be a very pleasant hike in the middle of nature. To the left and right around you is the wilderness, small streams and the sounds of a diverse fauna . After a total of about an hour you will reach a fork where there is a marked tree.
For a breathtaking view, you should definitely turn right. Shortly thereafter, the bay of Haad Yuan and Haad Thian will reveal themselves to you in the distance. A dream! Enjoy and relax a bit before heading towards Haad Yuan following the arrow on the tree. From this tree you hike almost all downhill until you finally reach the dirt road from Baan Tai to Haad Yuan.
Overall, this route takes about 2.5 hours (with viewpoint) and it is worth starting early. So you can enjoy the rest of the day on the beach and take a taxi boat back to Haad Rin.
4. Koh Phangan Hiking to Khao Ra
At 627 meters, Khao Ra is the highest point on the tropical island. This hike was one of the most difficult for us on Koh Phangan, but we were rewarded after about 2.5 hours with a beautiful view (unfortunately not 360 degrees). It goes partly through dense jungle and it is not always easy on both possible ways. You should also plan at least half the day here and, above all, not start too late. Also note our security tips at the beginning of this article.
We have already reported in detail about the hike to Khao Ra on our blog . You can find all important information there.
5. Easy Hiking: Domesila and Phaeng Waterfall
The climb to Domesila Viewpoint at Phaeng Waterfall is part of the easy hiking on Koh Phangan. You don’t have to plan a lot of time for this either, 1-2 hours including a stop for swimming in the waterfall are more than sufficient. Perfect for combining this hiking route with other destinations on a Koh Phangan scooter tour .
Both highlights are in Than Sadet National Park and Phaeng Waterfall is also signposted on the main road between Thong Sala (the main town) and Chaloklum to the north. You can park your scooter on site and then have to pay a small national park fee of 20 baht before you set off.
Along the river you first arrive at the small Phaeng Waterfall Noi , which usually does not carry much water. A little further, about 5 minutes from the entrance, the big Phaeng Waterfall starts and a staircase that takes you to the top. There you will find the ascent to the Domesila Viewpoint on the left-hand side.
This is where it gets a little more difficult with flip flops, so sturdy shoes are definitely better. The beaten path leads you higher and higher over tree roots. Sometimes there are ropes on the side that you can hold on to. The short but strenuous climb to the Domesila Viewpoint in the high humidity of the jungle rewards you with a great view of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui at the end .
After descending, you can continue walking a little further along the path you came on. There you will find small entrances to the Phaeng Waterfall with natural pools on the right, where you can cool off after climbing to the viewpoint.
