Koh Phangan island in the gulf of Thailand is undoubtedly one the most popular tropical islands in the whole of South-East Asia.
Thousands of visitors come here particularly for the world-renowned Full Moon party which takes place once a month; along with a vast variety of other fun nightlife events and parties that happen on the island on particular days of the week. There is always something happening and somewhere to go, if a good time is what you’re looking for – Koh Phangan has got you covered.
However, many others also come to Koh Phangan for a very different purpose; primarily for fitness, wellness and spiritual well being activities including Yoga, Detox retreats and meditations/healing practices.
Water-sports enthusiasts are also another group of people that are drawn to Koh Phangan. While the island of Bali in Indonesia is often associated with wave surfing, Koh Phangan offers great conditions for kitesurfing as it is decently windy here for about 8-9 months a year.
Although Thailand in general is considered a ‘lightwind’ kiting destination (wind speeds mostly hovering in the 10-14 knots or 15-20 knots range) depending on the month and season, kite surfers fall in love with the laid back yet exciting feeling of riding in the tropical waters paradise. These somewhat mellow conditions provide much higher level of safety and thus, becomes much more ideal for beginner/entry level individuals who are just beginning or continuing their kiteboarding training.
Pros at a glance:-
+ windy, considering Koh Phangan is in a “not such windy” South East Asian region (when compared to much stronger winds found at Vietnam, which is only 1000 km away)
+ island is small, you can arrive to the kite spot from almost anywhere in less than 20 minutes
+ gorgeous “50 shades of blue” views, especially at Thongsala lagoon
+ a lot of fun “no wind activities” such as hiking, yoga, scuba diving, free diving
+ delicious Thai food and a variety of international cuisine restaurants
+ kiting in boardshorts – the water is really warm
+ epic night life / parties ( anything from mainstream to groovy underground tunes )
Cons at a glance:-
– the accuracy of the local wind forecast are not the most reliable. Sometimes completely wrong, and also updated every 12-24 hours. So you can not look too far ahead for planning.
– taxi is expensive, you definitely need to rent your “own wheels”
– accommodation has to be thought through and booked in advanced, especially during high seasons (Dec, Jan, Feb & July, August, September)
– no international airport ( the closest is on a nearby island of Koh Samui, which is 30 minutes ferry ride away… or 15km in distance)
How to get to Koh Phangan ?
The island is most easily accessed via airport on neighboring island Koh Samui International Airport, after you arrive here, all you need to do is take one of the ferries over to Koh Phangan, it will take you about 30-40 minutes only and the cost is normally 250-350 thai baht per person. Another cheaper option to fly into Surat Thani Airport, then taking a bus or a taxi to Donsak Pier and getting on a 2.5h trip to Koh Phangan from there with one of the slower car-ferries – Seatran or Raja ferry companies.
General Infos (Location, Wind and Water Condition)
Koh Phangan’s South shore get amazing wind during the two longest wind seasons here. The main “kiteable” area where you can potentially go out for a ride stretches from Thongsala pier all the way to Bantai area, it is the longest stretch of beach on Koh Phangan island. (aka. Thong Sala or Ban Tai beach)
One of the best and most popular spots where kitesurf action takes place would be at Thongsala beach right next to the main ferry pier of the island, it is a fairly big lagoon surrounded by a reef. Thongsala on a decently windy day is known for being considerably safe and having friendly conditions for kiting, anyone from a beginner level student to an advanced rider would definitely enjoy beautiful waters of the lagoon – thanks to the water level being relatively shallow, between knee to chest deep for most parts of the year.
Anyone arriving at Koh Phangan via the main Thong Sala pier on a windy day with one of the ferries from Koh Samui/Koh Tao or the mainland would often be able to see a beautiful display of kitesurfers blasting around and having a great time on the water.
This sight can truly be very captivating and motivates people to want to learn kitesurfing, to take kitesurfing lessons… or (for seasoned riders) to rent some equipment and get out onto the water themselves for some fun immediately upon arrival to the island. Conveniently- you can literally get to one of the kite stations by foot (approx. 10 mins walk or 500 meters from the pier). There are quite a few hotels and specialised kitesurf schools with beach access there.
Thong Sala area itself is considered a downtown “city center” of Koh Phangan, so if you need to grab some food, coffee or do some shopping, get to a bank or a pharmacy you can get these things done by walking on foot just a few minutes. As mentioned above Thong Sala beach gets perfect wind directions for both main wind seasons for kitesurfing; the SE winds between January and April, and the SW winds from May until October.
Thongsala Beach Lagoon on a sunny windy day, South East Wind Season
Best wind – you can highlight 3 main wind seasons in Koh Phangan:
- N.E – North East Wind Season ( Chaloklum & Haad Rin spots )
North East wind Season at Chaloklum Koh Phangan Siam Pro Kite Kiteboarding Center
— North East wind season is the shortest wind season in Koh Phangan. Some years it can last for 2-2.5 months, but sometimes it can be as short as 3-4 weeks only.
The North East coast of Koh Phangan is “the wildest” pristine stretch of the beaches where you can’t get an easy access to. Most popular spot for this season would be at Chaloklum beach ( red star on the map – the westerly side of Chaloklum pier ), there you can enjoy super flat water behind the reef or you can also find areas with the swell for more adrenaline. The Chaloklum spot itself isn’t the most ideal, as sometimes it has obstacles such as fishing boats and it is not a large spot in general.
But surely Chaloklum has its very special charming atmosphere… It is a quiet, misty, chilly spot (By thailand standards, around 23-27 degrees) with gorgeous views of the mountains, trees and unique geography of the land… furthermore, the natural sounds of wind that reverberate off the flora and landscape offer a truly unique experience as you feel as though you are kitesurfing at a deserted island!
Another location option for this season would be at Haad Rin Beach (blue star on the map ) depending on the wind direction, there is no reef so the waves come in very intensely so it is good for the more experienced riders. For this spot to be good, the wind has to come through at a NE/ENE direction. If the wind comes more northerly then Haad Rin beach can be rather gusty and not as fun.
Chaloklum lagoon’s flat water protected by a reef during North East Wind Season at Siam Pro Kite Koh Phangan Kitesurf School
From the calm of the reef to the power of the big waves, Chaloklum North East Wind Season Kitesurf Spot
2) S.E – South East Wind Season ( Thong Sala & Ban Tai spots )
Windy day at Koh Phangan’s most popular kitesurf spot at Siam Pro Kite Kitesurf Station & School , South East Wind Season
— South East wind season that starts around mid January and usually ends at the end of April offers fairly stable winds. and higher ocean tides until Mid – March. Coming any time in the span of the SE wind season should be good, although every year the peak of “the windiest time of the season” shifts, so sometimes the best months can be January and February, while during some other years it can even peak in February and March.
Particularly in SE wind season in Koh Phangan the water goes up high enough to allow kite foiling lovers to enjoy lighter wind days, there is almost no chance of kite foiling in the summer months of May – September due to the shallow tide levels during this time of year.
3) S.W – South West Wind Season ( Thong Sala & Ban Tai s & Hin Kong spots )
Koh Phangan South West Wind Season at Siam Pro Kite Kitesurfing School Koh Phangan Thongsala Station
— South West wind season approximately begins from the middle of May and usually ends around end of September. This season has less constant wind than the SE season and it is subjected to more lower tides, but the weather is much cooler and less aggressive UV. The best thing about SW summer season is frequent “storms” that bring quiet strong winds up to 25-30 knots, they can be tracked on the local radar and anticipated, so you have time to prepare your smaller kites and wait for the adrenaline monsoon session.
The best time to come would be July and August and sometimes September. This season is particularly popular among families as children are on summer holidays, many youngsters take lessons or come with their own gear during the summer. What makes it ideal for them is the safe water depth for comfortable riding and safer re-launching of the kite as tides get to be around knee to hip deep at most. The only negative about this season is that the lowest tides sometimes occurs during mid-day, so riding happens only when water fills back into the lagoon (super early morning, or late afternoon sessions). Make sure local kite centers keep you informed about the tides or you can track it online on any tide schedule website.