Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan stole our hearts. We do not know why, but no place has influenced us as sustainably as this one. Maybe because it was our first „backpacker“ trip and in this way you get to know a country much better than staying at an touristy all inclusive resort. Or maybe it was the incredibly delicious food. Or the impressive landscape. Or maybe the spirituality and the warm-hearted nature of the people has cast a spell over us. Thailand is and remains one of our favorite countries.

We especially liked the size of the island Koh Phangan. With a scooter you could drive from one end to the other in less than an hour and get to know the diversity of the island. Beautiful sandy beaches on the coasts, rainforest in the middle and small abandoned shrines in between. A breathtaking view of the island, soft dog bark in the background, the sun tickles on the skin, a touch Pad Thai mixed with incense sticks in the air. A feeling of warmth and security surrounds you. That‘s how I remember this trip. Koh Phangan is so much more than just the Full Moon Party.

For entry you need a passport. Entering by identity card is not allowed. Your travel documents have to be valid for at least six months. You should always carry your passport with you, as the passport is controlled in some cities. As a German you do not have to apply for a visa, unless you can prove your onward journey by a flight or bus ticket. You can stay in Thailand for a maximum of 30 days.

For tourism purposes, a one-time extension of another 30 days is possible. You must apply for this extension at the Thai Immigration Bureau before the first 30 days have expired. If you want to stay in Thailand for a longer period of time, or if you want to travel to the country differently, please get in touch with the authorities and get advice there. If you travel the wrong way or exceed the permitted length of stay, you have to expect high penalties, such as arrest or heavy fines.

If you travel to Thailand, you must definitely be vaccinated against measles. WHO has declared that omitting the vaccine as a „threat to global health“. However, no vaccinations are required when entering Germany. If you come from countries with a yellow fever risk you have to be vaccinated against it. The standard vaccinations are definitely always recommended. It is also recommended to vaccinate against hepatitis A and B, rabies, typhoid and Japanese encephalitis. Thailand is warning about the Zika virus, dengue fever and malaria.

As in all Asian countries, you should pay attention to certain things. Wear mostly light colored clothing to protect you from mosquitoes. At night you should sleep under a mosquito net. If you need medication, bring it with you from your hometown, as they are usually very expensive abroad. Watch out for water from the faucet. You should also be careful with fresh fruit, washed salad and ice cream.

During your trip you should take out a travel health insurance and consult your doctor first.

Oh, Thai food ... on this topic I do not know where to start. Food is simply the best and most important thing in Thailand. At every corner you‘ll find stalls selling all sorts of goodies, and it‘s almost all about food. I can recommend restaurants only conditionally. In my opinion, you get the best Thai food at the small stalls on the roadside. Of course, the hygiene standards are not comparable to Western countries. But you should not pay attention to that in Asia. The taste makes you forget everything else. This variation of spices and fresh fruits and vegetables is simply delicious.

We ate primarily Pad Thai, probably the best-known Thai dish. In addition, you will find dishes such as curry, skewers, various vegetables, meat or fish with rice, noodle or seafood soup, probably the best prawns I have ever eaten, different deep fried things, bugs and all kinds of insects at Kao San Road, and of course sweet treats like mango sticky rice, banana pancakes, coconut ice cream, rolled ice cream and fresh juices. A variation of tropical fruits is waiting for you at every corner.

Throughout Thailand you can move in different ways. You can fly, travel by train, by bus, by boat or by car. To get to Koh Phangan, you need to take a boat. Either you travel by bus from Bangkok to Surat Thani and continue from there by boat to Koh Phangan or you fly to Koh Samui and continue from there by boat.

On the island you can drive with the tuktuk or you rent a scooter, which I can highly recommend. In many places you can walk, but with the scooter you are much more flexible. Since the island is not very large, you can even drive around the island and watch the main spots within a day. You almost can not get lost and always arrive where you want. Often by a detour, sometimes the road suddenly stops or on the side of a slope goes steeply downhill. So you really have to drive very carefully. Also, dogs can suddenly run into the street. Nonetheless, I would recommend renting a scooter. Gasoline you get on every street corner in bottles or at the few gas stations.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The king is the head of state and religion. 75% of the 69 million inhabitants are ethnic Thai, 14% Chinese. Malay live in the south. Buddhism is most pronounced among the entire population, almost 94% is committed to it. About 5% are Muslims. Buddhism is visible in the life and landscape of the country. Almost every house has a shrine, majestic temples are scattered throughout the whole country. On Koh Phangan there are smaller temples than in Bangkok but they are totally worth visiting. Especially one small temple called Wat Khao Tham is on top of a mountain where you get an overwhelming view. The Chinese temple is also really unique and the bright colors in the middle of the jungle fascinated us a lot.

When you enter a temple, you should pay attention to certain things. Always wear long clothes that cover your knees and shoulders. You often have to take off your shoes before entering the temples. If you do not have suitable clothing with you, you can borrow or buy clothes in front of many temples. Always show respect for religion.

Thai people are very friendly and tolerant towards people of different faith and they love to smile. They forgive many missteps, but for the time of your stay, you should try to adapt to their lives and behaviors. To inform you about their customs and absolute dont‘s, just check the internet. You will get many instructions and tips.

Something else you should know: At 8am and at 6pm the national anthem is played and all people stay in their position, listen to the hymn and put their hand on their hearts. Even if it may seem strange to you at first, respect that moment and interrupt current conversations or activities and behave as silently as possible. If you want, you can get up at this moment.

Thailand has a tropical climate. The average temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius. In Thailand there is a dry and rainy season. Monsoon in Thailand is between May and October, especially at the end of the season there are often floods.

In January it is very dry and in April it is very hot. At this time, the rainy season begins and it can be very unpleasant. During the dry season you also can not admire the beautiful waterfalls. So the best travel time is between December and March.

On Koh Phangan there are wonderful beaches around the island. You only have to drive a few kilometers and you‘re at the next beach. The beaches are very different. While you have very busy beaches in the south and east, in the north and west you will find very calm, empty beaches with clear water. Depending on what you like more, you will definitely find the right one for you.

At Haad Rin Beach, the Full Moon Party takes place on every full moon. Even if you are not into the music, you should not miss this spectacle. However, I would recommend you to go there relatively early. Later it gets very crowded and many accidents have already happened.

I really liked the following beaches: Haad Salad, Chalok Lum Beach, Ban Tai, Malibu Beach and Haad Mae Haad where you can walk to Koh Ma.

In Thailand, you pay with Thai Baht. In many places you can pay by credit card and the withdrawal of money is easily possible. For safety‘s sake, however, you should have money from your home currency to change. Change the money only in reputable places.