Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand - Historical Development

In addition to being an unbelievably beautiful resort area, Koh Phangan is also considered a spiritual place for the Thai people. About six hundred years ago Koh Phangan was uninhabited, until migrant monks revealed its unique spirit and established a settlement near Thong Sala, the modern capital of the island. The four kings of Thailand visited this island. King Churalongkorn, also known as the Great Rama V, came 10 times to bath in the pool at Than Sadet Waterfalls, which means “Royal Stream”. The present King Bumipol (Bhumibol Adulyadej), also known as the Great Rama IX, followed his footsteps and had also came to visit Than Sadet.

Despite its astonishing beauty and spiritual significance, Koh Phangan has been unfairly considered for many years a miserable stepbrother for the crowded and hopelessly commercialized Koh Samui. Since then, it has turned into the widely known international resort as soon as the first Full Moon Party took place (in 1987). Every year more and more bungalows and resorts have been established on the island.

I have visited the island along with my daughter and sister, who had been there 8 years ago. When the Koh Samui ferry got closer to the island, she looked as shocked as if a red snapper fish took his head out of the plate and asked her for a cigarette. She was relatively disappointed by the rapid development that took over the island. Instead of wonderfully deserted sand beaches, where you can be alone to share your thoughts with a single coconut tree, huge modern resorts were everywhere. Having said that, after three days on the island and after surrounding its territory by Taxi boat (the typical transportation tool in Koh Phangan), we have discovered more remote beaches, less developed and crowdie… You can read more about it here.