Story and photos by Jason Rupp and Carla Marie Rupp

Jason’s health-nut hippy friends all said to go to the quiet side of Koh Phangan, anywhere near the Srithanu area. He gave Carla time to rest up before their promised adventure and then they got a taxi from Jomtien Beach to Pattaya’s airport: U-Tapao – and were off! The quieter, west side of Koh Phangan (also spelt Ko Pha-nganon) was their destination. Carla kept trying to practice the pronunciation of the island’s name. Sister islands are the larger Koh Samui to the south and the smaller Koh Tao to the north. All three islands make up the Samui Archipelago.

The flight to Koh Samui was on Bangkok Airways, affectionately called Asia’s Boutique Airlines. Departing Pattaya’s U-Tapao Airport is such a joy since the runway is right beside the sea. Arriving into Samui is equally a joy since the airport is all open air, full of gardens and trees – with breathtaking views of the mountains from the departure gates. From here it’s an easy taxi ride to one of the ferry ports to get to Koh Phangan which is Thailand’s fifth biggest island. With a population of around 14,000 residents it competes with Phuket for attention but has a lot less mass-tourism. The vibe is relaxing. Phangan doesn’t have an airport, so this keeps mass tourism at bay. One side of the island (on the southeastern peninsula) is known for its world-famous, wild and raucous, once-a-month Full Moon Party…and also the Half Full Moon Party…in Haad Rin. The other side? Well, read on…

Deciding to stay a couple of nights in Koh Samui. Jason rented a motorbike, as it could be taken on to the full size ferry to Koh Phangan which also carries cars.They arrived at the main entry point Thong Sala Port and from there walked out into the biggest night market on the island: the Thong Sala Saturday Night Market.Then they took turns to have a look around. One stayed behind at 7-Eleven to watch the bags whilst the other brought back local food to share, such as grilled squid, pad Thai noodles with fresh shrimp, and fresh sugar cane juice. Then they had to find a place to stay so Jason booked a last-minute deal at a place called Jungle Huts. Tip: Don’t try this last-minute booking-on-arrival strategy in the high season!

Jungle Huts costs about 600B/night and is situated on the island’s quiet side in a smaller, hippy-like area near Hat Thian. There is casual, powdery white-sand and laid-back, swimming in calm waters with just the right amount of waves. Think yoga classes, meditation and retreats, all kinds of feel-good things and improvement therapies, natural foods and juice bars. There are also all kinds of healers here, organic shops, yoga studios, ecstatic dancing, vegan cafes and cute coffee shops. The people here like sustainability and healthy things.People who love nature, tranquility and beauty; who revel in health, a more relaxed way of life and soulful living are all around. Jason and Carla met quite a few Koh Phangan locals and visitors. Many were from Europe who had visited and then just decided to stay and move here. They seemed to form their own extended kind of culture of “families and friends.” The popular hang-out spot is Zen Beach especially at sunset where you can find drum circles, acro-yoga, DJ music from the bar, and random music jams on the beach. These contented expats have become very entrepreneurial offering health, psychic and spiritual coaching as well as Muay Thai, sports clinics and snorkeling.

Carla and Jason’s home base Jungle Huts,with its own cafe, was on a little beach, peaceful, quiet, perfect for dips in the sea and walking on the sand. They also found just a short walk away, Art Cafe which offered vegan breakfasts and vegetable curry, avocado, brown rice, and fresh juices. So after a few days of stuffing themselves with healthy foods, and spending afternoons at the beach, they took a day out to circle the island on their motorbike. They zoomed up to the far north, a quiet fishing village, and then cut through the center of the island to the far south. Visiting Haad Rin, the famous party beach, where the boisterous monthly Full Moon Party event is held. They found it was really quiet as it was not a party week and while there Jason made a YouTube video for the Jason Rupp Travel & Pamper channel: “Two Lady Manicure at DC Your Hair & Nail”

On the way back, they stopped at a cliff-side party bar Money Moon, where there was dancing, strobe lights, bean bags, a fun atmosphere and a really spectacular view, especially at sunset. However, the steep road they had to navigate to get there was scary. In fact, a lot of the island is rough riding, so a newbie motorcycle rider should be very very careful. Also,make sure to get insurance and bring your license, or international license, to drive safely and be covered. Then they went to Pantip Market, in downtown Thong Sala, with little stalls and a great Italian restaurant Sale e Pepe that had delicious homemade pasta, ravioli and sauces. One afternoon, they made friends with a couple who run Varee Clothing where they bought some of their retro clothing. The daily goal was to find new places and things, anything and everything!

So it wasn’t long before they learned about a hidden, little beach with a sunset viewing spot where locals go to see the show of awesome colors in the sky. It is a meeting spot for musicians, yogis, dancers and lovers of beauty where you will find ecstatic dance and drum circles. Jason made a video for his Learning to Walk & Talk YouTube channel here entitled “Sunset Hippie Gathering at Zen Beach,”.

There were also many quaint food and drink places to be discovered such as “Tee’s Fresh Juice” a stand where locals and expats would go to savor juice and health drinks, chat and catch up with each other. Mama Koi’s Shake Shack, a popular roadside food stand run by the lovely Koi – an energetic, beautiful young Thai woman who features homemade natural foods. Seating here includes tables under the palm trees and jungle vegetation. They kept going back here, telling others about this gem that has a real farm-to-table, open kitchen. Everything fresh and abundant with all kinds of just-cut tropical fruits, homemade coconut yogurt, the best salads, and more. The coconuts Koi uses are from her own land. Jason and Carla tried to get fresh coconut juice from the shell anytime they were thirsty, also getting into the healthy lifestyle, with daily huge cups of fresh juices and ginger shots.

Foodies, veggie enthusiasts and vegans can keep discovering new places daily in Phangan. As well as Mama Koi’s, Carla and Jason went to MamaKop and Pum Pui Restaurants, both family-run with flavorful, delicious Thai food at reasonable prices. At Pum Pui the seafood is especially worth it to go out of your way for. You can also get meals at Meatless Grill and Taste from Heaven. 

The island was a real foodie heaven, While many visitors might just stay three to five days at Koh Phangan, a bit longer is better to take full advantage of so many things to see, eat, experience and explore. The beaches, the spas, the nightlife and restaurants, the hiking and the beautiful scenery.Jason made videos everywhere he went as he always has fun as a travel vlogger bringing his fans the real and unique local experience, while Mama Carla loves to help.. He calls her his co-producer.

All year round is a good time to visit Koh Phangan, if you decide to go between December to March you better book ahead. There are luxury, mid-range and budget accommodations easy to book but this island fills up like Bali in the high season. The interior is lush and offers waterfalls and hiking and there are many sheltered beaches and over 20 dive sites.Jason and Carla thoroughly recommend a trip to Koh Phangan. It was very affordable and is worth a visit—as there is enough to do for everyone’s tastes, in tranquility mode on the quieter side of the island or in full party-mode at the world famous Full Moon Parties. . Check out Jason and Carla’s videos for some ideas on their YouTube channel Jason Rupp: Travel & Pamper.