BAN NAI WOK

Very close to Thong Sala is the small town of Ban Nai Wok which consists of only a few houses and is almost unnoticable as you drive or walk through.

BAN WOK TUM

Ban Wok Tum is a sleepy little fishing village on the west of Koh Pha Ngan.

THONG SALA

Thong Sala is the main gateway to the island, and many travellers arriving on Koh Pha-ngan are most likely to come through the center of Thong Sala.

AO BANG CHARU

Situated South of Thong Sala, Ao Bang Charu is a long narrow beach stretches all the way down to Ban Tai.

AO NAI WOK

Ao Nai Wok is popular among people who want to have the convenience of Thongsala nearby.

AO PLAAYLAEM

Ao Plaaylaem is at the base of Khao Hin Nok, a granite mountain that dominates and transforms the landscape, making it a fairy tale of rounded boulders and hillside views over Anthong National Marine Park.

AO WOK TUM

Ao Woktum is the southern section of the wide bay that joins with Ao Hin Kong. Most of the bay is undeveloped as the coral reef lies about 300 metres off the beach and it is only good for swimming in high tide season (November to April).

Ao Bang Charu has some of the highest accommodation standards on Koh Pha Ngan, it's proximity to Thong Sala and long white sand beaches have attracted visitors for over two decades and each year the operations have moved with the times. There's a wide choice of rooms, from shacks to luxury cottages and several resorts with swimming pools.

First Villa have led the way, with 20 air-conditioned villa style bungalows for 1000 to 1800 Baht and a pool that overlooks the bay. Chokana is a real winner with immaculate gardens and 30 well-spaced and interesting rooms, most with beach frontage. They have nine air-conditioned super rooms at 1500 Baht for up to 6 people; and three different fan rooms with bathroom, starting at 800 Baht for an octagonal 2 bed palace, 500 Baht for a big bungalow and 300 Baht for a slightly smaller one. Charm is another place with well-manicured gardens and a good level of service, they have fan bungalows with bathroom for 200 to 500 Baht and 100 Baht fan rooms without toilet. Golden Light have 25 bungalows, all with bathroom and fan starting at 150 to 250 Baht, with spacious new rooms at 350 Baht.

Orawan is a new resort with 20 decent bungalows at a range of prices; they have air-conditioned bungalows with hot water for 700 Baht on the beach and 600 Baht set further back, standard A/C bungalows for 500 Baht and 300 to 400 Baht rooms with fan and bathroom. Coco Garden has 13 well-designed new bungalows, three have A/C and two beds for 600 Baht and the remaining 10 rooms have fan and bathroom for 300 Baht.

Weang Thai have 15 rooms priced between 200 to 1500 Baht, all have fan and bathroom and a few have A/C. Seagate Resort has lush gardens and 24 nice modern bungalows, all have fan and bathroom and are priced between 200 to 400 Baht; they also have a house for up to 6 people at 1000 Baht. Moonlight Resort has eleven bungalows with fan and bathroom for 100 to 300 Baht. Pha Ngan Villa has 14 fan bungalows all together, at 80 Baht without bathroom, and 150 to 300 Baht with. Sundance has 24 bungalows in mature gardens, starting at 80 Baht with fan but no bathroom, and 150 to 200 Baht for a bungalow with both. Ban Puen has 12 fan bungalows, 80 Baht without bathroom and 250 Baht with.

There are a range of accommodation options in Thong Sala, from rooms for rent to guesthouses and hotels. The island's tallest building is the Pha-Ngan Chai Hotel on the seafront with 59 air-conditioned rooms, all with TV, priced from 840 -1000 Baht for a standard, 1860 Baht for a deluxe and 2500 Baht for a suite. Opposite the Krung Thai Bank, Asia Hotel has 17 ground floor rooms with air-conditioning and TV for 300 to 800 Baht. The neighbouring Bua Kao Inn has five rooms for 300 to 450 Baht with fan and bathroom and 500 Baht rooms with air-conditioning. Further up the main road, past the evening market is Khao Guesthouse with fan rooms with bathroom for 250 to 300 Baht and 400 Baht with air-conditioning; below the guesthouse, at street level, there's a great steakhouse and grill. Near the top of the main street is The Backhouse, with an excellent Thai restaurant and five rooms with fan and bathroom for 200 Baht.

North from Thong Sala, sited along the estuary of the town's main river, Suan Inn have ten nice rooms with fan and bathroom for 200 to 400 Baht and a popular restaurant, all within easy walking distance from Thong Sala. A little further up the coast road, Roungthip is the first of five resorts that occupy the northern end of Ao Nai Wok, it has nine rooms with fan and bathroom for 250 Baht. Pha-Ngan Bungalows has 25 spacious rooms, many on the beachfront and all with fan and bathroom, at 150 Baht with a shared bathroom and 300 Baht for a bungalow with its own. Suntown has ten rooms at 100 Baht each; all have fan and bathroom, with a chilled restaurant right on the beach. Sirphun have a variety of good quality rooms, starting at 300 to 400 Baht for a bungalow with fan and bathroom, and 700 Baht for air conditioning. They have 30 rooms in all and a number of them are new. Tranquil Resort has ten rooms and has been around for years, it has a great cocktail bar and pool table, and very hospitable owners who do a cracking Sunday roast dinner. Room prices start at 80 Baht with fan but no bathroom, then between 150 to 600 Baht with fan and bathroom.

From Ao Nai Wok up to Ao Wok Tum, the landscape is transformed by the volcanic outcrop that is Khao Hin Nok, the only mountain in the south-west. The coastline becomes dramatically steeper and rounded granite boulders populate the slopes and the beaches. Ao Plaaylaem has five resorts at present, all with fairly high standards. Beach 99 has 15 bungalows with fan and bathroom for 200 to 500 Baht and its neighbour, Cookie, has 18 rooms with fans, 100 Baht with no bathroom and 200 Baht with. Pornsawan has a nice piece of beach frontage and a cool bar; they have 17 rooms with fan and bathroom for 100 to 200 Baht. Bounty has 16 rooms in green gardens, all with fan and bathroom for 150 to 300 Baht. Seascene is building some spacious new bungalows, and has 18 existing rooms for 200 to 250 Baht. Baan Plaay Laem has ten bungalows for 100 Baht.

Asia resort occupies a large piece of land on the peninsula that ends Ao Plaaylaem, it has a great bar set in the rocks, ideal for catching sunset and 14 bungalows, 80 Baht with fan but no bathroom and 150 Baht with both. Darin is a little further round the headland with 18 fan rooms at 100 Baht without a bathroom and 200 Baht with.

O.K. Bungalows and Wok Tum Bay both lie on the beach in Ao Wok Tum, O.K. have 24 fan rooms, 100 Baht without bathroom and 200 Baht with. They also have some fair sized one-bedroom houses for long-term rental. Wok Tum Bay has 18 rooms with fan and bathroom for 250 Baht. Kiet, a little further up coast, has eight cheap bungalows with communal bathroom facilities.

Sukho is in the small village centre of Ban Woktum and is both cheap and clean if you don't mind not being on the beach, it's on the other side of the road but still has some great sunset views.