Koh Phangan with Kids
Skip the party, stay on the calm side, and the kids get a sea they can play in

If you're bringing kids to Koh Phangan, Thong Nai Pan is the answer — two curving bays (Thong Nai Pan Noi and Yai) on the northeast of the island, with white sand, clear water and gentle waves, and on the opposite side of the island from Haad Rin, so it's quiet and calm. Little kids build sandcastles and paddle in the shallows along the bay. The bays are lined with beachfront resorts that have pools to alternate with, and there are restaurants and cafes with an easygoing feel. It's a base that makes a family day much easier: beach in the morning, pool over midday, a stroll by the bay in the evening, all in one spot.

The bit kids get most excited about — at Mae Haad on the northwest, a sandbar stretches from the shore out to Koh Ma (Koh Ma island), a small island just offshore. At low tide kids can walk the sandbar across to Koh Ma, with clear shallow water on either side. The water around Koh Ma is the best easy snorkelling on Koh Phangan — shallow and close to shore, with coral and fish to see — so it's a great place for kids to try a mask and snorkel gently, close in. It's a day where kids get the sand, the sandbar walk and the fish all at once.

For a day that swaps the sea for fresh water — the centre of the island has waterfalls in shaded forest that's cooler than the beach. Phaeng Waterfall is in the national park in the centre, with a trail up to a viewpoint. Than Sadet Waterfall on the east is a royal waterfall with the initials of Rama V and other kings carved into the rock, running down to Than Sadet beach. The flow is strong or gentle depending on the season (more water in the rains, less in the dry months), and older kids can paddle the shallow edges where it's safe. The forest around the falls is cool and shady, and kids see some proper hill-and-jungle nature.

A corner where kids see island life — Chaloklum is a fishing village on the far north of the island, with a wide, calm bay and brightly painted fishing boats lined up along it. It's an easy evening stroll along the water, watching the fishermen land their catch, and there are seafood restaurants by the sea where you can have dinner looking out over the bay. Kids like watching the boats and feeding fish by the pier. The feel is friendly and villagey — no party, no bustle — which makes it a quiet base or stop for families who want the more local side of Koh Phangan.

Not every day has to be an outing — when the sun is fierce, the rain comes, or the kids are worn out from the winding roads, the resort pool is the hero, and it's the safest option for little ones (no worrying about waves or currents as on an open beach). Many family resorts at Thong Nai Pan and on the north have a shallow pool and gardens for kids to roam. It keeps kids happy through the hottest part of the afternoon or a rainy day, and parents get a poolside break — the rhythm that keeps the trip from wearing everyone out, which matters especially in the Gulf wet season when the sea is sometimes off-limits.

For families with older kids or teens who can manage a boat — Ang Thong Marine Park is a 42-island archipelago of limestone islands in the Gulf, reached on a full-day boat trip from Koh Phangan. The trip usually includes kayaking around the islands, seeing the green lagoon (a saltwater lake inside an island), snorkelling and a climb to a viewpoint. Older kids who like adventure love the kayaking and the island views. Little ones can come but need close supervision, and you should pick a gentler trip. It's a day that makes a real highlight of a trip — check the weather first and pick a calm-sea day.

An outing kids find exciting — Bottle Beach (Haad Khuat) is a quiet beach on the far north of the island that's reached by longtail boat or a jungle hike. The easy, fun way for families is to take a short longtail boat from Chaloklum across to it. Kids get a boat ride along the coast with views of the bay, then arrive at a quiet stretch of white sand with few people, clear water and easy swimming by the shore. It's remote and peaceful, with a couple of small beach restaurants. It suits families who want a lovely beach without driving the winding roads, because going by boat is the gentler way to get there.

A culture stop kids can walk around — Wat Phu Khao Noi, near Thong Sala, is the oldest temple on Koh Phangan, on a low hill, with a chedi and Buddha images to pay respects to and a view over the town and harbour. The feel is calm and quiet. Nearby there's a Chinese temple to drop into as well. It's a short half-hour-to-an-hour stop that changes the pace from the sea — kids see a Thai temple and learn a little about how you behave in one. It isn't a major highlight, but it slots nicely into a day around Thong Sala, and it's somewhere shaded on a hot day.

Good news for families — Koh Phangan is a wellness destination, so there's a huge amount of choice island-wide: mild Thai places, healthy, vegan and vegetarian spots, fruit smoothies, and Western, pizza and pasta places for fussier eaters. Easy Thai wins include chicken rice, grilled chicken, fried rice, pad thai and omelette, all of which you can order non-spicy. Desserts are everywhere too — ice cream, roti and tropical fruit that kids love — and fresh coconut water is easy to find. Convenience stores carry milk and snacks, and you'll stick to bottled water. You really don't have to worry about kids going hungry on this island.

The most important part of a family trip to Koh Phangan — plan around the party. The Full Moon Party is held at Haad Rin every month around the full moon (the date shifts with the lunar calendar, so check before you book), and on that night there are tens of thousands of people and noise until dawn. There are also Half Moon and other parties on other nights. The family formula is simple: one, time your trip away from the full moon; two, stay on the north/northeast (Thong Nai Pan, Chaloklum, Mae Haad), which is the opposite side of the island from Haad Rin; three, don't go to Haad Rin on party nights. Do that and Koh Phangan is the quiet, family-friendly island it should be.