Thong Sala travel guide for Koh Phangan
Thongsala is Koh Phangan's Thai capital, with a thriving market, shops, restaurants and a Muay Thai stadium. It is also the main port with boats arriving from Samui and the mainland. There is a selection of guesthouses in the town itself but most travellers venture out to the beaches and hillside resorts. Tropicana Resort is situated just on the outskirts of Thongsala on the beach and is a clean and friendly resort with reasonable prices.
Thong Sala has a nightly food market consisting of a number of food carts ranging from readymade curry stalls, noodle carts, fried chicken vendors, and Thai desserts such as banana rotee (pancakes).
 | Bungalows & resortsAlthough Thong Sala is the main urban area of Koh Phangan, it is no industrial wasteland with lots of quality low-key hotels with high-end facilities and their own private beaches...more |  | Services & amenitiesAs the main transport hub of Koh Phangan, most of the major travel companies servicing the island have offices here. There are also many businesses which cater for the tourist crowds...more |
 | ShoppingThong Sala is the place to head if you've run out of that essential product and need to make a purchase not covered by tourist stores. There is also a Tesco supermarket for cheap supplies...more |  | FerriesAs the main port of Koh Phangan, Thong Sala is where most people arrive on the island. Read our handy guide to ferry travel including the departure and arrival times of all services...more |
Thong Sala guide - Koh Phangan port and shopping district
Along the main road of Thong Sala are many BBQ restaurants offering ‘all you can eat’ for only 99 baht. These are great for eating your fill on the cheap and are also authentic Thai establishments and so delicious as well.
Other good Thong Sala eateries include Umi Vegetarian Restaurant (73/10 Moo 1, Thongsala, Tel: +66 (0)77 377 815, 10:00 – 18:00) which offers simple yet delicious curries, soups and salads from around the world including Indian, African, Korean and Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Those with a taste for pizza and pasta can do a lot worse than Italian-owned Pizza Chiara (near 7-Eleven and night market) while Yellow Café offers great breakfasts, hilltribe coffee and deli snacks amidst a tropical garden.
Thos in need of liquid refreshment should seek out AmStardam Bar, (high up on hill to north of Thong Sala) where there are decent sunset views and pre-full moon warm-up parities. Otherwise The Harp Bar (74/4 Moo 1, opposite main pier, 09:00 – 02:00) is a decent Irish pub with international menu, pool table and free jukebox. The Masons Arms (145/5 Thong Sala, coast road to Had Yao, Tel: +66 (0)77 238 526) is a proper British pub with beer garden, air-con inside and hearty grub.
