Koh Phangan Island is to the northeast of Surat Thani, about 20 kilometers from Koh Samui. Its area of 170 square kilometers, or 106,250 rai, is surrounded by several minor islands such as Koh Tao, Koh Tae Nok, Koh Tae Nai, and Koh Ma. Vast plains stretch out on the west coast of the island, while steep cliffs drip to the sea in the east. It is encircled by charming beaches, beautiful bays, and clear waters, with an abundance of coral reefs and marine life

Koh Phangan is a district (Amphoe) of the Surat Thani Province in the Southern Region of Thailand.
Koh Phangan enjoys a warm climate around the year. Best time for a visit is from December to March or June to September.

The island has 9.2 sq. km of coral reef, which is 100 to 1000 meters wide, with its widest part in the Wok Tum area. 50-70% of the reef is alive with 300-500 meters covered in seaweed. The most abundant fish is the Mackerel.

Koh Phangan is full of undeveloped bays and coves and some of the remote beaches are only accessible by trekking through jungle paths or by taking a boat. The Island attracts many popular activities one being snorkeling at many of the island beaches; one beach in particular is in the northeastern tip at Koh Maa. Other activities now include kite surfing, kayaking and trekking.

Phangan has now become synonymous with the full-moon parties on Haad Rin. These monster raves take place every month and have become world famous, attacting up to ten thousand revelers each time. However, it should be remembered that Haad Rin is just one small slice of island's shoreline.

About 15 years ago the most common way of getting from one side of the island to the other was by boat or foot, but these days now new roads have been built everywhere, making it much easier to access to allmost all parts of the island.