Thong Sala is a large urbanised settlement (some simply call it a town) that serves as the administrative centre and main port on Koh Phangan. What was once a simple fishing village is now quite a sizable portion of the island with high population density, two proper concrete piers and urban infrastructure.
Besides all this, Thong Sala has its own stretch of coastline, which you might call a beach if you’re being generous. You’ll hardly feel the urge to swim there, and here’s why.
Beach Overview
Despite Thong Sala being just a small town in the south of this holiday island, the shore along it isn’t suitable at all for beach activities. Both of Thong Sala’s piers handle rather heavy passenger traffic, from ferries to fishing longtails, so the sea and the beach around the piers can hardly be called clean.
The right edge of Thong Sala beach ends at a wide river mouth, while the left gradually transitions into Ao Bang Charu beach, which is also part of Thong Sala’s urban beaches. The entire shoreline near the piers is reinforced with concrete and essentially forms a continuous promenade, beneath which lies sand mixed with rubbish.
Swimming
For obvious reasons, I didn’t measure the sea depth or check the cleanliness of the seabed with my own feet, nor did I see anyone swimming there. You can safely consider Thong Sala a technical beach, where you might sit with a packet of food or light a small fire for some romantic sunset atmosphere.
Waves occur regularly here because the sea around Thong Sala is quite deep, though channels have been dredged to the piers so ferries don’t catch their keels on the bottom.
Sunbeds and Shade
There are no sunbeds at Thong Sala, and shade is also in short supply. There are a few large trees under which you can hide from the sun during the day. Also, a couple of salas on the shore are perfect for a temporary rest or snack. Salas (with the stress on the last “a”) are Thai pavilions with roofs and benches that you’ll often encounter throughout Thailand.
These are local cultural and architectural features that are particularly relevant in tropical countries with their temperamental weather, where either the sun is scorching or sudden heavy downpours occur.
Beach Photos
Pier Thong Sala
Ao Bang Charu
Amenities
Thong Sala’s infrastructure is the most comprehensive on Koh Phangan. With the island’s limitations in mind, of course. Thong Sala concentrates government offices, loads of shops and supermarkets, markets, cafes and restaurants, rental shops, banks and ATMs, hotels and guesthouses. And the most popular meeting spot with friends is the Pantip Market food court, where you can eat on the cheap.
In short, Thong Sala has everything. There’s even a public exercise area built on the promenade where you can work out for free on bodyweight equipment – this is a trend in Thailand’s resort towns, by the way. But to put things in perspective, Phangan still doesn’t measure up to Samui, which in turn is nowhere near Phuket or Bangkok.
I’ve also never heard anyone seriously discussing Thong Sala as an option for long-term living on Phangan. Thong Sala is the local capital, noisy, the epicentre of commerce and a transport hub all in one, with an unsightly beach and a couple of attractions: the landing ship “Phangan”, a monument to King Rama V and an already half-collapsed model of the island on a roundabout. People come here to let loose, stock up or board a ferry, but definitely not for a beach holiday.
Accommodation
Despite everything mentioned, Thong Sala has plenty of budget accommodation, and how could it be otherwise in a town through which thousands of tourists pass daily? There are no expensive hotels or resorts here, neither near the sea nor in the second or third rows, for obvious reasons.
When choosing a place to stay among the beachfront guesthouses and hostels, I would primarily consider these:
- Buakao Inn
- Taya’s Place
So if you need to save money or, for example, want to live in the centre of “civilisation” (or stay overnight before sailing to the mainland or Samui), then consider Thong Sala. Alternatively, you can live on the outskirts; I once stayed in this hotel.
How to Find the Beach
You can find Thong Sala beach with your eyes. But seriously, there’s a 50% chance you’ll arrive on Phangan through Thong Sala pier, meaning you’ll see it completely as you walk from the ferry to the shore. The exception would be the far edge of the town called Ao Bang Charu, which is what ended up in my lens. There was essentially nothing to photograph near the piers except the piers themselves.
