Samui Phangan Real Estate Magazine October-November

LIVING IN KOH PHANGAN
Stunning beaches, an affordable lifestyle and an
appealing island environment have drawn a growing
number of visitors and residents to Koh Phangan’s
tropical shores. Many of the island’s visitors choose
to stay longer than they originally planned and this
has led to the establishment of a sizeable foreign
community of long stay tourists, working residents,
business owners and retirees. The number of foreign
investors choosing Koh Phangan as their second
home is increasing every year, with easy transport
access, a fast developing infrastructure and a range
of lifestyle and hospitality services all adding to the
island’s growing appeal.
Koh Phangan is a rare island escape just a short
boat ride from Koh Samui’s more developed and
commercial environment. This means residents and
visitors can enjoy the unspoiled beauty of some of
Thailand’s finest beaches while still having access
to the comforts and benefits of a modern lifestyle.
The recent growth in the number of luxury hotels
and private villas on the island has prompted the
emergence of more upmarket retail, dining and
entertainment choices, with cool nightspots and
restaurants opening in the more popular beaches
like Haad Rin and Thong Nai Pan. As Koh Phangan
evolves from a backpacker haven in to a full service
destination, the island is attracting those with the
spending power to combine natural escape with a
sophisticated island lifestyle.
The Thai government and its tourism authority has
long been promoting Koh Phangan as an ecodestination
in order to transform the island’s reputation
from party venue to tropical escape, promoting Koh
Phangan’s natural beauty and untainted environment
to the world. Eco-adventures and marine based
activities are widely available to visitors and residents
with mountain biking, diving, wake boarding and
jungle treks all on offer to encourage a more sensitive
approach to island life that also minimises the impact
on the island’s ecosystem.
On a practical level, the opening of a modest Tesco
Lotus Supermarket, combined with a significant
increase in the number of foreign run businesses has
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