Why Koh Phangan Is The Next Digital Nomad Hotspot..?
I have been spending most of my time in Koh Phangan for around 10 years now. I originally moved here because I had just started a tour company (TruTravels). Our first ever tour happened to start in Bangkok and finish in Koh Phangan so it made sense to base myself in either one of those destinations.
As the main reason we started TruTravels was because we wanted to live the “dream lifestyle” it was a pretty easy choice. Big, busy, smoky, chaotic Bangkok or a tropical island where I could live on the beach for not a lot of money.
Running a tour company I obviously did a lot of travelling and probably spent more time off the island then on it. None the less, Koh Phangan slowly became home as we built an awesome team here, invested in some accommodation ventures and made friends with other people living on the island.
The Rise Of Digital Nomads In Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan has long been known as the full moon party island but during covid that started to change. There was no full moon party and next to no tourism for almost two years. But the tourists who were here were a different type of tourist, they were the ones who didn’t mind being stuck in a warm country because they were used to living nomadic lifestyles and working online and doing zoom meetings. They were the digital nomads.
And those that came had good reason to like it. The prices of accommodation were DIRT cheap. You could get 5* hotels for £30 a night in some cases. There were very few restrictions and, as most things are outside here, life could go on pretty much as normal. Apart from there were less people and things were cheaper. Which suited a lot of people – basically everyone who doesn’t have a tourism related business on the island – just fine.
Don’t get me wrong, there have been digital nomads or other long term globe trotters living in Koh Phangan for years, but as we all know, the number of people who work online increased a lot, and as more of them found Phangan and told people about this new and up-and-coming digital nomad hotspot, more of them came and the island started to get a bit of a name for it. Nomads want to meet other nomads and so unsurprisingly they move to places known to lots of other nomads. And that’s how places become digital nomad hot spots.
Now there are more of the nomads, there are more services for them. Co-working spaces popping up in different places, amazing coffeeshops and cafés that allow people to work in there, digital nomad meet ups, Facebook groups and events. There are now way more modern gyms then there were 10 years ago, waaaaay more choice in terms of great restaurants and bars, and lots of other things which make it, in my humble opinion, one of the best places to live and work.
The Infastructure
As Koh Phangan is a growing digital nomad hotspot, the infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years, making it easier than ever to live on the island without sacrificing the charm of a remote location.
In terms of transport, the island is easily accessible by ferry from neighbouring islands Koh Samui and Koh Tao, as well as from the mainland in Surat Thani. The roads are decent, and you’ll find it no problem to rent a bike and drive around.
The internet on Koh Phangan is generally pretty good, surprisingly so for such a small island! There are many great cafes and co-working spaces offering high-speed Wi-Fi so you can get out and still get your work done. You can find our picks for the best co-working spaces here…
If you want a more built-up experience, with reliable WIFI, power and amenities, you’ll want to stick to areas like Thong Sala and Srithanu. If you want to get out into nature then head into the island.
The Scenery
Unreal natural beauty absolutely everywhere! That’s a pretty good reason to want to live anywhere and Koh Phangan excels in this department. World class beaches surrounding the whole island, mountains and jungle, waterfalls. One can take advantage of this in so many ways, walks or runs on the beach, nature hikes to viewpoints/waterfalls, watersports like kite surfing, meditation/yoga, tree climbing… Whatever floats your boat.
Fitness
It’s important to keep a healthy body and now there are more ways to do it than ever in Koh Phangan. The nature hikes, jogs on the beach, paddle boarding, swimming and snorkelling etc., plus the wake boarding and other awesome water sports mentioned above are just some of the activities that make it into my daily routine here.
Muay Thai is another very popular sport in Thailand and on Phangan and there are plenty of schools/gyms to choose from. This is an intense cardio work out but so worth it. If you don’t make it to a class, you should make time to see some fights while here as this is Thailand’s national sport.
And now, there have been a host of western style gyms opening up with AC and modern equipment, so the number of ways you could choose to workout here is pretty much endless. Which is good because the next reason is food & drink!
Amazing International Cuisine
We are now lucky to have an amazing variety of excellent restaurants on the island, catering to everyone’s tastes and budgets.
Obviously, you can find hundreds of great and authentic Thai places that are insanely cheap and delicious, but you can also find fresh sea food, Italian food Mexican, American, Greek, Middle Eastern and so much more! Plus a huge array of cafés/coffee shops, and a 7/11 on pretty much every corner.
There’s also an impressive amount of vegetarian and vegan options here.
As if that’s not enough temptation, there are also a number of very cool bars which brings me on to the next point.
Icon Nightlife
Work hard, play hard, the unofficial moto of Koh Phangan, and a pretty good one for a digital nomad hotspot!
Whilst Koh Phangan is by no means ONLY about partying, that is how it made its name… Being famous for parties means naturally the digital nomad hotspot now has more than you can shake a stick at. And there are some damn awesome ones for those who enjoy letting loose and cutting shapes into the night.
Outside of the famous Full Moon Party that put this island on the map, there’s the Half Moon, Waterfall, Jungle experience, OXA, Holystone… Not to mention themed music nights like D&B by the Sea, some incredible psytrance parties, and (probably my favourite) Eden.
All this to say, if you want to party there’s plenty to choose from!
Even if you’re not into partying, there are plenty of ways to meet people on the island. Every Friday for example there’s a huge drum circle down at Zen Beach at 6pm which attracts a great crowd. Music, dancing, sunset – a prefect way to see in the weekend.
There’s also co-working spaces, nomad meetups, facebook groups, workout classes and if that doesn’t work, there’s always Tinder 😉
The Spiritual Scene
Koh Phangan is a haven for yogi’s and spiritual types. Some claim that the island had a lot of rose quarts in the rocks which creates a powerful aura, but who knows if that’s true. You do some research… Either way, this digital nomad hotspot can definitely help you to slow down and find some zen. There are lots of yoga schools and healing centres, vegan restaurants and places where you can get in touch with you spiritual side.
The Weather
And last but not least, every British persons favourite topic of conversation, the weather. Let’s face it, unless you’re one of those odd folk who enjoy being cold, it’s better to be in a hot climate most of the time. Better for the mood, and the soul. It allows a more outdoor and active lifestyle and means you don’t have to spend money on clothes.
Koh Phangan is warm, dry for most of the year and has lots of amazing ways to take advantage of the great weather which we have mentioned above.
Koh Phangan: The next Digital Nomad Hotspot
It looks like a postcard picture, it’s cheap, social, fun and pretty easy to live a dream lifestyle here as long as you have the means, and if you’re a digital nomad, and you can earn money from your laptop whilst sipping a coconut on the beach, then you do.
That’s why this island is the next digital nomad hot spot and probably one of the best places in the world to live.
