In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Thailand
Haad Son
Half-day beach stop or one quiet night on Ko Pha-ngan's west coast, not a base. Go for the calm swim and sunset; skip if you want party action.
Haad Son is a short, sandy bay on Ko Pha-ngan's west coast, next to Haad Yao. It has one resort, a handful of bungalows and no nightlife. Most visitors come for a few hours of swimming and snorkelling, or stay one night for a quiet beach day before moving on.
- Country
- Thailand
- Best months
- Feb–Sep
- Avoid
- Oct–Jan (rainy season, rough seas)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- THB
- Money
- Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿). Cards work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; street food, markets, boats and small taxis are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ฿1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ฿2,500–4,000 excl. bed · High ฿4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 · Ambulance 1669 · Tourist police 1155
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, O · 220 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; type O is the Thai three-pin standard. UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.; Taxi / Grab: Round up to the next ฿10 or ฿20.; Massage: ฿50–100 per hour to the therapist, in hand.; Guide / driver day: ฿300–500 for the guide, ฿200–300 for the driver.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ฿20–50.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Street refill machines charge about ฿1 a litre; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops. The hose ('bum gun') replaces paper; paper goes in the bin in older buildings. Some public toilets cost ฿3–5.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pad Thai at a beach shack | ฿80–120 |
| Large beer | ฿80–120 |
| Fruit shake | ฿50–80 |
| Motorbike rental (per day) | ฿250–400 |
| Shared taxi to Thong Sala | ฿200–300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- USM · Samui Airport
- Then ferry to Ko Pha-ngan (about 2 h total).
Typical fares
- Shared taxi Thong Sala → Haad Son
- about ฿200–300, 10 min (check)
- Motorbike rental (per day)
- about ฿250–400 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking on the beach; motorbike or shared taxi (from Chalok Lam at 10:00) to Thong Sala, about 10 min.Walking on the beach; motorbike or shared taxi (from Chalok Lam at 10:00 AM) to Thong Sala, about 10 min.
See and do
Known for
- Quiet west-coast beach
- Snorkelling and swimming
- Sunset views
- Haad Son Resort
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Haad Yao | 5 min walk north along the beach or road | 10 min |
| Thong Sala | Shared taxi or motorbike, about 10 min | 15 min |
| Haad Rin | Taxi or motorbike, about 20 min | 25 min |
| Chalok Lam | Shared taxi or motorbike, about 10 min | 15 min |
Sleep
- Haad Son beachfront
- Only Haad Son Resort and a few bungalows; book ahead in high season.
- Haad Yao
- 5 min north by road, more accommodation and eating options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | สวัสดีsawasdee |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณkhob khun |
| How much? | เท่าไหร่thao rai |
| Delicious | อร่อยa-roi |
| Check, please | เช็คบิลcheck bin |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A wai (palms together, slight bow) to return a greeting; a smile and nod for shop staff; avoid: Waiing children or service staff first — it confuses; hugging strangers
- Head and feet: Keep feet on the floor, sit with legs folded to the side in temples; avoid: Touching heads (even children's), pointing feet, stepping over people or food
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees, shoes off, sit lower than monks; avoid: Women touching monks or handing them things directly; climbing Buddha images
- Monarchy: Stand for the royal anthem in cinemas and at 08:00 and 18:00 in public places; avoid: Any joke or comment about the royal family; stepping on a banknote
- Keeping calm: Stay polite and smiling when things go wrong ('jai yen' — cool heart); avoid: Raising your voice; public anger loses the argument
- Names: Khun plus first name ('Khun Somchai'); nicknames are normal; avoid: Using the family name alone
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or sweets; step over the threshold, not on it; avoid: Sitting with feet towards the family shrine
- Beckoning and pointing: Palm down, fingers waved towards you; point with the whole hand or chin; avoid: Pointing at people with a finger or with your foot
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATMs on the beach; bring cash from Thong Sala.
- Motorbike rental requires a valid licence; roads can be steep and slippery.
- Rainy season (Oct–Jan) can make the sea rough for swimming.
Very safe. Watch for uneven paths and jellyfish in season. Motorbike accidents are the most common traveller injury.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Haad Son yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Quiet west-coast beach
- Snorkelling and swimming
- Sunset views
- Haad Son Resort
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Haad Son, revision 5242559 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242559
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/haad-son). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.