Local Food and Snacks to try on Koh Phangan

There's loads of local foods you can try on the island, here's a short selection to get you started...

Papaya Salad
Also known as Som Tam, this is a delicate dish made from unripe papaya so don’t expect something too sweet although is does have a soft sweetness.

It originates from Laos but is eaten all over the south and it a lovely healthy dish made with some of the island’s own papayas.

Different places will serve them in different ways so it’s always worth asking if it’s spicy, some are! You may also find pieces of crab and the shell in it but don’t let this put you off as this is a traditional touch and adds flavour.

Very nice, crisp and refreshing!

Fried Rice
In Thai this is ‘khao phat’ and fried rice is always a winner for a nice quick tasty lunch whether you have it with chicken, fish or veg.

The great thing about khao phat is that you can adjust it to your own flavour, soy sauce, fish sauce and chilli make a great accompaniment and don’t forget to squeeze on that lime for a nice citrus balance.

BBQ Fish
Koh Phangan is an island so this mean we have some of the freshest fish available, there are many great seafood restaurants around.

For quicker snacking though you can always pick up some bbq fish from the market, bbq catfish is especially tasty!

Sticky Rice
Sticky rice can be made with a lot of other ingredients including coconut or fruits and is a nice sweet treat but still made with the Thailand tradition of rice!

All the curries!!
We have all mostly heard of green or red curries when we come to Thailand but there are many more delicious varieties like yellow or massaman.

You can have refined high class ones at your resort or restaurants and also find them in bags to take away at markets.

If you try a few places then you are sure to find one that suits your specific tastes!

Fried Chicken
Okay so this isn’t the healthiest thing to eat but here in Koh Phangan they seem to love their fried chicken (or bbq’d if you wish).

There are stalls a plentiful at the Thong Sala food market or Walking Street on a Saturday to grab a nice piece of fried chicken but one of our favourites is the stall by the gas station in Baan Tai. Don’t be put off by its location, this is where you can find some of the most tastiest fried chicken!!!

Local fruits
From dragonfruit, melon, pineapple, papaya, mango and much much more, you can eat to your hearts content a rich diet of different fruits here on the island.

It’s always nice to have a fruit salad for breakfast or blend it up into one of those famous shakes and it will give you lots of energy and vitamins to keep you going!

Squid
Like we said, Phangan is great for fresh fish and you will often see the squid boats out at night with their green lights in the distance.

There are stalls that drive around selling freshly dried squid or you can taste it at a lot of restaurants or markets on the island where it is cooked to perfection.