Pools on Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan's pools divide into a few distinct categories, each making sense for different types of traveller. The clifftop infinity pools above the Gulf — most famously Bluerama above Nai Wok — are all about the view: open sky, a west-facing horizon and the light changing through the afternoon into a sea sunset. The beachfront pool hotels, concentrated on the west coast and the north-east bays of Thong Nai Pan, give you both things at once: a calm, clear pool a few steps from genuinely good swimming sea.
The island's beaches are the main event, and you should use them. But there are times when a pool is the better call — low tide on the west coast, choppy conditions on a windier day, or simply an afternoon where you want a chilled drink and shade nearby. The best pool hotels on Koh Phangan know this and position the pool as a complement to the sea rather than a substitute for it.