Bottle Beach is easily one of the best beaches in Koh Phangan, but getting there is an adventure.
You can’t just ride a motorbike down to Bottle Beach because the road is completely rutted out. Your best options are to either take a 4WD songthaew or hire a boat from Chaloklum.
Some people walk down the road to get there, but in my opinion, the trek down is long, and the uphill climb back out would be brutal in the island’s intense heat.
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting Bottle Beach in Koh Phangan, including how to get there and what to expect when you arrive.
Bottle Beach Complete Guide
In my opinion, Bottle Beach is the best beach for swimming in Koh Phangan. Unlike most other beaches on the island, which are too shallow for a proper swim, Bottle Beach’s water has the perfect depth. You don’t need to go far out to actually swim, and the shoreline’s slope is gradual so it’s easy to get in and out of the water.
Bottle Beach also has some of the nicest sand of any beach we visited in Koh Phangan. Most of the beaches on the island have pieces of coral and rocks in them, but Bottle Beach has almost none of that. It’s truly a white sandy beach.
While we’re on the topic of sand, the sand at Bottle Beach is a little on the coarser side, so it doesn’t blow all over the place when the wind comes. It’s a lot easier to clean off your clothes and skin. Both good things in my book.
Bottle Beach also has a bunch of bungalows for rent right on the beach. It’s an awesome secluded spot to stay at if you’re looking to just get away from it all.
Sounds perfect, right? Well, there’s a catch. Bottle Beach isn’t the easiest place to get to. I’ll cover that in the next section.
How to Get to Bottle Beach
Here are all the ways to get to Bottle Beach:
- Songthaew: Some hotels at Bottle Beach operate Songthaews that transport guests in and out. They also offer rides to the public. This is the method we used to get to Bottle Beach. We paid 150 baht per person each way.
- Boat: Water taxis offer rides to and from Bottle Beach from nearby Chaloklum Beach.
- Walking: You can hike down to the beach from the parking area at the top of the hill. From there, it’s a 20–30 minute walk down the road.
- Motorbike: The road to Bottle Beach is steep, rutted, and in extremely rough condition. I don’t recommend this method.
The map location below for Bottle Beach is accurate and can be used to navigate there.
How We Got to Bottle Beach
Our adventure to Bottle Beach started right after finishing the Bottle Beach viewpoint hike. While standing atop the rock at the viewpoint we decided that the beach looked pretty nice from above, so why not head down there to check it out?
At first, we considered riding our motorbike down the road. But one glance at the steep, rugged dirt path made us think twice. Especially since we were two people on a single motorbike. It would’ve been a rough ride.
Just as we were about to start walking down, a songthaew pulled up. It belonged to one of the hotels at Bottle Beach, primarily used to transport guests, but they also offer rides to the public for 150 baht per person. We hopped in without hesitation.
As soon as we started down the road, I knew we made the right choice. The road was in terrible condition. Not only was it super steep, but it was also completely rutted out. It was strictly 4WD territory, and I’m glad we didn’t attempt it on our motorbike.
By the time we got to Bottle Beach we were glad to get out of that bumpy truck and see what the beach had in store for us.
Bottle Beach: Our Experience
The first thing we did when we arrived at Bottle Beach was take in our surroundings. The beach was surprisingly large and, at least when we visited, almost empty. A few hotels lined the shore, some in operation and others seemingly abandoned.
We wasted no time jumping into the water, and it was incredible. The sand was soft, with no sharp rocks or coral. After our hike to Bottle Beach Viewpoint and the bumpy ride down, the cool ocean was exactly what we needed.
After swimming, we dried off and found a spot at one of the beachfront restaurants. I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, so I was starving. I ordered a bowl of rice soup, which was unmemorable, but the fresh fruit and coconut made up for it.
We spent a little more time chilling in the shade before catching a songthaew back up the hill to our motorbike, feeling cooled off and energized for our next adventure.
Are You Following Our Koh Phangan Blog Series?
We spent 10 days in Koh Phangan and found so many things to do there—from waterfalls to beaches, temples, and hikes. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best places we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Our Ultimate Guide to Koh Phangan: 16 Incredible Things to Do in Koh Phangan
- Our Koh Phangan accomodation/area guide: Where to Stay in Koh Phangan
- Our Koh Phangan Beach Guide: The 15 Best Beaches in Koh Phangan
- How to plan your trip to Koh Phangan: 3 Days in Koh Phangan: The Perfect Koh Phangan Itinerary
- The Bottle Beach Viewpoint is Koh Phangan’s most epic vantage point
- We did the Haad Rin to Haad Yuan Hike over a mountain to a secluded beach
- Our favorite temple in Koh Phangan is the Kuan Yin Chinese Temple
- Our favorite waterfall in Koh Phangan: Pho Darng Waterfall
- How to get to Koh Phangan: Surat Thani to Koh Phangan by Ferry
I hope you enjoyed our guide to Bottle Beach in Koh Phangan! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions 🐸
