Chaloklum, Koh Phangan - the fishing village, the Sunday market and the beautiful beaches of the north

Koh Phangan is an island where every area feels a little different. There are beaches people go to for the sunsets, others for the parties, and there are places where it is the local life and the simple atmosphere that make a visit special.

Chaloklum (also spelt Chalok Lam), a fishing village in the north of Koh Phangan, is one of those places.

The village sits on a wide, beautiful bay, with colourful fishing boats, a pier, local restaurants and stretches of beach. It is also the departure point for longtail boats to more secluded beaches, above all Bottle Beach.

But the experience we remember most from Chaloklum is actually the Sunday market.

We found a big, busy and wonderfully varied market, with plenty of food stalls, crowds of visitors and a happy atmosphere. There was meat, seafood, sweets, fruit, drinks and almost anything you can imagine at a Thai food market.

What made the evening even more special was the setting. People bought food and stood on the pier to eat it, facing the sea. Others went down to the beach and sat on the sand with their food.

We also really enjoyed being able to stand on the pier, look out over the sea and eat in the middle of it all.

For us, this was not just a market you stop at to buy something to eat. It was an evening out in its own right.

Where is Chaloklum and why does it matter in north Koh Phangan?

Chaloklum is on the north coast of Koh Phangan, in a bay called Chaloklum Bay.

It is very different from the touristy areas in the south of the island. This is not a street of clubs or a party hub, but a working fishing village, with boats, local businesses, restaurants and places to stay.

Fishing is part of the identity of the place. Along the shore and around the pier you can see longtail boats and fishing boats, and the village is also a base for activities at sea, including boat trips and diving.

Chaloklum's location makes it a particularly useful stop for anyone exploring the north of Koh Phangan.

To the west are the beaches of Mae Haad, Haad Salad and Haad Yao. To the east is the Haad Khom area, and beyond it the secluded Bottle Beach, which is usually reached by boat or on a hiking trail.

In other words, you can combine Chaloklum with some of the island's most beautiful beaches without crossing the whole of Koh Phangan every time.

How far is Chaloklum from Haad Yao?

Haad Yao is in the north-west of Koh Phangan, while Chaloklum is in the north of the island.

They are not in the same bay, but the distance between them is fairly short. The drive usually takes around 15-25 minutes, depending on exactly where your hotel is, the route and road conditions.

If you are staying in Haad Yao, Chaloklum is an easy destination for an outing of a few hours, especially for the Sunday market.

You can spend the day on the beach, get to Chaloklum in the afternoon, wander around the village and carry on to the market in the evening.

Chaloklum Sunday market - one of our favourite experiences on Koh Phangan

One of the things we would strongly recommend fitting into a trip to north Koh Phangan is the Chaloklum Sunday Walking Street, a Sunday market held along the village's main street and around the pier.

The market usually takes place every Sunday, from late afternoon into the evening.

Although it is sometimes described as a farmers' market, in practice it is a very varied market of food and stalls, with Thai street food, international dishes, drinks, sweets and local products.

Our experience at the market

When we arrived at the market, the first thing that struck us was its size and variety.

There were lots of stalls and lots of people, but the atmosphere was happy and pleasant. Every few steps we saw something different to eat.

Grilled meats, seafood, ready-made dishes, desserts, fresh fruit, colourful drinks and plenty more besides.

It is the kind of place where it is hard to decide what to eat, because every few metres you discover something new.

We love markets like this in Thailand, where you can move between the stalls, taste a few different things and enjoy the choice without committing to one meal in a restaurant.

But in Chaloklum there was something extra that made the visit special.

Eating on the pier, facing the sea

One of the sights we remember most from the market is the people standing on the pier with the food they had bought, eating and looking out over the sea.

We really enjoyed doing the same.

Instead of sitting in a restaurant, you can simply pick food from the stalls, walk towards the pier and stand facing the bay with your meal.

All around us were lots of visitors enjoying exactly the same thing.

Some stayed on the pier, while others went down to the beach and sat on the sand with their food.

The sight of people sitting on the beach, eating, chatting and enjoying the evening created a very special atmosphere.

It felt like a shared night out for people from all kinds of places, who had come to enjoy good food and an evening by the sea.

For us, the combination of the market, the pier and the beach is what makes the Chaloklum market such a success.

You can arrive hungry, wander between the stalls, choose a few things to eat and spend a whole evening there without needing any other attraction.

What food can you find at the market?

The choice at the market was huge when we visited.

Among other things, we saw stalls selling:

• Meat and grilled food.
• Fish and seafood.
• Thai street food and ready-made dishes.
• Desserts and sweets.
• Fresh fruit.
• Juices, smoothies and all kinds of drinks.

Alongside the Thai food, the market also has international options, depending on which stalls are there that week.

The big advantage is that you do not have to choose one restaurant or one dish. You can buy several small things from different places, share with whoever you are travelling with and try new flavours.

It is also a great experience if you like photographing food, markets and local life in Thailand.

When is the market held?

• Day: Sunday.
• Hours: usually around 17:00-22:00. Some stalls may open earlier, and closing times vary.
• Location: Chaloklum's main street, around the pier.
• Entry: free.

We recommend arriving in the late afternoon, when the stalls are starting up, and staying on into the evening.

That way you can enjoy the village and the bay in daylight, watch the atmosphere change as evening falls, and get round the stalls before it gets busier.

Bring cash, as not all the stalls take cards.

It is important to check the opening hours close to your visit, especially around local holidays or in unusual weather.

The fishing harbour and pier of Chaloklum

Even without the Sunday market, the harbour area is one of the places that define Chaloklum's character.

The pier is in the centre of the village, facing the wide bay, and fishing boats and longtail boats operate all around it.

It is not just a beautiful spot to look out at the sea, but part of the village's local life.

Chaloklum is still a fishing community, and activity at sea is part of its identity.

You can see colourful boats along the shore, wander the nearby streets and sit down at one of the local restaurants.

During the Sunday market, the pier becomes part of the evening itself. People come with food from the stalls, stand facing the water and enjoy the view and the atmosphere.

For us, it was one of the loveliest experiences of the visit.

Just remember that this is a working pier, so watch out for boats, equipment and your own safety, especially after dark.

The beaches of Chaloklum and around

Chaloklum sits on a wide bay with a long stretch of beach, but not every part of the bay offers the same swimming experience.

The central part of the village is where the fishing boats and passenger boats are, so we would not treat the whole beach as an ideal place to swim.

If you are after a beach day, there are some interesting options nearby.

Chaloklum Beach - the village's main beach

The main beach stretches along the bay where Chaloklum sits.

It is a beach that combines lovely scenery with local activity: fishing boats, longtail boats, restaurants and guesthouses.

The parts near the harbour are used for activity at sea, so choose where to swim based on where the boats are and the conditions in the water.

The advantage of this beach is how close it is to the village. You can walk along the water, sit in a restaurant and combine your visit with a wander through the nearby streets.

Malibu Beach - the beautiful beach on the west side of the bay

Malibu Beach is at the western end of Chaloklum Bay.

It is known for its pale sand, its fairly shallow water when conditions are right and the distinctive trees that give it a tropical look.

This area is better suited to a relaxed beach day than the busy part of the fishing harbour.

If you are coming to Chaloklum during the day and want to fit in a swim, Malibu Beach is an option worth knowing about.

As with every beach on Koh Phangan, the swimming also depends on the tides and the season.

Haad Khom - a small, quiet beach east of Chaloklum

East of Chaloklum is Haad Khom, also known as Coral Bay.

It is a smaller beach, with tropical greenery, rocks and a fairly relaxed atmosphere.

When conditions are right, you can enjoy swimming and snorkelling around the rocks here.

Haad Khom is also one of the places where hiking trails towards Bottle Beach begin.

It can suit anyone who wants to combine a visit to Chaloklum with a quieter beach.

Bottle Beach - the secluded beach you sail to from Chaloklum

One of Chaloklum's most important roles for travellers is as the departure point for longtail boats to Bottle Beach.

It is a beautiful, fairly secluded beach surrounded by green hills, reached mainly by boat or on a hiking trail over the hills.

We got there by longtail boat from Chaloklum, and the boat ride itself was a special experience.

On the way we saw the north coast of Koh Phangan, green hills, colourful houses and small places to stay tucked into the greenery.

At Bottle Beach we spent a few hours, ate at one of the local restaurants and enjoyed the happy, peaceful atmosphere.

If you get to Chaloklum in the morning, you can combine your visit to the village with a boat trip to Bottle Beach and come back later in the day.

Read more: Bottle Beach, Koh Phangan - getting there, restaurants, where to stay and the hiking trail.

What else is there to do in Chaloklum?

Eat fish and seafood at the local restaurants

As a working fishing village, Chaloklum is associated with fish and seafood.

Along the streets and around the bay there are restaurants serving Thai food, fish and seafood, along with other options.

Even if you are not there on a Sunday, you can combine a walk around the village with a meal by the sea.

Go diving

Chaloklum is a base for diving in the north of Koh Phangan.

There are dive centres in the area offering courses and boat trips to dive sites, including Sail Rock, one of the best-known dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand.

If you are planning to dive during your stay on Koh Phangan, it is worth checking which boat trips leave from Chaloklum, and the conditions and prices.

Wander the village and soak up the atmosphere

You do not need to come to Chaloklum with a set plan.

You can walk along the main street, look at the local businesses, pass by the harbour, sit down for a coffee or a meal and watch the boats in the bay.

The charm of the place is not only in any one attraction, but also in its character.

This is a village with genuine local life, not just a tourist area built around hotels.

How much time should you spend in Chaloklum?

How long you stay depends on what you want to do.

• One to two hours: enough for a short walk around the village, a visit to the pier and a stop at a café or restaurant.
• Three to four hours: lets you explore the village, eat and fit in a visit to a nearby beach.
• A whole Sunday evening: this is the option we would especially recommend if you love markets and street food. Arrive in the late afternoon, wander around the village and devote the evening to the market.
• A full day: you can combine Chaloklum with Malibu Beach or a boat trip to Bottle Beach, depending on your schedule and boat availability.

If you only have a few days on Koh Phangan, we would not necessarily give Chaloklum a whole day at the expense of other beaches.

But if you are on the island on a Sunday, we would definitely try to fit the evening market into your plans.

Is it worth staying in Chaloklum?

You can certainly stay in Chaloklum, but the important question is what kind of holiday you are looking for.

Chaloklum has clear advantages as a base for exploring the north of Koh Phangan.

It is close to beautiful beaches, has local restaurants and is the departure point for boat trips, diving and visits to Bottle Beach.

Its atmosphere is calmer than the party areas in the south of the island, and it suits anyone who prefers quiet, local surroundings.

On the other hand, if your dream is to step out of your room straight onto a wide swimming beach, with a row of restaurants and bars along the sand, Haad Yao may suit you better.

And if you are looking for intense nightlife, you will find better options in other parts of Koh Phangan.

Who would we recommend Chaloklum to as a base?

• Travellers who prefer a local atmosphere to a developed tourist area.
• Divers who want to go out on boat trips from the north.
• Anyone planning to explore mainly the northern beaches of Koh Phangan.
• Travellers looking for fairly quiet surroundings who do not need lively nightlife.

And who might it suit less?

If you are looking for a classic lazy beach holiday, with an easy swimming beach right by the hotel and a big choice of places to go out, we would also look at Haad Yao.

If you are looking for a romantic, pampering hotel with an impressive sea view, it is worth knowing about Thong Nai Pan Noi in the north-east of the island too.

And if you want to be close to the main markets, the shops and the main ferry pier, Thong Sala will be a more convenient base.

Would we choose to stay here?

We really enjoyed our visit to Chaloklum, especially the Sunday market and the atmosphere around the pier.

But we did not stay in the village, so we cannot speak from personal experience about the quality of the hotels or what a longer stay there feels like.

In our view, for travellers who want to discover several different areas of Koh Phangan, Chaloklum can be an excellent place to visit without moving your base there.

If you love fishing villages, diving and a calmer holiday, you could certainly consider staying there.

How to get to Chaloklum

Chaloklum is in the north of Koh Phangan and can be reached by road from various parts of the island.

From Thong Sala, the main town and home to the ferry pier, the drive usually takes around 20-35 minutes, depending on traffic and the route.

From the Haad Yao area the drive is fairly short, usually around 15-25 minutes.

You can get there by hired scooter or local taxi. If you are not an experienced rider, bear in mind that some of Koh Phangan's roads have climbs, descents and bends.

If you are going to the Sunday market, it is a good idea to think about getting back in advance too, especially if you are staying somewhere remote and do not have your own transport.

When is the best time to visit Chaloklum?

You can visit the village any day of the week.

During the day you can enjoy the harbour, the restaurants, the nearby beaches and the activity at sea.

But if we had to choose one time to visit, we would choose a Sunday afternoon and evening, so you can take in the market as well.

That is when the village takes on a different character, with food stalls, visitors and a happy atmosphere around the pier.

Arrive before dark if you also want to see the bay in daylight.

Useful tips for visiting Chaloklum

• Try to go on a Sunday: the evening market was one of the things we enjoyed most on Koh Phangan.
• Do not arrive at the market full: the choice is huge, and part of the fun is moving between the stalls and tasting several things.
• Take your food towards the pier: this was one of our favourite experiences of the visit. You can enjoy the food and the view together.
• Bring cash: not all stalls take card payments.
• If you want to swim, choose the right beach: the harbour area is busy with boats, so consider Malibu Beach or Haad Khom.
• If you are planning to go to Bottle Beach: check boat availability in advance. When we arrived on our own, we had to wait for more passengers so as not to pay a high price for a private boat.
• Plan your way back from the market: especially if you are staying in another part of the island and relying on taxis.

How to fit Chaloklum into a north Koh Phangan itinerary

One of Chaloklum's advantages is that you can combine it with several interesting beaches without travelling all the way to the south of the island.

If you are staying in Haad Yao, you can spend the morning on the beach, head to Chaloklum in the afternoon and finish at the Sunday market.

Another option is to get to Chaloklum in the morning, take a boat to Bottle Beach for a few hours, come back to the village and then eat at the market, if it is a Sunday.

If you prefer a more relaxed day, you can combine Chaloklum with Malibu Beach, walk along the bay and have a meal facing the sea.

These options show the variety of north Koh Phangan: beaches, a fishing village, local food and boat trips, all within a fairly short drive of each other.

So is Chaloklum worth a visit?

For us, definitely yes, and especially if you are on Koh Phangan on a Sunday.

Chaloklum offers a different experience from the more touristy beaches of the island.

We especially loved the Sunday market. The huge choice of food, the crowds, the colourful stalls and the happy atmosphere made it a proper night out.

But what we remember most are the people eating on the pier facing the sea, and those who went down to the beach and sat on the sand with the food they had bought.

We too really enjoyed standing on the pier, eating and looking out over the bay.

It was a simple experience, with no big attraction or special plan, and yet one of those experiences that stay with you.

If you love markets, street food and a local atmosphere, we would strongly recommend adding Chaloklum to your route.

And if you are planning to go to Bottle Beach as well, it is a great opportunity to get to know the village the boats leave from and discover another side of Koh Phangan.

Because sometimes one of the best moments of a trip is simply buying something tasty, standing facing the sea and enjoying the atmosphere around you.

We visited Chaloklum during our trip to Thailand in 2025. The descriptions of the Sunday market, the food, the pier and the atmosphere are based on our own experience. The information about nearby beaches, accommodation, diving, travel times and opening hours is based on additional sources and may change.