In the late 1970s, Koh Phangan was a pristine paradise that beckoned the intrepid.

Its innocent days may be long gone, but don’t let that deter you: this gulf isle offers much more than the Full Moon parties that made it famous.

Choose quieter days in the lunar calendar, or the smaller but still-raucous half-moon party periods, and the island’s charms are brought to the fore. It’s easier to get a room, prices are more reasonable and far fewer people are on the island, meaning more solitude and tranquillity.

Even Hat Rin – party central when the moon is round – is quiet and relaxing during other periods, and the beaches are kept clean.

The quietest months are April to June, when the island is in low gear – an ideal time to visit for low accommodation prices, fewer elbows per square kilometre and safer roads. Most definitely for the younger set or young at heart!

Lonely Planet