To get the full experience of seeing the Thai Islands your best bet is to rent a scooter. Koh Phangan is one of the best islands to scoot around on. With tons of activities, famous eateries, beaches, waterfalls and so much more to see, a scooter is going to make exploring the island that much better.

Renting a scooter will be more cost effective then taking taxies to all the places you want explore on the island too!

However, I won’t lie to you, driving in Koh Phangan can be intimidating so you want to make sure you have experience driving and confidence on the road. You also want to be sure to rent a proper bike and not one that has a lot of ware and tear done to it.

These 5 places will give you just that. Some may be pricier then others but when it’s your life you are protecting then paying a bit extra shouldn’t matter.

Learning how to drive:

Having lived on Koh Phangan for 9 months, I know the roads like the back of my hand. With that being said, the roads can be scary to drive, especially if you lack experience! Many of the roads are steep and windy.

These rental places will give you a background on how to use your bike and some will give you a free lesson.

They always say practice makes perfect.

I learned how to drive a scooter on Koh Phangan, it was a perfect place to learn how to drive because it is not over populated and there are back roads you can easily learn on if you are a beginner.

Renting a bike:

The sad truth is that tourists are an easy scamming target. You will definitely find places that will want to rent you a bike and when you return it will say its broken, or there are new scratches on it ect. They will have your passport because they won’t rent to you otherwise.

In my opinion, giving your passport is a NO GO when it comes to renting a bike. If they have your passport, they can charge whatever on return of the bike even if you return it in the same condition you got it in.

Most of these top places to rent on the island offer a 5000-baht deposit instead of giving your passport. Some places will even take your driver’s license which I prefer giving over anything else! A couple shops prefer passports over deposits and the ones that do take very good care of your passport and are reliable.

Where to rent:

EasyBikes Koh Phangan

This is one of the top places to rent a scooter on the island. You can give Petro your passport if you want or you can give him a 5000-baht deposit instead. He does not push for your passport and is a very honest man.

The best perk to EasyBikes is that Petro will drop bikes off and pick them up at your place of stay! To contact them I would call their phone number or go to their Facebook page and message them.

Address: Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Phangan, Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 094 645 4971

Google Reviews:

“Fantastic service. Petros runs a good honest bike hire business. He doesn’t push to hold your passport like most other hire shops and instead gives you the option to leave a 5000bht deposit which is returned straight away after the hire has finished. Petros will also drop the bike off and collect from your hotel. Bikes are well maintained and modern with great quality helmets.”

“This is without a doubt the best place to rent a bike on Koh Phangan. The owner is amazing and will deliver the bike to you. The bikes are in excellent condition and you won’t get scammed by this company.”

Budget Two

Budget Two is another great rental place on the island and is located right off the Thong Sala Pier. Walking distance after arriving off your boat if you choose to rent a bike right away.

If not, you can get a taxi to them from wherever you are staying. Budget Two is a very popular bike rental place so especially during Full Moon a lot of the bikes are already rented out. You can join a wait list if you know Budget Two is the place you 100 percent want to rent from.

Address: 64/8 Thong sala Pier Koh Phangan, Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 061 685 1455

Google Reviews:

“Came for the perfect reviews and it was a right choice. By the time I arrived, bikes were all booked, and I still wanted to book at budget two. I was shortlisted and the second day the bike was especially reserved for me, even some renters were ready to pay for it. The owners tried to teach me how to ride it thoroughly and patiently, with 1 hour of practical riding it’s no longer hard. Returning the bike was also smooth and fast. Before I left the shop, they double checked my ferry and till then did I realize I had only few minutes left for it. The owner hurried to give me a speedy ride to office and I made it in the last minutes. I’m really grateful for the favor and more than satisfied about renting. I’ll certainly come back to this island and rent here again.”

“5 Star Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Budget Two go above & beyond to help their customers. They are efficient & their prices are exceptionally fair. Their bikes are in good if not great condition! They operate their business from their hearts & really care. They even visited me in hospital when I was injured – they treated me like family when they didn’t need to. These guys are the best so please treat them with respect.”

Pukki’s Motor Bike Rental

Pukki is a 9 min drive from the Thong Sala Pier. Easily a 100-baht taxi drive to get to her or a nice walk from where you are staying. Many hotels and hostels in the area will recommend Pukki’s as she is a lovely, honest women who will give you quality rental services for a good price.

Address: Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Pha-ngan District, Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 087 386 3932

Google Reviews:

“Came here per suggestion of our Airbnb host. Would highly recommend – normal price 250 baht/day. She rents you a scooter with some dings already on it, which is great because then there’s no issue when you bring it back. Many other places apparently try to rip you off and charge you to “fix it” when you return. We also used her laundry service – normal price 40 baht/day – and our laundry came back PRISTINE. Folded and everything. She’s great!!!”

“Got to the Island few day ago and rented the a scooter here with my girlfriend, very helpful staff that shows you the good spots and what road to avoid. You get to choose if leave your passport or a. 5000B deposit. The bikes are in a good condition, I checked my before leave the place, no cosmetic damages and brakes&weels were in a very good condition. They also provide you a liter of gasoline and helmet (two if you need, free of charge), we drove most of the two days using a total of 3L of gasoline. Had no problem when giving back the scooter, all deposit back with a good smile. This is an Honest place.”

Ton Bike Rent

Ton Bike Rent is located close to the Thong Sala Pier, so it is a popular place on the island for that reason but also because they are friendly, won’t scam you and give good service bikes for a decent price. Ton usually likes to take passport only, but some people have been able to give a copy of their passport and a deposit.

Address: Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Pha-ngan District, Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 086 120 5902

Google Reviews:

“Great place to rent a bike. We received a 125cbm Honda click in good condition, filled with 1 Liter gasoline so you can reach almost every point on Koh Phangan. The deposit we left were received without any problems at the end. The staff is very friendly”

“Rented 2 bikes to travel around Koh Phangan, had a really good experience! Such nice and new bikes, although we had to leave a passport with the woman running rental place she looked after it and returned it the next day safe and sound”

AUM Motor Bike Rentals

AUM is another rental place that is open late. It is 20 minutes from the Thong Sala Pier but is in a great location with many beaches, bars and great places to eat close by so you can make renting a bike into an adventure.

Address: Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Pha-ngan District, Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 085 057 3836

Google Reviews:

“Absolutely beautiful bike rental service. The owner is kind and sweet, speaks good English, prices are good, and she didn’t even ask for me passport, just 5000-baht deposit. I even offered to let her take a photo of my passport and she just smiled and said she will trust me. Oh, and the bike came with a decent helmet too.”

“Went to Phangan a year ago. Great place to rent a bike since the lady running the rental shop is the most kind-hearted person you can find on the whole island. Definitely would recommend.”

EARN Bike for Rent

Earn was recommended to me by a Thai friend I had made on the island when I lived there. This is the most Thai place you can rent a bike in my opinion. The people that own the shop have no interest in promoting their bike shop because they do just fine with costumers as is.

It is not even on google maps and I cannot find an address, but this is where I rented my scooter from! The owners are lovely and speak decent English. They are also probably one of the cheaper renters on the island. I was staying long term (2 months) so they gave me a deal of 180 baht per day and I was able to leave my license with them instead of my passport.

EARN is walking distance from a lot of the popular hostels on the island, they are closest to Slumber Party, Phangan Arena and Phanganist hostel. Definitely a recommendation for anyone staying in that area.

They are located right before Food Factory which is in Baan Thai. I will give you the food factory address, just look right before and there will be dirt opening and you will see a bike shop from the road, that’s them!

Address: Food Factory, Tambon Ko Pha-ngan, Amphoe Ko Pha-ngan, Chang Wat Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 088-2520812 / 084-6222890

What I am saying:

“EARN Bike for Rent was a great place to rent long term. My bike had a cool cartoon looking vibe and when renting it had no prior damage, brakes worked well and my overall experience was great! I was able to leave my license and the owners are very nice. They even gave me a free oil change when I decided to extend renting the bike for another month!”

Bonus:

Phangan Cycling shop and tour

Anyone interested in renting an actual bicycle on the island? Phangan Cycling shop and tour is the perfect place to rent a bicycle if a scooter isn’t the way you want to get around the island.

Phangan Cycling shop offers tours around the island and the best places to get active. If you are someone that is looking to be active around the island, renting a bike from here is a great idea!

Address: 18/2 ม.6 Hinkong beach Koh phangan Surat Thani 84280
Phone: 098 010 1268

Google Reviews:

“This is definitely the best bicycle shop in the island. I rented a mountain bike here. The quality of the bicycle is great for roads of this island, but the price is still cheap. The owner is very kind and tried to meet my request as much as possible.”

“The owner is very nice and friendly, prices are fair considering the gear you get which is top tier and we’ll maintained. I’ll come again next time I’m in Phangan for sure!”

These are the best places to rent your bikes on Koh Phangan. Safest, friendliest, best quality for your money and all around 5-star ratings.

Drive safe around the island and always wear a helmet but most of all enjoy exploring all the epic places this island has to offer!