Photo spot in Koh Phangan
The Koh Ma sandbar at Mae Haad
On Phangan's north-west coast a strip of sand surfaces at low tide and joins the beach at Mae Haad to the islet of Koh Ma — two people walking out with the sea on both sides.
About The Koh Ma sandbar at Mae Haad
Get directionsOn the north-west coast of Koh Phangan, the islet of Koh Ma is tied to the beach at Mae Haad by a sandbar that surfaces at low tide. When the water drops away, a couple can walk out along a strip of sand with the sea on both sides — one of the most distinctive frames in the Gulf, and hard to beat for a proposal.
The tide table decides when the session starts, not the sunset. On some days low water falls in the golden hour; on others it falls at midday, and then the answer is another day or another beach. The photographer reads the tide for your dates before proposing a time. The water on either side is shallow reef: walk on the sand, never on the coral. For a family, the walk out feels like an expedition to a child.
Phangan runs on the Gulf's calendar — driest from about February to April, wettest from October to December, when rough seas can cancel the boats from Samui. Mae Haad is far from Haad Rin, but the Full Moon Party fills the ferries every month around the full moon, so check the dates that fall in your trip before you book the crossing.
Best time to shoot
Low tide, ideally when it falls in the morning or the last hours of daylight
Tips
Check the tide table for your dates before anything else, then fit the time of day around it. Wear sandals you can walk in on wet sand, and keep off the coral on either side.
Other spots in Koh Phangan
Bottle Beach and the ridge viewpoint
A single curve of sand between jungle headlands on Phangan's north coast, reached by longtail or a steep trail, with a viewpoint on the ridge above that looks down on the whole bay.
Thong Nai Pan at sunrise
Two bays side by side on Phangan's north-east coast, divided by a headland and facing the sunrise — soft sand, calm water in the dry months and jungle hills behind.
Haad Yao and Haad Salad at sunset
Two beaches on Phangan's west coast where the sun goes down into the sea — soft sand, calm water in the dry months, and the quiet side of the island on a party night.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know The Koh Ma sandbar at Mae Haad — free of charge.