Your first day on Koh Phangan:
which side of the island is yours?

Use Haad Yao as a specific west-coast beach destination, not an instruction to tour every bay. Bubba's Roastery is the named café option here; the operator places it opposite the local 7-Eleven, which is a useful landmark for a driver.

Check the return ride at the same time as the outward journey if you are staying elsewhere. Water conditions are a same-day decision: this suggestion identifies a place to go, not a guarantee of suitable swimming or snorkelling.

L'Alcove sits at Hinkong beach. The menu described by the venue ranges from cheese and French dishes to papaya salad, seafood and other Thai choices.

Check the bistro's opening days before making the trip. It also publishes music and performance evenings; select the date for that experience rather than assuming every night has the same entertainment. Its evening opening is another reason not to promise a sunset show regardless of the season.

If the Full Moon Party is what you want, go straight to the published calendar and check your date. The event is associated with Haad Rin, not the whole island, so choose your accommodation and return arrangements with that location in mind.

The organisers warn that dates can change around official holidays. Use the current calendar, not a moon-phase app or an old travel graphic. If your dates do not match, Hinkong's bistro programme is a separate named evening option; it is not presented as the same kind of night.