Chalok Lam is a wide, natural bay at the northern tip of Koh Phangan, backed by jungle hills and still anchored by a working fishing village. The atmosphere is far more relaxed than the south coast — people tend to come here to decompress after the Full Moon Party. There are Thai-style restaurants along the seafront, a few good bars, a diving school, and longtail boats for hire to explore nearby beaches. A cooking school operates on the edge of the village.
The bay also has a Thai temple, Wat Pra Sanctum, where the English-speaking head monk welcomes visitors to the morning meditation at 7:30am. An elephant trekking camp lies just south of the village.