First-aid kit for Koh Phangan: what to pack
By Tropica Pharmacy, Sri Thanu · Updated
Most problems travellers have on Koh Phangan are small ones: scrapes, sunburn, insect bites and an upset stomach. A small kit covers nearly all of them. You can bring it with you or pick everything up on the island.
Cuts, scrapes and blisters
- Plasters in a few sizes, including waterproof ones.
- Sterile gauze and non-stick dressings for larger scrapes.
- Medical tape and a small pair of scissors.
- Saline for rinsing wounds, and an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine.
- An elastic bandage for a twisted ankle or wrist.
- Tweezers for splinters and sea-urchin spines.
Sun and heat
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 50, water resistant.
- Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) cream or spray for sunburn. It works better than aloe vera.
- Oral rehydration salts or electrolyte powder for hot days and stomach upsets.
Insects
- Insect repellent with DEET, picaridin or IR3535.
- Something for itchy bites, and a cold pack if you react strongly.
Useful extras
- A digital thermometer: a fever in the tropics is worth measuring.
- Hand sanitiser.
- Enough of your regular medicine for the whole trip, in its original box.
Keep the kit dry. A zip bag inside your day pack is enough. Check it after a beach or boat day and replace what you used.
When to see a doctor
- A wound that is deep, keeps bleeding, or has dirt you cannot rinse out.
- A fever with a bad headache, rash or pain behind the eyes.
- Diarrhoea with blood, or lasting more than three days.
- Any animal bite or scratch that breaks the skin.
In our shop
Order online and collect in store the same day. Medicines are sold in store only: ask the pharmacist.
Questions? Call 0887995233, message us on WhatsApp, or visit the store: open every day, 9AM–8PM.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It does not replace a consultation with a pharmacist or doctor.