Full Moon Madness!



Chilling on our porch.

August 2012. Aoife, Sharon and I had already been travelling around Thailand  for two weeks when we finally rocked up to Ko Pha-ngan. Like everyone else on the ferry, we were on our way there from Ko Samui for the Full Moon Party. 

We had booked into a bungalow located about a fifteen minute walk from the beach where the Full Moon Party was due to take place. Because this is an extremely busy time for hostel/ bungalows/ hotels on the island, a lot of accommodation stipulate that you can only block book. As a result, we had to book five nights on the island. Some people can be lucky and just get accommodation when they arrive and others choose to stay on the Koh Samui and commute by ferry on the night. We stayed in Charung Bungalows. We paid about 17 euro a night for this accommodation (during the rest of the month, it starts at five euro per person for a private room.)Make sure to buy a good lock and key for your shallet door as most doors do not have locks on them. The accommodation was extremely basic and grubby but the location was perfect. We were on the sunset side of Haad Rin beach which was quiet but still in easy walking distance of the party.


Haad Rin Beach with Mushy Mountain in the background.

Sandbuckets!!!

The nights leading up to the party were a party reveller's dream. One night we went down the beach and sat on the sand drinking Chang beer and buckets of Sang Som whiskey. Yes, you read it right... BUCKETS of whiskey!! After our trip to Thailand I don't think I'll every look at a sand bucket the same way again! One night we went to a pool party nearby which was just anarchy! Another night there was a jungle party. These events are publicised and there is generally transport taking convoys of partiers there.

The week long of partying culminates with the Full Moon Party on Haad Rin beach. So the dress code for the Full Moon Party... basically anything neon goes and coat yourself in neon body paint!! Koh Pha-ngan is littered with shops selling these blinding colours so don't panick if your backpack isn't brimming with neon. The girls and I thought we were crazy with neon paint smeared across our faces and arms but some people take their body painting very seriously and have themselves congealed in the stuff!
The night of the Full Moon Party the beach was mobbed!! A few thousand people of all ages descended on the beach for the ensuing madness. The atmosphere was electric with people dancing on the sand and DJs playing all genres of music throughout the night. All along the beach, you can purchase drink from different stalls boasting special offers on buckets of alcohol. People of all nationalities mix easily and if you go in a small group you'll be sure to meet lots of other people. Solo travellers were common but to be honest I think as a woman I would prefer to go with someone.


Paul, Aoife, Sharon and myself ready to hit the beach!

Unfortunately, when we were on Koh Pha-ngan, we heard a lot of horror stories of drinks being spiked and people getting hurt. (you will notice there are a lot of medical centres on the island!!)  As long as you are careful, don't leave drinks unattended and stick with your friends, you will enjoy the week of the Full Moon Party as much as we did.