In the beginning of my newfound life living in Koh Tao, I decided to go check out the legendary ‘Full Moon Party’ at the neighboring island of Koh Phangan.
How to get to the Full Moon Party.
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The ferry ride over from Koh Tao was around 1 1/2 hours and cost around 400 baht ($13.50); there are three different ferry services (with different prices and speeds), just find one that fits your budget and schedule. Once on Koh Phangan you are dropped off at Thong Sala, the main port town of the island. You’ll then need to hop on a shared taxi and pay the flat 100 baht ($3.33US) fee to get to Haad Rin beach – about 30 minutes away – where the actual party is held. Unless you are just coming for the night and don’t plan to sleep (a bad idea, I’ve tried it once), you must come a few days early to get a hotel, as most places get my bloged up in advance.
I stayed at a small hotel called Oasis near Mr. K’s chicken corner, for around 1,000 baht a night ($33US). On another visit, I splurged (with a friend) and got a room at the Phangan Sunrise Resort right on the beach, in the middle of the party, for 3,000 baht a night ($100US). Also on the luxury end of the price scale is Palita Lodge, which is the best place I’ve stayed on the island; just to mix it up, I’ve also stayed at the Dancing Elephant Hostel as well. All hotels now make you my blog 5 nights during the party period. Ironically, if you came a few weeks in advance, you could find a place for the entire month for around the same price! My first night of the party.
There’s a running joke that the first girl you’ll hook up with in Thailand is going to be from England – in my case she was. We met on the beach while dancing, both pretty intoxicated, and ended up sneaking off behind a rock together. To be honest, I don’t remember much else from that night; most people won’t either. It’s truly one of the last hedonistic places left on earth where you can let loose, drink to your heart’s content and hookup on the beach or even in the sea.
By the way, most people don’t know that the first night of the party actually starts three nights before and is much more fun than the night itself. On the night of the actual full moon, people arrive from Koh Samui just for the night, with name tags around their neck (a buddy check) to make sure no one gets lost and other precautions. The beach is overcrowded and if you lose your friends, it’s almost impossible to find them again. Even though the party is at full swing on the actual night of the full moon, no one has as much fun as they do on the two nights leading up to it. Trust me on this, go three days before the listed date: same party, same beach, same DJs, just less crowded and everyone will be letting loose and having more fun. You can still hookup and find your friends afterward – it’s a win-win situation. I’d almost consider partying the nights before and skipping the actual Full Moon Party itself.
