Getting to and from Koh Phangan
Whether you’re coming from Koh Samui, Koh Tao or the mainland at Suratthani you will be on a ferry with a bunch of other backpackers. You can book these ahead of time with any tour operator, online here or at the respective ferry terminals, just be sure to check times online before you arrive. Once on the boat you can grab yourself a beer and meet the people you’ll probably be sweaty dancing with at the Full Moon Party.
Exploring Koh Phangan
There are plenty of things to do on this beautiful island other than drinking and dancing. You can rent a motorbike to climb the high hills towards different beaches, you can rent kayaks to escape the island, you can have a movie day at one of the many cafes, or can you relax in your hotel pool or on the sandy beaches and watch the sunset. It’s a gorgeous place that isn’t all about the party so leave yourself some time to appreciate the rest of Koh Phangan!
Accommodation
Koh Phangan is a relatively big island, with some incredible hotels along the coast. You need to book well in advance before you arrive on the island if you’re arriving for one of the parties. Two places I can recommend are Jamaica Inn on Baan Kai beach, lovely little bungalows and rooms with sea views and a restaurant downstairs, or Holiday Beach Resort, another great place right on Baan Tai beach.
The Full Moon Party
If you’ve timed your trip to Thailand right then you should be on Koh Phangan for one of the monthly, world-famous Full Moon Parties. Tens of thousands of drunk, half-naked, neon painted backpackers crowd onto the crescent-shaped beach at Haad Rin to dance in the sand, play with fire and drink actual buckets full of the cheapest alcohol under the glowing full moon.
Different ‘bucket stands’ line the beach so you are never far from your next drink and you can find your favorite music with DJs playing everything from drum and bass to reggae. Watch the spectacular fireworks display and the talented fire dancers. As the moon sets and the sun rises you can grab yourself a bucket to go and some pad-thai to soak it up before heading back to your hotel on the back of a motorbike taxi.
If you arrive at any other time of the month you can also enjoy the Half Moon Festival, an incredible open-air event with international electronic DJs or even Black Moon Culture held on the Magic Mountain with psychedelic trance and neon decorations.
Be sure to check the dates for the Full Moon Party, Half Moon Festival and Black Moon Culture before you arrive!
You can view the full album here.
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