What Is The FullMoon Party?
Once a Month, the full disk of the Moon’s reflective surface shines in all it’s glory. This monthly celestial occurrence is usually a sight to behold. Especially for people who like to pay attention to astronomy.
For the rest of us who like to travel and party there is an equally awesome event down in the South East Asian country of Thailand where backpackers and revelers alike gather to have a good time on Haad Rin Beach, drink out of buckets and listen to music booming from one of the five stages set up along the beach.
How To Get To The FullMoon Party
The Fullmoon party in Koh Phangan, Thailand is held on Haad Rin beach and many a reveler make the mistake of booking accommodation or lodging on other beaches in Koh Phangan. That usually makes getting to the event itself a pain as some of the more isolated parts of the island can be quite far from Haad Rin Beach.
To get to the island of Koh Phangan itself, there are ferries from the close by islands of Koh Tao and Koh Samui that are run by companies like Lomprayah. To get to the point where you board a ferry, you will most likely have to fly into Koh Samui from your country of origin as it’s the only one of the big islands that has a major airport.
Where To Stay For The Fullmoon Party
As mentioned earlier, staying anywhere on the island of Koh Phangan but Haad Rin Beach would prove to be an exercise in futility. I once stayed at a guest house on the opposite side of Haad Rin beach and not only was it far from Haad Rin, it was completely deserted as most of the other travelers and revelers got accommodation on Haad Rin beach.
If you decide to stay on Haad Rin Beach, a quick browse of booking.com or any other travel booking site should provide ample options on where to stay.
I would however advice you arrive in Koh Phangan a couple of days early to avoid sold out accommodations on the Island. Something else to take note of is that most of the hotels and hostels on Haad Rin beach have a minimum number of days you have to stay at their establishment.
Who Will Be At The FullMoon Party
I have been to the full moon party about three times and I was surprised at the healthy representation of people from all walks of life. However, apart from the locals who help in setting up the event, and sell their wares in the hours leading up to the event.
There seemed to be an overwhelming representation of attendees from following countries; The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Germany.
The full moon party is getting popular in the United States but the Fullmoon’s popularity is nowhere near the popularity of the event in the fore-mentioned countries.
The age group of those in attendance is usually between the ages of 18 and 35 years with some cliff hangers (The above 35 crowd) also in attendance.
What To Do At The Fullmoon Party
This you might think is a silly section because it seems pretty obvious, just dance on the beach till the next morning and go home. Those in the know are aware that in the days leading up to the full moon party there are a ton of other parties going on in Koh Phangan.
They include a massive pool party at a house close to the beach, a jungle party held in–you guessed it “the jungle” and then the full moon party itself. At the main event itself, most people buy buckets of cocktails before they head over to the sand.
Also get some “glow in the dark” body paint and a full moon party t-shirt so that you can fit in perfectly with the rest of the crowd. The rest of the night can be spent listening to music being played by different DJ’s on the different stages at the event.
Safety Precautions To Take At the Fullmoon Party
Sorry to be a downer but your night at the full moon party on Haad Rin Beach could turn into a nightmare if you run into the wrong crowd. Since we want your night to be nothing but magical, there are a few things you need to watch out for so you don’t run into trouble.
Our advice would be that you buy your own bucket and mix your own cocktails from one the many 7-eleven establishments close to the beach. There have been reports in the past of sellers diluting drinks with everything from water to methanol, the latter which can have adverse effects on anyone who consumes it.
Also if you are a female traveler, it will be good judgement to exercise some restraint with the amount of alcohol you consume, its sad to say that S.E. Asia while secure for the most part does not have the level of accountability with their police forces as you might be accustomed to in your home country.
Staying with a group of friends might just be a good idea so you can look after one another. Finally, I would advise any one traveling to S.E. Asia in general to completely abstain from recreational drug consumption as the penalties can be unbelievably stiff and unforgiving (the penalty is death in some countries).
If you follow all these precautions and more, you will surely have an amazing experience at the full moon party. Good luck and as they say in thailand Lā k̀xn!!!
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