The Full Moon Party

A guide to the Full Moon/Half Moon Party

I’ve been back from Thailand for about a month now and I can safely say I am suffering major travel blues. One of my favourite memories from my trip was the famous Moon Party on Koh Phanagan, which is something from out of this world, honestly. I thought I’d share a quick guide for those who are planning on visiting Thailand anytime soon or those of you to reminisce the crazy experience!

Alcohol Buckets

Cheap, big and strong. These buckets are always a good idea, until you end up face planted on the roads of Koh Phangan. Buckets in Thailand are sold on every street you pass, so if you are desperate to try one, don’t worry you will be sure not to miss out! The buckets cost anything from around 100- 500 Baht which is £2-10. This may seem very cheap for us Brits but very expensive in Thailand so be sure to bargain or even move 1 metre down the beach to find another stall! They are also ridiculously strong which you may be thinking why is that a problem?, but it is when you start to forget how much you’ve actually drank! – so be wise and make sure you only buy the buckets that have not been pre mixed.

Burning skipping rope

Great for all you adrenalin junkies but if you want to leave the island with a ‘Koh Phangan tattoo’ I suggest to skip this detail out.

Bum bags

This was probably my most handy accessory I ever bought with me. I used it every day and it meant i wasn’t on edge about my valuables. I know for some of you this seems like the ultimate fashion crisis (I never thought I’d be seen dead in one) but purchasing a thin/slim bum bag means you can put it under your clothes without looking like you’ve had one too many Thai curries.

Have a meeting point

Chances are, you’ll be attending this festival with friends. Trying to keep an eye on them among 30,000 people can be a bit difficult. It would be far more fun to hangout and dance with them, rather than spending hours searching the beach for them. Before you go out, decide on a meeting point so, if you can’t find one another for say 10 minutes, head to that point and meet up. Then, reunited, you can continue partying together!

Accommodation

While you’re on Haad Rin Beach having a great time at the party, who’s watching your precious belongings in your bungalow? This party gives thieves a prime chance to break into your hut and take your expensive travel electronics, money, or even worse – your passport. Get a hotel/bungalow that looks well taken care of and has someone around 24/7. Better yet, go for a room that isn’t right in the middle of the action. With 30,000 people on the beach, the odds of someone walking up to your room unnoticed are pretty high! It’s a good idea to stay off the beach and into the centre of the island, but not too far; the taxi drivers take the piss slightly.

Transport

Going off my previous tip, try to get accommodation relatively close to Had Rin beach or Ban Tai beach for the Half Moon. The last thing you want to be doing is getting a boat onto the next island in your drunken state on an over packed long tail boat. They have capsized in the past which has killed many students, so don’t risk it!

Neon paint – always a good idea.

On that light note, be sure to pack the neon paint. You’ll see some insane pieces of body art so make sure you fit right in!

Here are some of my photos from the Half Moon Party! Excuse the crude body paint which was painted on by my intoxicated boyfriend.