Koh Tao, Koh Samui, & the Full Moon Party

We left Chumphon in search of better weather and pursuit of the Full Moon Party. For those who don’t know, the Full Moon Party is held on the island of Koh Pha Ngan on each full moon. I have never been to Mexico for spring break but I would imagine this is very similar. On the night of the full moon, the bars on one particular beach pump loud music towards the ocean and host thousands of intoxicated partiers.

We left Koh Tao on the morning of November 28^th at 10am to catch a ferry to Koh Pha Ngan with some of our hostel-mates. We were originally a crew of 10 but got split after the arrival to Koh Pha Ngan. Six of us made our way down to the beach, where everything would go down later that night. We spent the day finding a place to crash for later on and just enjoying the pre-party atmosphere.

Side note: It had been raining off and on for the last four days. And I’m not talking about some sissy little late spring showers. I’m talking about full on monsoon weather. Raining elephants and giraffes. 

Around 10PM my buzz had settled in. It was time to go find a bucket and partake in the festivities. For this party, a simple cocktail or beer will not be accepted. Vendors on the streets sell “buckets”. It is literally a bucket that you fill with a bottle of liquor, soda, and red bulls.

The night was a blast. Dancing and partying on the beach. Eventually leading to the Kangaroo Bar, a bar at the end of the beach built up on the rocks/mountain side. There, we ran into the rest of our crew from the hostel and partied in to the morning. After realizing that Monica and I only had a few hours till our cab ride to the ferry, we set back to our crash pad. Of course, as soon as we were far enough away from shelter the rain decided to join us. Within about 10 minutes, the streets were flooded and us, still a ways from a bed.

The entire adventure was quite an unforgettable experience. However, I don’t think the Full Moon Party is my scene. If I had only one word to describe this party it would be: sloppy. I’m glad I went. Because I would’ve spent, most likely, my whole life wondering what I missed out on being that close when it was all going down. Also, the company I was in helped make the night great.

The day before and the day after the Full Moon Party, we spent on Koh Tao. It is the smallest of the three main islands in the Gulf. The experience there was only spoiled by the endless rain. The roads were small, the culture authentic, and lots for travelers which I believe are different than tourists. We spent our days enjoying the company of our hostel-mates and lounging in the common area. The pictures I have cannot quite do it justice. It was a covered area made out of wood and palm leaves (which actually kept out all the rain) with a large area to layout with pillows, a long bench, a makeshift kitchen, and reception desk. We, of course, also made our way out to some local bars to get a better feel for the island.

After Koh Tao, we set off to Koh Samui. This is a more touristy island with big resorts and more western style shopping and eating. However, we were not there for overpriced crappy American food, knock off designer clothes, or prostitutes. I had heard a rumor of a disc golf course on the island. Boring story short; it rained for two days and I discovered that indeed the course was only a rumor. On our last day we did get a legit session at the beach. I will add, the place we stayed was run by, what I can only assume are animal hoarders, which helped keep things entertaining with the weather.