When I was first planning my trip to Thailand The Full Moon Party was high on my bucket list, despite hearing more horror stories than glowing reviews, I mean it’s a big party on a beach, how could that not be fun right?!

My trip to Koh Phangan started interestingly when the hostel we’d booked (Wild & Wandering) was completely closed when we arrived, like chains-and-a-huge-padlock-round-the-front-doors closed. We waited in the blistering heat for 20 minutes and then went next door where we were told the owner had done a runner. Great.

Now, accommodation during the Full Moon is way more expensive and hard to come by so I was lucky to find Lazy House Shenanigans (don’t let the name put you off) which is such a cool hostel with a pool and great sound system. You also get a free bucket everyday you stay, free entrance to the water park (which saves you £20) and a free BBQ on Full Moon day.

 

Koh Phangan itself is really pretty but there are a lot of terrible, terrible cafes and restaurants, overpriced bars and drunk 18 year olds. Also the sheer amount of shops selling neon tut is overwhelming. Definitely go to the waterpark in Haad Rin, it’s like an inflatable Total Wipeout in the ocean. Same Same Burger is LITERALLY one of the best burgers I’ve had anywhere in the world. I went three times in two days.

Before the FMP I went to the Jungle Party which is like a proper rave in the jungle with sick music and at least 80% of the ravers were men. Happy days. It costs roughly £12 for a ticket but it’s well worth it, and I know my parties so take my word for it.

The FMP itself was a sh*tshow, as soon as we descended onto Haad Rin beach, my pals Lucy, Sinead and I knew it wasn’t for us. The disgusting sounds of Avicii were in the air and there were throngs of neon-painted gangs of German children everywhere, 18 year olds from Southampton pissing into the sea and Danish teens getting paralytic for the first time. In short, literally my worst nightmare.
So we decided to get a pirate boat on the beach (£3) to Haad Yuan where there’s a bar called Eden which hosts parties when it’s the Full Moon as a cooler alternative. Be warned the boat across is treacherous and I genuinely thought I was gonna fall into the ocean. The trip to Eden from the beach will find you skipping up rocks, tip-toeing across precarious rope bridges and scaling great heights… quite the adventure. Especially when you’ve just had a shroom shake (my first time, super fun).

When you finally arrive at Eden you’ll be greeted by some sick-ass hippies, INCREDIBLE MUSIC and some questionable health and safety… as it was my first foray into the world of magic mushrooms, I was waiting to ‘come up’ not knowing exactly the effects, when I suddenly felt my whole body start vibrating, ‘sh*t these things are strong’ I thought, then my hair started to stand on end and I felt a weird burning sensation… As it turned out I was being electrocuted by a loose wire on the deck. Yep, hippies aren’t that conscientious when it comes to wiring, but I have never laughed so much in my life.

So the FMP was not for me, I honestly think if you’re reading this blog you’d probably hate it too, but Eden is one of the best parties I’ve ever been to, and the Jungle Party is far superior to the FMP. Koh Phangan is definitely a place to party but just not where you’d think. Oh and I did not wear any neon, I went full glitter FYI.