EXPERIENCING THE FULL MOON PARTY, EPIC WATER FIGHTS FOR THAI NEW YEAR, AN AMAZING HOSTEL AND CINEMA NIGHTS ON THE BEACH
HEADING TO KO PHA NGAN
We’d booked the trip to Ko Pha Ngan, while staying in Ao Nang and had managed to haggle down to a price of 500 Bhat per person. A good deal considering some places were charging around 1,200.
We needed to get back to Ao Nang, from Railay beach though to get our bus to the ferry port and we hadn’t left ourselves loads of time.
RUNNING LATE
We packed up and walked to Railay West beach – we were staying on the East beach side, but this was just a ten minute walk to the other side. When we arrived there we were hoping to see lots of people waiting to take a boat over to Ao Nang, but it was initially only Johan and I.
The boats charge 800 Bhat to head over to Ao Nang, but typically rely on having 8 passengers, charging 100 per passenger. With only the two of us, this was looking like it might be an expensive ride!
Two other guys turned up a few minutes later, looking for a boat. I asked them whether they’d consider going now, rather than waiting for others, therefore paying only a little over the odds at 200 Bhat each.
Annoyingly, one of these guys wasn’t entertaining the idea.
We were running out of time, so Johan and I begrudgingly paid 300 each and we were on our way back to Ao Nang.
Arriving at Ao Nang beach, we had 10 minutes to try and get back to the location where we’d booked the trip to Ko Pha Ngan. This wasn’t going to be enough time, but we walked as quickly as we could, with all our bags, in the lunchtime heat.
When we arrived at the travel agents, unsurprisingly our transfer had left. We had a chance to catch it though. We jumped in a tuk tuk, threw in our bags and stormed after our bus, to try and intercept it.
The speedometer on the tuk tuk wasn’t working and I had no idea how fast we were going, but it didn’t feel too quick. I was expecting that there was no way we’d be able to catch up with our bus or make it to the port in time.
Amazingly though, we managed to catch up with the bus. We jumped in and settled in for the 2 hour ride to the ferry port.
FERRY RIDE TO KO PHA NGAN
The ferry port was located at Surat Thani. Once we arrived there, we had a wait of about an hour or so before we could board the boat – and we were off on our way!
The ferry ride took about 1.5 hours. We arrived at the port and headed straight for something to eat before heading to the hostel. An epic pizza at a place called ‘Monnalisa’ – the best pizza I’d had in Asia. Check it out!
JOURNEY TO KO PHA NGAN VIDEO:
GOODTIME HOSTEL – KO PHA NGAN
This place was incredible. Right on the beach. A lovely pool. Poolside bar. Restaurant. Hammocks. Massages. Paddle boarding. Paradise.
It was a little pricey during the first few days we were there – 1,000 Bhat per night (approx. £23) for a shared dorm room. This was due to it being full moon party time, however. We stayed for a few days later and the rate reduced to 230 Bhat! £6 a night for a slice of paradise.
We met some great people here and I was reunited with another of my long term travel buddies.
Here’s a few pics from the hostel. I say hostel in the loosest term. More like a resort.
Johan loving the pool time
Movie night on the beach at the hostel
FULL MOON PARTY
We’d had a couple of nights settling into Ko Pha Ngan and relaxing by the beach, but now it was time to experience the famous (or infamous), full moon party at Haad Rin beach.
In the afternoon I went for a wander to the ‘fullmoon shop’ and picked myself up a luminous green Singha beer vest top. When in Rome.
There was a pre-party at the hostel that night, and they went all out for this. Drinks offers on buckets and cocktails, a live DJ and UV body painting.
The pre party was awesome and we headed out on a tuk tuk to take us to Haad Rin beach, around midnight.
So how was it?
I’d really like to say I loved it. I’d really like to say that.
I’d really like to even that I just liked it. I’d really like to say that.
The truth.
I hated it.
Absolutely hated it.
Maybe it didn’t help that I had a headache before we left, but the banging techno music – I think that’s what it was – just made me angry.
Really not my cup of tea. 40,000 people partying along the beach sounded cool, but it just didn’t feel like it had any soul.
Things got a little better as we headed further along the beach and found a bar with a more chilled out vibe. The damage was already done though and my head was banging.
We stayed until around 4 am and headed back to the hostel.
Like I say, not my thing, but I’m glad I at least experienced it.
FULL MOON PARTY VIDEO:
Here’s a video of the experience in more detail:
SONGKRAN
Songkran is the Thai New Year and takes place on 13/04. The holiday period runs up to and including the 15th, but the 13th is the key day for celebrations.
The celebrations basically involve the mother of all water fights!
The water fight represents purification and the washing away of one’s sins and bad luck. Everyone comes out for it. All ages. And they engage in throwing, spraying and splashing water at everyone and everything that is in their paths.
A great, great, day. I felt like a kid.
Unfortunately, the supply of big water guns had sold out and I hadn’t planned far enough ahead, but I was able to get my hands on a tiny water pistol and a bucket.
I’ve got no photos of the occasion, for the obvious reason that my camera would get destroyed, but there’s some footage in the video on this post.
I was so happy that I was able to enjoy this while in Thailand.
SONGKRAN VIDEO:
One more video from Ko Pha Ngan. Check this out!
ON TO KOH TAO
After Songkran, I had one more day at Ko Pha Ngan. I spent the day at the beach, paddle boarding, sun bathing and relaxing, before heading onto the next island.
Please keep following the journey and the next chapter in Koh Tao!
