Thailand

September 3, 2018

Koh Phangan Besides the Full Moon Party

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Koh Phangan

If you’re looking for a post about the Full Moon Party, than return to your search engine, because this isn’t it. I may post about the Full Moon Party soon, but I first I want to talk about Koh Phangan as the island itself.

Beaches

There were things I liked about Koh Phangan, and things I didn’t. The beach I stayed near, Haad Baan Tai, was shallow for so long, and I mean soooo long. When I was about 900 metres (about 3 football fields) into the water, the water still wasn’t even up to my waist. At the

time I just wanted a refreshing swim, so this didn’t do it for me. Because the water is so shallow, it heats up easily and doesn’t move around too much. Really it felt like bath water, but it was still a beautiful beach to relax on!

No, not all the beaches are like this, but I’ve heard that most on Koh Phangan are, making it great for children and wading!

I get pretty bored just laying on the beach, so I often go looking for shells. If you’re hungover or just feel like laying down, than you can find tons of adorable tiny shells right around your towel! This is perfect for the day after the Full Moon Party when you want to enjoy the beach but don’t have the energy to move around much.

Transportation

I’ve heard it’s much cheaper to rent a scooter for the day for 250THB instead of paying the 100-150THB per person for each taxi ride. My friends didn’t feel comfortable riding scooters, which makes sense because scooter accidents are the number one cause of tourist deaths in Thailand. Also, this “taxi” really isn’t a taxi like you would think at all, it’s actually a truck with seats throughout the bed of it and people hanging on the back. Yes, it is quite the sight when you’ve got drunk tourists on it.

To Do

My favorite thing I did in Koh Phangan was hike Khao Ra. I can and may write an entire post on this hike. For now, though, look it up, and be inspired but not deterred, as it is completely worth it.

Accommodation

When booking accommodation for Koh Phangan, make sure you put in the exact dates you’ll be visiting, because costs can vary a lot whether it’s during or even around the full moon party.

If you’re visiting here with friends, make sure to check out AirBnB as well as hostels. My two friends and I found a great bungalow near the beach for collectively cheaper than we could’ve paid at any hostel, and it was nice to get away from people for a little while after the partying.

Partying

Also keep in mind that the full moon party isn’t the only island wide party here! There’s also the half moon party, which is of course during the half moon; and the waterfall parties at Phaeng Waterfalls which are two days before and two days after the full moon party each month. If you do want to experience a Koh Phangan party, you’ve got plenty of chances.

Visiting Koh Phangan at any time of the month is a great time. While the Full Moon Party wasn’t on my list, it was quite an experience, and made for a great trip nonetheless.

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