Party on the beach
Well, I now have been to two Full Moon Parties on Koh Pha Ngan. This is truely an interesting event. Basically you have the entirety of the beach (and inland for a few blocks) setting up shop to sell booze, food and flourescent body paint to 5000 or more tourists (and a few Thais). I really mean the entirety. Every storefront and spot on the beach. In front of a Nail Saloon? Buckets of Booze of various kinds for $3-6. In front of the pharmacist? Same. 7-11? Same. Massage Parlor? Same. There is of course maybe 10 beachfront bars blaring music. It truly is an interesting thing to see. Just be careful - many people get too drunk and end up face first in the sand asking to get robbed. And I was offered both X-tacy and cocaine which is *real* tempting in a place that has capital punishment for drug offences! I think beer is good enough for me! In the end it was a good time and very interesting.
During the surrounding days, I spent my time hanging around the guesthouse on Ban Tai beach (about 5K from where the full moon party is). This is the same place I stayed last time I was in Koh Pha Ngan - it is a very mellow, pleasant place run by a Thai couple. On the second night, there was a huge storm which knocked out power which made getting food and watching England play in the World Cup rather difficult. The next day I turned on the TV (which had one channel!) and heard a drip, then sizzle, then smelled burning insulation. So I turned it off and let Kenny (the owner) know. Late that afternoon they came and turned it on and it did the same thing, so they took it away. When I went to check they gave me a discount for not having a TV (hardly a difficult thing), and I asked them how the TV was. They told me it was dead - evidently a Gecko had gotten inside it and cooked itself and the TV. I had a great stay and would recommend Hansa in Ban Tai if you ever head to Koh Pha Ngan for the full moon party.
During the surrounding days, I spent my time hanging around the guesthouse on Ban Tai beach (about 5K from where the full moon party is). This is the same place I stayed last time I was in Koh Pha Ngan - it is a very mellow, pleasant place run by a Thai couple. On the second night, there was a huge storm which knocked out power which made getting food and watching England play in the World Cup rather difficult. The next day I turned on the TV (which had one channel!) and heard a drip, then sizzle, then smelled burning insulation. So I turned it off and let Kenny (the owner) know. Late that afternoon they came and turned it on and it did the same thing, so they took it away. When I went to check they gave me a discount for not having a TV (hardly a difficult thing), and I asked them how the TV was. They told me it was dead - evidently a Gecko had gotten inside it and cooked itself and the TV. I had a great stay and would recommend Hansa in Ban Tai if you ever head to Koh Pha Ngan for the full moon party.