Full Moon Party - My story

The Full Moon Party is a very popular venue in Thailand and it occurs every full moon, so every month. It's a party that faces a lot of criticism for many reason, mainly safety reason, moral and environmental ones.

I have always been aware of the many stories that are told around this infamous party but still, I decided to go. I guess I had to see for myself how it's like. First of all, here is my most important advice: always remember that to those people, you are nothing more than an ATM. They want your money, that's it. Not your safety, not your well being, just your money. I am sorry to be so rude but... Some things musts be said just the way they are. So, sleeping on Pha Ngan is apparently not the best option, unless you book way ahead of time. And again, if you do book in advance and get a good price, make sure it's in Haad Rin because God only knows how much the taxis could make you pay to take you to another town during the full moon, even if just 15 minutes away. So, what I did is that I took a nice beach bungalow on Samui, right by the Maenam Pier. Then, book a shuttle and fast boat service. It will cost you between 800 - 1000 Bhats with a safe company such as Lomprayah. Safer than a random speed boat. They will pick you up in a van from your hotel and drop you off after. The boat leaves from Maenam Pier Straight to Haad Rin, where the venue is. Easy, safe and hassle free but not inexpensive and... Not waterproof. Make sure your cell phone is in a waterproof pocket of at least a plastic bag so it doesn't get soaked. Don't sit in front of the boat unless your plan is to be drenched. Don't straighten your hair if they are curly, or even if they aren't, that will be useless. Alright, now, THE FULL MOON! Not as trash as I thought... Or maybe I didn't stay late enough - or should I say early enough? - . I was at the party between 11p.m. and 5a.m. The buckets are sold from the moment you get in the party area and they cost between 250 and 350 Bahts. You do have to watch when they make it, I even asked them to do it on the stand in front of me, not behind the stand where you cannot see. I wanted to make sure that they put the entire booze bottle, the one you pay for and also make sure that they are not adding any personal attention such as DEET or cheap drugs... Because yes those stories are real. The drinks were great and you kind of need to drink it fast because otherwise they go flat because there's so much ice in it. Not too fast... Remember they are strong so my best advise would be to share 1 between two people and so on. Second most important advice HERE : Do not wear flip flops. Why ? It's gross. People pee and do other unimaginable things everywhere. Also, there's broken glass everywhere. And plastic... That's another story. Don't put on your most expensive Merrell's either ? It's gross, remember ? Okay, environmentally it SUCKS. People throw everything everywhere. The little kiosks of this and that are surrounded, not to say drowning, in garbages, plastic bottles, food remains, etc. I am happy I did not see the beach the day after because I think I would have cried, literally. I don't care if they clean the beach the day after. After 3 decades of that monthly party, how come they did not figure a way to keep all this garbages from happening ? A net in the ocean ? Tons of recycle barrels everywhere on the beach that a picked up as the night goes on ? Biodegradable buckets ? I don't know I am not a genius but seriously there's got to be something. Hope they figure it out. Now, third and last most important advice : try to forget about all the crap that the full moon party implies, try to forget that your feet are soaked, that your hair is not pretty and that it's gross to go pee... HAVE FUN! Laugh, dance, talk with drunk people about senseless shits, drink your bucket and ENJOY! That's what I tried to do and it ended up being quite a fun night! ;)