You can’t avoid the party here, and you don’t want to! Here’s our tips to have the best time!
Honestly? On the lead up to New Years we really didn’t want to go to a Full Moon party! As the day creeped closer, the buzz on the other islands got bigger! Everywhere backpackers were getting ready to head to Koh Phangan for New Years and we got MAJOR FOMO! We booked really last minute (NOT advisable) because you only regret what you don’t do! We were only there for a couple of days, so we took FULL advantage of the mayhem on offer. These are our tips on how to party hard, but also party smart and stay safe! Even if you don’t want to party, the beaches here are to die for! Check out our favourite beaches here.
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The Jungle Experience
This party was the day before NYE and we had every intention of an early night so we were fighting fit to tackle the full moon party… The we bumped into a friend from home and it all went down hill! We met James at his hostel for a quick drink before they headed to Jungle. 10 minutes later we’d bought a ticket and we’re in the back of a taxi jeep on our way to a long night of dancing. This party, as the name suggests, is et in the middle of the jungle! Neon lights, fire dancers, a huge DJ set and oh yeah… a live sit down magic show? Keep your whits about you as it’s very hard to find your friends in the sea of drunken party goers. We got a taxi bike home at 6am and hated ourselves the next, lol! Click here for directions.
Full Moon Party (the main event)
We went for dinner (read about our fabulous experience here) to cure the hangover and rode into town to Lazy House Shenanigans for a pre-full moon party. You’ll then head through the barriers and exchange your ticket for a wristband, which is a lovely little keepsake. Prepare yourself for a long night of boogying, different kinds of music and an epic New Years firework display!
#1 Stick with your pals/ find a meeting spot
We went with a few friends and once a few buckets are drunk, you won’t pay attention to where the whole group is! I was with the girls and Sam was with the boys and we got split up. Luckily we’d made a meet point and we found each other easily! If you don’t do this and you get lost, kiss goodbye to finding your pals again! There’s thousands of people all trying to use their phones, so obviously the service is crap! Queue the drunk photos…
#2 What to wear/ painting
Have designated party clothes for this event! I wore a brand new bikini and ruined it! You will get flourescent pain on you, and this definitely doesn’t wash out! Tons of stands give paint away for free, people will probably paint on you and you can pay a professional for a beautiful design. It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of mess! Don’t get it on your clothes and WASH IT OFF BEFORE YOU GO TO BED (your hostel will fine you).
#3 When to get there
We’d recommend checking out the beach/ area in day light just to get your bearings! On a normal full moon people start heading to the beach at 9pm, but New Years Eve the beach is rammed by 8pm. Although there’s loads of club lights, it’s actually pretty dark! The further down the beach you go, the quieter it gets. You don’t want to wander aimlessly and end up in a dark area alone!
#4 Costs on the night/ what you should be paying
TOP TIP: Pre-drink or try and sneak a bottle past the gate, especially on New Years!
- Beer: 80 – 100 THB (50THB in 7/11)
- Ciggys: 80 THB
- Buckets: Up to 400 THB on NYE (200 – 300 usually depending on the alcohol)
Buy your booze as far away from the beach as possible – your bank will thank you later!
#5 You and your stuff!
Firstly, look after yourself! There’s a lot of silly things to do with fire at this party. Fire limbo, fire jump rope, fire hoops – it’s fun to watch the professionals but they ask people to give it a go too. Don’t do it, it’s not worth the risk! There’s a lot of theft at this event too so keep your whits about you and your belongings on you at all times!
We didn’t experience any of the bad sides to these huge events, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist! It’s one of the best nights we’ve ever had and we know you’re going to have the best time! Keep your whits about you, stay safe and party (but party smart!) Happy Full Moon x
