My survival tips for enjoying and staying safe at one of the biggest party's in the world. A middle age nomad's "MANs" guide to the Full Moon Party.
By accident I found myself near the location of the famous Full Moon Party in Thailand.
I adjusted my itinerary so that I could attend this infamous event held every month. Here I briefly describe how I survived one of the biggest parties on earth.
The action starts around 9pm and finishes around 8am upon the sun rising on sunrise beach at Haad Rin Nok on the island of Koh Pha Ngan. As my intention was to make it to sunrise I needed to plan my day accordingly.
Preparation
My idea was to have a sleep before heading to the party around 1am. That roughly happened in that I went to bed at 9pm, it turned out I had a rest rather than a proper sleep, I guess I was thinking about the the party rather than switching completely off.
I decided that a big carbohydrate meal was required to help with the alcohol I would later consume. I found an authentic Italian restaurant and the owner Gianni from Turin recommended fresh ravioli which were fantastic. I followed this with chicken in a wine sauce and chips rather than the salad as a choice........ stomach sorted.
Clothing
Earlier in the day I noticed the multitude of shops selling bright florescent clothing which seemed really popular. I kept things simple with a t-shirt and swimming shorts. I decided not to bring my phone but just cash and my room key.
Footwear is important, a guy I met earlier that day, who is a veteran with 187 parties under his belt, recommended closed shoes. Flip flops are easily lost (I must have seen at least 50 scattered all over the beach). They are also hard to dance with when the sand gets wet as they create a suction effect. I chose my sports scandals which worked perfectly.
Many also chose to have florescent body paint designs drawn onto their faces, arms or legs for around £5-10. On the beach there are no florescent bulbs to illuminate your designs, they only exist inside some of the venues so maybe it's better to save your money. You can also purchase your own paint, that is a cheaper alternative and also a fun way with friends to come up with your own designs.
Tour Bus TouristsHeading to the beach I couldn't help notice the sheer amount of people already leaving the party, I must have walked past hundreds. I began to think, maybe I got my timing wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Full Moon Party often has between 10-30,000 revellers, as I approached the beach, there they were..... what an amazing sight, a sea of bodies.
Although quite overwhelming at first, I then realized, I was one of them, I am a reveller, time to jump in.
You pay 100 Thai Baht to enter the beach area which I suspect goes towards the huge clear up. In fact, on returning at midday the beach was clear of the larger items such as bottles and tins. As the entry ticket is in the form of a clip on wristband, I would suggest putting it inside a secure pocket if you have one as they can become easily unclipped and if you leave the beach area you will have to pay again. Entry is controlled by uniformed officers with batons, they take no excuses and do not negotiate, as I witnessed where a couple had to pay again.
Booze
Looking at the number of beer bottles scattered all over the beach, it's clear this is a popular choice........for tourists. Revellers choose buckets. These buckets are sold everywhere, my tip is to not buy one on the beach as they are often double the price of the stalls leading down to the beach.
My choice was a Mai Tai cocktail from a stall that also gave me a free small face or body painting which other stalls charged for. I paid 200 Baht which is just under £5 for a cocktail that lasted nearly two hours......trust me, these buckets are strong. I returned to the same stall which turned out to be a good move as they recognised me and gave me an even stronger bucket. I only needed two buckets to get me through the night. What did I have painted on my face......the letter "Q".
Music
There are up to a dozen different sound stages with differing music but the majority is techno and dance. You find yourself walking up and down the beach depending on your mood and then joining in.
If you're planning on sleeping get accommodation far away from the beach as the music doesn't stop until 8am. There is also an obligatory after party....simply ask around.
Staying Safe
Another few pieces of advice from the seasoned local veteran was to not mix drink and drugs. I witnessed many that were asleep on the beach that had probably succumbed to this.There are also said to be, undercover police pretending to sell drugs in order to catch people out, another reason to abstain.....so be aware. Making sure not to peak too soon if you want to see sunrise is probably my favourite tip.
Pickpockets are professional, they will wait until an opportune moment when you are least aware (and let's be honest, drunk) to take your belongings, so it's better to go out without valuables. Watch out for the boys, the lady boys that is, they tend to stick together and will often pull your arm or other parts of your anatomy to grab your attention.......unless of course, this is your thing.
There are many fire shows, some where you are able to take part. The flaming limbo and skipping rope draw in the crowds and the brave line up to take part with only the occasional scalding occurring.......the guys tend to be particularly brave after a few drinks. As these are a group activity, even if you are of sound mind, the person joining you may not be, this is when the accidents happen.
You will get shoved occasionally, don't react it's perfectly innocent 99% of the time....just other revellers having fun, laugh it off and continue having your own fun.......that reminds me of a song from my era, "Big Fun" by The Gap Band. This would be the song I would use to describe my Full Moon experience.
Try to put your rubbish in the provided bins as this helps the beer bottles from smashing which will lead to cuts for all those not wearing footwear and also prevent paid children from recovering debris from the sea as I witnessed the next day.
Enjoy
The full moon party for me was an unforgettable experience, something that will stay with me for a long time. Just seeing the sunrise is something I haven't done for a very long time, it was special. It also reminded me of my 18-30s holiday in my twenties when you are invincible. One piece of icing on the cake was being the last person to get back to my hostel dorm - a room full of backpackers under 30 years old.....result.
It's so much fun, just enjoy yourself as that's the main theme of the moon party. One last tip, if you can go with friends...all the better, yes you will lose each other but at least you started together.
HOMEPAGE
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