Koh Phangan is one of three islands located in south eastern Thailand. Of the three islands it is the least developed and home to the infamous full moon party. We grabbed a room at Blue Lotus Resort in advance on Agoda as the island tends to sell out around the time of the full moon. Our stand alone bungalow on a private beach in Baan Kai came to 15$ per night. Unless you are staying in the heart of Haad Rin you must rent a motorcycle (5$ a day). The road from Baan Kai to Haad Rin is not for the faint of heart. It most closely resembles a roller coaster and a few of the hills were just too much for our little 125 cc Honda (Amelia had to get off and walk). Haad Rin Beach is beautiful although nothing as spectacular as the Andaman coast. The best cheap eats in Haad Rin is a spot on the far right of the beach called “The Rock”. This spot overlooks the whole beach and has a special of pad thai, garlic bread and a mango shake for 65 baht!
Beach, Blue Lotus Resort
The island makes a great little motorcycle loop. Head up the coast road toward Baan Chalok and make sure to stop at Sirantha Kitchen in Haad Thain for the best pancakes in SE Asia. On the way back take the mountain pass that bisects the island. There are amazing views and snorkelling around Koh Ma island which, thanks to a sandbar, you can walk to yourself (this is where the overpriced snorkelling and diving courses go so save some money and do it yourself). The waterfalls on the island are not that impressive; the ones in Laos are far better.
Full moon
Stoked for Full Moon
The main even is undoubtedly the full moon party. 30,000 people flock to this island every full moon with the sole purpose of getting black out drunk. Admission is 100 baht and there are no regulations against outside alcohol. Most people arrive at around 10 pm and over half are still dancing when the sun comes up. It is a spectacle that every traveler must experience for themselves. The only advice I will give is if you are the kind of person that goes all out you might want to invest in some burn cream.