full moon party

Ah, the full moon party on Ko Pha Ngan. An infamous, globally famous monthly brazen bash featuring drug fuelled delirium and drunken debauchery.

I had been once before four years ago and had, from what I can actually remember, a great time. Ahead of my second visit, I felt a sense of excitement and also some nervousness. I was looking forward to dancing the night away on the beach, but was also a little bit weary because of all the tales of misfortune that have accompanied all the positive experiences of this event.

You could write a book about all the bad things that have happened here. People going missing on the way home to their hotel. Bags being slashed with knives and personal belongings stolen. Boats en route from Ko Samui sinking and people drowning. Drugs being planted and the police carting people to the cells or the cashpoint. There are certainly more than a few warnings that come with attending the full moon party.

I suppose all of this stuff just has to be viewed in context. More than 10,000 people cram onto the beach here every month for this party. Out of that number some will get too drunk and get into trouble. Some will take drugs and get caught. The obvious thing to do is just to keep your wits about you.

The amount of people who risk taking drugs at the party surprises me. Although ecstasy is synonymous with this kind of event, I personally would not wish to do anything that put me at risk of ever, ever setting foot in a Thai jail.

Drinking moves onto a whole new level at this party. It is not so much binge drinking, more an orgy of alcoholic excess. Obviously the beer is cheap. And the locals also literally sell other drinks by the bucket load. For just a couple of pounds you can get your own bucket filled with half a bottle of spirits, red bull and coke. You then walk round with your bucket, drinking the contents through straws. It's quite a laugh, but it's also a lot of booze to be served in one go. It obviously gets drunk a lot quicker than if you were buying shot by shot, making it perfectly easy to drink half a bottle of spirits in less than an hour without really noticing. Until you're puking up in the sand or passed out, which was not an unusual sight at this party.

As I said, it pays to keep your wits about you and play it safe. I had no hassle or problems from anyone, and all in all had a marvellous time. I arrived at the party around 10pm and was still there at 7am the next morning. The time passed easily. It is impossible not to be captivated by the sights and sounds of this event. All sorts of music are pumped out across the Gulf of Thailand and you are never far from something that catches the eye.

The sun had come up by the time I left, which is a must-see if you ever go to this party. As I trudged back to the hotel, I noticed I was covered in luminous paint. Quite how that happened, I have no idea.