Visit Koh Phangan

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From Bangkok: By bus or rail to Suratthani province, and a ferry from one of the piers (Donsak: Seatran and Raja ferry lines) You can buy a joint ticket in Bangkok, for example on Khao San Road. You can also get here with the Lomprayah catamaran from Chumpon via Koh Tao. Lomprayah also has comfortable buses from Bangkok to Chumpon. If you are going from Samui you have a lot of alternatives; Catch a express boat, catamaran or a small ferry from Nathon, Maenam, Big Buddha, Bangrak or Bo Phut. Or, if your in a hurry, a speed boat from Maenam or Bo Phut is perfect. Please check with any travel agency or just go to the piers.

There are about 10,000-20,000 people every month at this Koh Phangan beach party. It is known as the Full Moon Party. International and Thai DJ's are making the crowd go wild. Paint yourself in UV colors and let your body lose control. The DJ's play all kinds of music; techno, trance, goa, drum n' bass, dub, reggae, "commercial hits", house etc on about 15 soundsystems along Haad Rin beach. There are also many small tables on the beach where you can sit down with your friends or meet new ones from all parts of the globe. You can order drinks and food from the restaurants and the bars next to the Had Rin Nok beach.

Other moon parties

You might also want to visit the Black Moon and Half Moon Parties arranged at Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. The location for these parties tends to change. The Black Moon Parties on Samui was often held at "Secret Beach" at Samrong Bay, but now they also arrange them at Chaweng beach. The also use to have a Black Moon Party on Had Rin beach on Phangan nowadays. Also there is a Half Moon Party at Koh Phangan rather near Bang Tai and Thongsala on the road to Thong Nai Pan.

All the beaches have passable to excellent Thai restaurants, for more international flavours, Had Rin is the only place to be. Try Shell (on the lake) for top notch Italian and the best coffee on the island, Om Ganesh (main road) for very cheap northern Indian, Niras Bakery (crossroads) for all manner of pies, pastries and sandwiches or Bamboozle (just off the main road) for authentic Spanish treats.

The beach bars are mostly of a reasonably similar techno orientated ilk apart from Drop Inn and Cactus, which also play reggae, rock, and Euro-house. Alternatively, for less volume, pub grub and a very friendly atmosphere, head for the Outback Bar (main road).

The clubbing scene has cooled somewhat since the social order crackdown started but Harmony (behind Bamboozle) and Backyard (road to Had Leela) are both packed most nights and play any kind of music as long as its trance.