10 Quick Tips to Surviving ‘The Full Moon Party’

Rave music, fire shows, glow paint, alcohol, and possible morning-after regrets? You guessed it, we are talking about the [in]famous Koh Pha Ngan Full Moon Party. The Mother of all Beach Parties that is held every month, attracting thousands of travellers from all over the world to one single island, right here in Thailand.

With epic parties comes epic responsibility. We won’t deny that this is one serious party to tick off your bucket list, but all fun aside, thefts, injuries, and Joe Black are things we cannot easily brush off. So, without further ado, these are our 10 quick tips to partying smart and staying safe on your next bender on Koh Pha Ngan.

1. Getting There

You can get to Surat Thani by bus, train, or plane before hopping on a boat to Koh Pha Ngan. To save yourself some hassle, make sure you book a combination package that already includes a boat ride. There are a few ferry companies to choose from but we do recommend Lomprayah High Speed Ferries Co., Ltd. It’s the most expensive but it is also the fastest and arguably the safest.

2. It’s Island Rules People!

Do you remember the ‘island rules’ part in The Beach where things started to go south real quick? Well, that stuff does really happen. Do expect to pay extra bucks to the ‘local mafias’ for all your transport, a possible additional ‘entrance fee’ for the main access paths to the beach, or some overpriced bracelets that are ‘tickets’ to the party. Life isn’t fair, so you can either accept that or get creative with finding another way to access the beach yourself.

3. Skip the Hostel

If there is a time in your life to spend a few bucks, this is it. Given the to-be-expected inflated accommodation prices during the festival, book your accommodation well and truly in advance. Pay a little more to make sure that you will be staying in a safer guest house or hotel. Try the no-nonsense hotel rooms at COSI Samui Chaweng Beach with free WIFI, daily food and drink at WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) Café, and take full advantage with GoPro cameras offered by the hotel during your stay.

4. Be Fashionably Late

There is absolutely no rush to get to the party early. You don’t want to be that kid who shows up at 9 PM and ends up passing out on the beach by 10 PM. The party gets good after 11 PM and it goes on until the sun rises, so brace yourself and make sure you stay hydrated.

5. Pack your Bras

Ladies, if you are donning bikinis to show off that hard-earned bod, make sure you keep your belongings close to you and do not bring anything valuable. If you don’t already know this trick, stuff everything in your bikini bra! By that we mean, cash, room key, whatever you think you can squeeze in there, and absolutely no credit cards!

6. Buckets ain’t Nuggets

Avoid buckets at all costs. Not only because anyone can slip anything into them, resulting in you passing out on the beach with no recollection of the night before, but they are filled with cheap homemade liquor and a whole lot of mixers that most likely would not pass the health and safety regulations of most Western countries. Drink responsibly, and stick to bottled beers that are opened in front of you.

7. Burning Man at the Beach

It’s a beach party but think Burning Man attire! Ditch the flip flops and opt for closed-toe shoes, or better yet, boots! The beach is littered with all sorts of debris from bottle caps to shards of glass so do not go barefoot.

8. Jaws Season Isn’t What You Think

Don’t go into the water. First of all, it is not the wisest thing to do when you are drunk. Secondly, thousands of party-goers and limited bathroom stalls means the ocean automatically becomes a public toilet. For your own privacy, keep a few baht on you as nearby restaurants and bars charge a small fee to use their toilets.

9. Stranger Danger

Your mother was right. With a crowd of thousands of drunkards, anything can happen. We are not saying that bad things will happen to you, but better safe than sorry, so ladies stick with your girls! No hot guy is worth wandering off alone, especially when you are wearing beer goggles.

10. Fire Burns

We cannot stress this enough but leave the flame-throwing to the pros! You might think it’s not the worst idea in the world to be jumping fire ropes when you are drunk, but we guarantee you will regret it when you sober up.

That’s it folks! Basically, everything comes down to decent planning and exercising your common sense. You know the saying, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Well, unlike your education, career, or marriage, you only get one shot at being alive, so party smart!