After the disaster of Phuket, the loveliness of Phi Phi and our underwater adventures in Koh Tao we are finally finished our courses of anti-biotics and are ready to embrace a bit of the backpacker party lifestyle. So where better to go than a place famous for it's parties, the island of many spelling variations Koh Pha ngang/ Koh Phangan...or Koh Flanagan as my Dad called it when looking for me on a map.
Having realised while in Laos that there was no way we would make it to Koh Phangang in time for one of the famous Full Moon parties - we decided that we will try and make it there for one of the other lunar related shindigs. So we arrive on the island just ahead of the Black Moon party.
Not for the first time our 'free pick up' from the ferry port doesn't materialise and we have to pay for a taxi to our resort. We are staying in a bungalow at the Weeanthang resort; a pretty collection of bungalows and buildings surrounding a swimming pool (with bar!) that overlooks the beach. If you stand at the right angle in the restaurant it looks like the pool overflows into the sea. Pretty as the resort is in general, our room is quite basic and we have to share with some other tenants. Ants. Millions of them, and they obviously weren't too happy about having to share their space with us because they attacked us night after night, and like bad college room-mates they ate our food, used our toothbrush and our towels and tried to crawl into bed with us in the middle of the night. However in the end they must have got to like us because they even snuck into our backpacks to try and come with us when we were leaving.
The resort is a lovely place, there are cushions and low tables and day beds to lounge on just dotted all over the place. It kind of facilitates our laziness so we don't see a whole lot of Koh Phangang away from our immediate environment. On our second day we are still on our ' I love scuba' buzz so we decide to do our first dive as proper qualified divers that afternoon.
We do two dives that day, the first one is a bit of a disaster. The visibility is crap and we can't really see anything, had it not been for our instructor Karl's luminous yellow flippers I definitely would have gotten lost. Later in the dive the strap snaps off my mask so I have to go to the surface to fix it, meanwhile Karl has broken the inflator on his BC which means he has to paddle really hard to stay afloat and Ellie's flippers didn't want her to feel left out of the "problematic equipment club" so despite being a perfect fit at the beginning of the dive they proceed to try and strangle her feet.
We head back to the boat for a break- and to let the nitrogen bubbles escape from our bodies(very important- or else you get nitrogen narcosis or "narked" as the cool scuba crew call it and feel spaced out or can't stop laughing- it sounded like great fun, but apparently is a bit dangerous if your 18m under water).
Our second dive is much more successful we stay in shallower water and the visibility has improved a lot. We're back in our under water playground with pretty corals, different schools of fish, anemones that cower away from the current made by our flippers,anemone fish ,and fronds of algae that move as if they were squid. But still none of the big players like sharks or turtles we've been searching for- and still no Nemo. A few days later we hear from our Koh Tao friends Michael and Allie that while snorkeling in Koh Phi Phi they saw giant sea turtles. Very. Very.Jealous!
Having befriended the endearingly camp, Lady gaga obsessed, bar man J.J ,who has also befriended everyone else staying at the resort we get chatting to a few people. Then along with JJ who's adopted the role of tour guide, our raggle taggle group of Irish, dutch, kiwi , Canadian and south African party goers do what party goers do best and go to Baan Tai beach where the Black Moon party is held.
Ellie and JJ
we contemplate alternative transport to the party
We pass by rows of every kind of fried Thai snack imaginable on the way in to the party. They are obviously well used to the rush of people for their 3am Kebabs. We then pass by several people with walls of neon pictures offering body painting and eventually make it to the beach. Trance music pumps from giant speakers and there are giant colourful neon decorations everywhere. We get stuck into our buckets of Sangsom whiskey and coke and m150 and get to know our neighbours from the resort.
To be honest it isn't quite as busy as I had imagined it would be, and apparently the rising price of the tickets (500BHT-about 12euro) has something to do with the dwindling attendances. However it's still a great night had by all; we get to know people,we drink delicious buckets, we sit on the beach and watch the fire dancers do some impressive moves, and I have to admit dance/trance music is even growing on me.
Ellie's great pic
Our resort is managed by an English guy who is married to a Thai girl and has two adorable little kids, they along with their little cousins run around the resort getting up to all sorts of mischief and we can't help but laugh at them. Its a real sign of how chilled out things are here as I watch a 5 yr old kid climb onto a glass table over a couch and onto a tree that overhangs a tiled floor, I can't help but cringe, whereas his dad just walks past and says "Alright son" as the child carries on dangling backwards over the tiles. The western world -and I- really need to relax.
The next evening we spend around a pool table with the others from the resort and we are invited to a party on the other side of the island by J.J .About half of the people decide to stay and play pool for the evening and the rest of us decide to accompany J.J on a little adventure. So JJ, Ellie, Dutch girl Lon and new arrivals Kelly,Ben and Patrick and myself all hop in a taxi which first brings us along the treacherous stretch of road that goes to Haad Rin. The hills are so steep and windy and the taxi really struggles up the hills and runs away down the other side.
We arrive in Haad Rin where the full moon parties are normally held and admittedly it's a bit of a hole full of ever present drunk tourists. On the flipside of that though, there is fun to be had and if you can't beat them you might as well join them. So we buy a few drinks from one of the many, many bars that line up along the beach and sit back and watch the fire dancers and fire related party games that ensue.
So we are all actually having a pretty good time on the beach, enjoying the antics and have all more or less presumed that this was the party JJ was bringing us to when all of a sudden he tells us it's time to go. So we hop in a taxi boat that takes us off to a super secret location! As we speed across the water, sea breeze in our hair and perfectly clear, star filled skies above us Ellie points out that it "beats a taxi to the club back home".
After we have pulled in at the little bay we make a trek by torch/phone light up a pathway through the trees that eventually comes to a clearing where we see lights, hear the throb of music and sounds of other revellers. Its a secret jungle party! Now for all we know everybody in the world knows about this place but to us it feels very exclusive and if just for one night I think we might officially be cool.
We spend the night boogieing away to dance music, lounging on cushions or playing on the giant swing. As we make our way back to Baan Tai later that night we all reflect on what a good time we had and we must be heavier with the weight of alcohol inside us because as the taxi struggles and chugs back up those hills to Baan Tai, the wheels spin round and there is a smell of burning rubber. JJ starts to sing '3 little birds' : "Don't worry, be happy" and we all join in despite not being able to remember much more than the chorus- but we laugh and we don't worry, because we are all happy.
Me sporting a tan (really), the other guy is just a show off!
Taxi home
Having realised while in Laos that there was no way we would make it to Koh Phangang in time for one of the famous Full Moon parties - we decided that we will try and make it there for one of the other lunar related shindigs. So we arrive on the island just ahead of the Black Moon party.
Not for the first time our 'free pick up' from the ferry port doesn't materialise and we have to pay for a taxi to our resort. We are staying in a bungalow at the Weeanthang resort; a pretty collection of bungalows and buildings surrounding a swimming pool (with bar!) that overlooks the beach. If you stand at the right angle in the restaurant it looks like the pool overflows into the sea. Pretty as the resort is in general, our room is quite basic and we have to share with some other tenants. Ants. Millions of them, and they obviously weren't too happy about having to share their space with us because they attacked us night after night, and like bad college room-mates they ate our food, used our toothbrush and our towels and tried to crawl into bed with us in the middle of the night. However in the end they must have got to like us because they even snuck into our backpacks to try and come with us when we were leaving.
The resort is a lovely place, there are cushions and low tables and day beds to lounge on just dotted all over the place. It kind of facilitates our laziness so we don't see a whole lot of Koh Phangang away from our immediate environment. On our second day we are still on our ' I love scuba' buzz so we decide to do our first dive as proper qualified divers that afternoon.
We do two dives that day, the first one is a bit of a disaster. The visibility is crap and we can't really see anything, had it not been for our instructor Karl's luminous yellow flippers I definitely would have gotten lost. Later in the dive the strap snaps off my mask so I have to go to the surface to fix it, meanwhile Karl has broken the inflator on his BC which means he has to paddle really hard to stay afloat and Ellie's flippers didn't want her to feel left out of the "problematic equipment club" so despite being a perfect fit at the beginning of the dive they proceed to try and strangle her feet.
We head back to the boat for a break- and to let the nitrogen bubbles escape from our bodies(very important- or else you get nitrogen narcosis or "narked" as the cool scuba crew call it and feel spaced out or can't stop laughing- it sounded like great fun, but apparently is a bit dangerous if your 18m under water).
Our second dive is much more successful we stay in shallower water and the visibility has improved a lot. We're back in our under water playground with pretty corals, different schools of fish, anemones that cower away from the current made by our flippers,anemone fish ,and fronds of algae that move as if they were squid. But still none of the big players like sharks or turtles we've been searching for- and still no Nemo. A few days later we hear from our Koh Tao friends Michael and Allie that while snorkeling in Koh Phi Phi they saw giant sea turtles. Very. Very.Jealous!
Having befriended the endearingly camp, Lady gaga obsessed, bar man J.J ,who has also befriended everyone else staying at the resort we get chatting to a few people. Then along with JJ who's adopted the role of tour guide, our raggle taggle group of Irish, dutch, kiwi , Canadian and south African party goers do what party goers do best and go to Baan Tai beach where the Black Moon party is held.
Ellie and JJ
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
we contemplate alternative transport to the party
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
We pass by rows of every kind of fried Thai snack imaginable on the way in to the party. They are obviously well used to the rush of people for their 3am Kebabs. We then pass by several people with walls of neon pictures offering body painting and eventually make it to the beach. Trance music pumps from giant speakers and there are giant colourful neon decorations everywhere. We get stuck into our buckets of Sangsom whiskey and coke and m150 and get to know our neighbours from the resort.
To be honest it isn't quite as busy as I had imagined it would be, and apparently the rising price of the tickets (500BHT-about 12euro) has something to do with the dwindling attendances. However it's still a great night had by all; we get to know people,we drink delicious buckets, we sit on the beach and watch the fire dancers do some impressive moves, and I have to admit dance/trance music is even growing on me.
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
Ellie's great pic
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
Our resort is managed by an English guy who is married to a Thai girl and has two adorable little kids, they along with their little cousins run around the resort getting up to all sorts of mischief and we can't help but laugh at them. Its a real sign of how chilled out things are here as I watch a 5 yr old kid climb onto a glass table over a couch and onto a tree that overhangs a tiled floor, I can't help but cringe, whereas his dad just walks past and says "Alright son" as the child carries on dangling backwards over the tiles. The western world -and I- really need to relax.
The next evening we spend around a pool table with the others from the resort and we are invited to a party on the other side of the island by J.J .About half of the people decide to stay and play pool for the evening and the rest of us decide to accompany J.J on a little adventure. So JJ, Ellie, Dutch girl Lon and new arrivals Kelly,Ben and Patrick and myself all hop in a taxi which first brings us along the treacherous stretch of road that goes to Haad Rin. The hills are so steep and windy and the taxi really struggles up the hills and runs away down the other side.
We arrive in Haad Rin where the full moon parties are normally held and admittedly it's a bit of a hole full of ever present drunk tourists. On the flipside of that though, there is fun to be had and if you can't beat them you might as well join them. So we buy a few drinks from one of the many, many bars that line up along the beach and sit back and watch the fire dancers and fire related party games that ensue.
So we are all actually having a pretty good time on the beach, enjoying the antics and have all more or less presumed that this was the party JJ was bringing us to when all of a sudden he tells us it's time to go. So we hop in a taxi boat that takes us off to a super secret location! As we speed across the water, sea breeze in our hair and perfectly clear, star filled skies above us Ellie points out that it "beats a taxi to the club back home".
After we have pulled in at the little bay we make a trek by torch/phone light up a pathway through the trees that eventually comes to a clearing where we see lights, hear the throb of music and sounds of other revellers. Its a secret jungle party! Now for all we know everybody in the world knows about this place but to us it feels very exclusive and if just for one night I think we might officially be cool.
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
We spend the night boogieing away to dance music, lounging on cushions or playing on the giant swing. As we make our way back to Baan Tai later that night we all reflect on what a good time we had and we must be heavier with the weight of alcohol inside us because as the taxi struggles and chugs back up those hills to Baan Tai, the wheels spin round and there is a smell of burning rubber. JJ starts to sing '3 little birds' : "Don't worry, be happy" and we all join in despite not being able to remember much more than the chorus- but we laugh and we don't worry, because we are all happy.
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
Me sporting a tan (really), the other guy is just a show off!
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
Taxi home
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
 |
| From Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngang |
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