Parties are all about forgetting your troubles for a few hours and about having a good time. They are intended to make us smile, to make us feel elated, and to make us feel like dancing. It is one thing to have a party indoors with light shows, furniture and a bar. It is even better to have an outdoor party. And there are fewer places to have a party than on a beautiful beach or in a jungle in Thailand. This is what the parties of Koh Phangan offer.
I think it is the sense of liberation that makes outdoor parties so special. The feeling of confinement is removed when you party outside. The air is full of the smells of nature and you can look up and see the stars and moon.
Indeed it is the moon that takes center stage at the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan. It is a huge shining disk over Haad Rin beach where the party takes place. This is the ultimate beach party. 30,000 people regularly gather on the beach to celebrate the completion of the moon. Although the music comes from 10 or so bars on the beach they point their speakers out onto the beach. It is here that the real party takes place – on the sand and in the surf. The setting is perfect and the atmosphere is intoxicating.
There are plenty of different styles of music to enjoy at the Full Moon Party in Haad Rin. Moreover, the party costs only 100 Thai Baht or $3 to enter. Drinks cost between $3 for a beer and $10 for Koh Phangan’s famous ‘bucket’ cocktail. Where in the world can you find such good value?
There are also a number of jungle parties in Koh Phangan. The Half Moon Party, the Black Moon Party, the Shiva Moon Party and the Jungle Experience are all held in the jungle near the village of Ban Tai in Koh Phangan. Each party has its own clearing with permanent bar, chill out area and various fluorescent displays. The jungle parties are smaller but the feeling of fun is no less diminished. The Half Moon Party regularly draws a crowd of 2,000 people. This party is noteworthy because it starts the evening with a live band called Moscowfish that play an intriguing set of acoustic and electronic music. After the band has left the stage there is live drumming and house music. From twelve o’clock onwards the music is hard and furious techno trance music.
Finally, Paradise Waterfall Party offers not only a jungle setting but also a waterfall as a backdrop to an all night psy-trance event. This party is held near the fishing village of Chaloklum in the north of Koh Phangan.
If you are a fan of outdoor parties, trance music and dancing all night then there really is no better place to go than the tropical island of Koh Phangan. Although, it might cost a lot to fly to Thailand it is amazing how cheap the jungle and beach parties of Koh Phangan are compared to the expensive and confined clubs of Europe and America.