Koh Samui || Koh Phangan || Koh Tao 
     
    Phangan island has been a regular stopping point on the international backpackers world tour for over ten years now and has now become synonymous with the full-moon parties on Haad Rin.  These monster ravestake place every month and have become world famous, attacting up to en thousand revelers each time.  However, it should be remembered that Haad Rin is just one beach well, two fact; Sunrise and Sunset or just one small slice of island's shoreline. 
     Phangan is just 12-kilometers north of Samui and has always been in the shadow of its more illustrious neighbor. There is no airport and no big resorts or hotels, and with population of only 8,000 it could be overlooked by most visitors to Samui were it not for its notorious parties.  As Samui has forged a path parties.  As Samui has forged a path towards becoming an up-market, international standard destination. Phangan seems to have picked up the backpacker and budget  market as well as becoming increasingly attractive to other travelers who have not found the changes to Samui quite to their tastes.  The island has evolved into two separate sections; Hadd Rin and everywhere else.  Haad Rin has become a traveler's hangout and party center kind of international backpacker ghetto, whilst the other beaches are tropical hideaways - laid back retreats with almost unspoilt beaches an stunning vistas.
     The beach are really worth spending some time on and the island has long been famed within Thailand for its extraordinary beauty.  King Chulalongkorn (Rama IV) was a regular visitor and he carved his initials into more than one of the island's rocks.  His favorite beah was Thong Nai Pan which must be in the top five of six of Thailand beaches.
Thongsala 
The port and only town on the island is home to most of its population and amenities. There are branches of all the big Thai banks, complete with ATMs and the main post office.  The town itself is not of much interest, it is a faceless, drab small Thai town and there is always lots of construction under way.  During the day it is busy as tourists come and go and there is lots of activity around the port area.  There are also a lot of restaurants up and down the road leading to the pier, where people hang out whilst waiting for boats. 
Haad Rin Beach
Haad Rin is the busiest beach on the island and quite unlike anywhere else in Thailand (probably the world).  At its worst it is something of a traveler's ghetto and at best a sanctuary for hedonism.  It is certainly the beach destination of choice for world travelers taking a few days, weeks or sometimes years, off from their tours of Asia.  A Mecca for the young and young at heart, the carefree and the listles.  Haad Rin most certainly has an attitude.  If you want to spend time hanging out with wild and crazy people, meeting young single guys and girls, going the parties, listening to techno and house music talking about reggae, ganja and spiritual awakenings then stay away.  
Full Moon Party
     The majority of people visiting Haad Rin don't ever rent a bungalow ther.  There are shipped in from Koh Samui for the full moon party, and then shipped out when they've had enough.  The narrow gap of water between the islands becomes Thailand's busiest shipping lane once a month.  It is estimated that 10,000 revelers attend the parties in the high season (although we've never seen anyone counting)  and the events have become world famous-TV crews from all over the world have been here to do their pieces to glorify or condemn Phangan and its party animals.    

     The parties started in the late eighties at Paradise Resort, which at the time was one of the few bungalow operations in Haad Rin.  At this time been clamping down on parties in Goa and the party loving travelers of Asia were looking for somewhere new to stage their festivals of dance and drugs.  Haad Rin was starting to emerge as a cool beach destination and, more importantly, drugs were available from the locals, where were more than happy to exclude the police from their beach.  In those days every other restaurant was selling "Magic Mushroom Omelets", "Special Mushroom Tea", "Ganja Cookies" and more. 

Full Moon Parties Schedules

YEAR 2003

YEAR 2004
JANUARY,17TH JANUARY, 6TH
FEBRUARY, 16TH FEBRUARY, 5TH
MARCH, 17TH MARCH, 5TH
APRIL, 16TH APRIL, 4TH
MAY, 15TH MAY, 3RD
JUNE, 14TH JUNE, 2ND
JULY, 13TH JULY, 1ST, 30TH
AUGUST, 12TH AUGUST, 30TH
SEPTEMBER, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 28TH
OCTOBER, 10TH OCTOBER, 28TH
NOVEMBER, 8TH NOVEMBER, 26TH
DECEMBER, 8TH DECEMBER, 26TH
Thong Nai Pan Beach 
On the north east of Phangan is a beautiful double bay with wide sandy beaches split by a narrow headland, which is home to the island's most impressive hotel resort, Known as Thong Nai Pan Yai and Thong Nai pan Nui (or big and little Thong Nai Pan).

These beaches have long been the best-kept secret in Thailand. Once popular with the royal court their isolation has meant that there has been littel development over the years and that illusive Thai beach atmosphere has not been tarnished too much.  Anyone who makes the effort to get there is rewarded by great beaches and friendly laid back people with just enough going on to keep you entertained in the evening. 
 

 

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