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[Full Moon Over Koh Phangan] |
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Three
islands. Koh Tao, Ang Thong, Koh Phangan. All accessible by speedboat or
ferry from Koh Samui. All hosts to regular full moon parties.
Still
going from strength to strength over the past 3 years, it has been Koh
Phangan’s Full Moon Parties that have gained true prominence. What has
led to its success? No one really knows. Warren Burgart of Thaisite.com
had this to offer, ”I still don't
‘get’ it, but without controls or organization there is a HUGE Beach
Party on Haad Rin Beach every full moon.” For
Koh Phangan, Haad Rin beach hosts its Full Moon Party. Every month, an
international ‘cast’ of punters and DJs alike descend on the beach.
“Now this is a HUGE party with
many thousands of participants. There are dozens of venues playing music.
There are local DJs and traveling DJs playing.” If you have not been
there, just imagine the scale where depending on the season, more than
10,000 actually turn up. Such a variety of punters, DJs and cultures have
resulted in each party always being different from the others. The style
of music has never been constant, ranging from house to techno to hip hop
to jungle. The only true constant for the FMPs are the punters who come
out to play every full moon.
Adding
merit to the theory of organised chaos, Warren explains the lack of fixed
DJ bookings and schedules and how forecasting the respective DJ line-ups
has become ‘hit or miss’ in nature. “All of this occurs without any organization at all. DJs who play at the
FMP contact the resort or bar owners in advance and make arrangements.
That is also difficult…... Many times DJs are told they can play and
then they never have the opportunity. “
So,
once a month, Haad Rin turns into a massive open-air party zone, with giant
sound systems beckoning and celebrating the moon’s arrival. Adding to the
whole fanfare are fireworks that paint
the sky and
beach till dawn just as UV paints liven the bodies of the masses. The body
willing, you won’t give up with the sun as the cooling waters offer some more
fun. If
you are thinking of heading down to a Full Moon Party soon, heed the advice
Warren has to offer. e-mergermuzik:
What advice would you give to those who are attending the FMP for the
first time? Warren:
1) It is NOT important to stay on
Haad Rin Beach or even Koh Phangan to enjoy the FMP. The accommodations on Haad
Rin are rustic at best and not very comfortable (shared bathrooms, no hot
water, no mosquito screens, no air con) ... and expensive, with multi-night
bookings required during the FMP. So, consider alternative lodging sites such
as other parts of Koh Phangan or on Koh Samui. 2)
Advance bookings on Koh Phangan are a near impossibility. We are a travel and
tourism company and we recommend people staying in comfort on Koh Samui and
just traveling to the FMP. So either pre-book your rooms and be prepared to
take your chances and maybe waste a day just looking for a place to stay. 3)
Rest well before ... the party does not really start before 11 PM or mid-night.
This party gets going late and continues through sunrise into the next day. Be
rested so you can party all night. 4)
Don't get wasted. It is a fun party. There are many music venues. There are
many, many opportunities to get drunk. It is NOT necessary to be unconscious
and lying on the beach to enjoy the FMP. 5)
Eat. Don't go all night drinking and dancing and partying without eating. There
are many choices on the beach and throughout Haad Rin. 6)
Leave all valuables in your room in a safe location (many of the bungalows on
Haad Rin are NOT safe places to store valuables) and take enough money for the
night. e-mergermuzik:
What would a FMP survival kit consist of? Warren:
Good question. My
first suggestion is to wear shoes. I even warn against sandals or flip flops. I
have worn each to the FMP and ended up with a bloody toe one time. I now wear
tennis or running shoes. I am always surprised at the number of barefoot party
goers. I am also NOT surprised to see the number of people with bloody feet in
the first aid stations, or the number of bandaged toes. I do recommend shoes. Do
NOT under any circumstances take drinks offered by strangers. No telling what
concoctions others have put together. Same for accepting pills, smokes, tabs or
anything else. This is a great beach party. Meet it on your own terms. Have a
few drinks, eat some fun food and have a good time. Drugs
are illegal in Thailand. There are very harsh penalties. There are many
"undercover" agents at the FMP. Thai people get a "reward"
from the police for turning in suspects. Stay clean and clear and out of
trouble in Thailand. e-mergermuzik:
You've attended FMPs for over 3yrs, what were some of the highlights for
you? Warren:
I have been to over 20 FMPs. The appearance of Sven Vath from Germany
had to be the highlight of recent FMPs. He was some how able to arrange an
advance booking and there was publicity. We also had one of the largest beach
parties ever in February. I
also have noticed major changes in the beach. Three years ago there were simple
lights on the beach with "black lights" prevailing. Today, there are
lighted free-form sculptures and others on the beach. There are more and more
beach side vendors selling an amazing array of foods. Loy Krathong, the first full moon in November, is the festival of lights. Lighted boats are placed in the water. This is always beautiful at the November FMP, when there are many lighted Krathongs in Haad Rin Bay. e-mergermuzik:
Have the FMPs changed much since they first started? Warren:
I am
sure they have. I have no experience from the start, but over the last three
years there have been changes. It
seems the number of attendees is on an increase. There also appears to be more
knowledge of the FMP. I know that our web site is a popular source of FMP
information. I
am sure the party has not changed much at all. It has just gotten larger and
more popular. It is a totally unorganized event. There is no committee, control
group or anything that resembles organization. Basically everyone is on their
own. From
the start the FMP has attracted basically peaceful party people. That trend
continues today. The attendees are there for a good time. There are never
fights or quarrels. People are peaceful, looking for fun. The same party
feeling exists today. My
guess is the first FMP were small and attended by the visitors of the local
resorts. Today, there is a HUGE international crowd attracted to the party.
There are large numbers of Thai people not only working at the party, but also
attending it and having a great time. There is a totally cosmopolitan crowd at
each party. I have also noticed a BIG change in the music being played. Three years ago the whole beach was filled with techno music, with some garage and house music thrown in. Today, there is a HUGE mix of music. At recent parties, the techno was evident, but also I heard the Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, the Jackson Five (Before Michael was white!!) and the Village People. The venues playing the old songs were totally packed with hot sweaty dancers. I think the music has grown over the last three years and there are MANY different sounds filling the beach. e-mergermuzik:
What can one expect at the Full Moon Parties? Warren:
If
you’re looking for further details on the Full Moon Parties on Koh Phangan
and its neighbouring islands, please visit http://www.thaisite.com
. There you will find information ranging from the culture, parties,
accommodation to travel packages.
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