Country breakdown
- Koh Samui
- Ko Pha Ngan
- Surat Thani
- Krabi
- Phi Phi Islands
- Phuket
- Bangkok
After a long first night of partying, and only three and a half hours of sleep, I had a 7 a.m. start to catch the ferry from Koh Samui to Ko Pha Ngan. Things quickly went downhill. My transfer to the hostel never showed up at the port, and I found myself stranded, alone, and struggling with a major language barrier. Desperate for help, I hunted down the nearest Western-style bar, hoping someone there spoke English. Thankfully, they did, and I was able to borrow a phone to call the hostel and explain the situation. About an hour and a half later, someone finally arrived to pick me up—and all was okay again.
The day felt like a write-off, so I headed to the hostel’s sister resort to grab something to eat. I was still by myself, waiting for the wave of travellers to arrive on the island for the Full Moon Party, when a girl came over and asked if everything was okay. Her name was Alex, a South African master’s student studying at the dive school next door. It was her day off, and she offered to hang out and show me around.
She took me on her scooter to Haad Rin, the beach and corner of the island where the Full Moon Party takes place. The preparations were still underway, but it was cool to see it before the crowds arrived. We cruised around town, grabbed drinks at one of the many bars, and sat on a balcony, just relaxing for a few hours. A total day-saver.
Haad Rin
Day 4 – July 8th
After settling into Thailand and getting to grips with things following a hectic start, the day was spent on a boat trip to Ang Thong National Park—home to over 40 islands, five of which are accessible to visitors. It was a long but relaxed day that included climbing a couple of viewpoints, visiting the Emerald Lake, kayaking, and jumping off the boat into the sea.
After returning to the mainland and heading back to Ko Pha Ngan, I explored the local market with Alex, that sets up once a week. The entire road was packed with street food vendors, including the ever-popular homemade ice cream roll stalls.
Ang Thong National Park
July 9th was the night of the half-moon, which meant one thing—a Half-Moon Party, the warm-up for the Full Moon Party. The jungle party was exactly what it sounds like: a massive rave in the middle of the tropical jungle. Kicking off at midnight, it went on until 6 a.m. (and probably longer).
Unsurprisingly, July 10th was mostly a write-off. Still, I managed to make it to the Bluerama Hotel in Koh Phangan with Alex on her scooter. We grabbed something to eat and relaxed by the infinity pool, soaking in the view before the Full Moon Party kicked off that same night.
Koh Pha Ngan // Bluerama
I’ve got a couple of blurry photos and videos from the Half and Full Moon Parties—none of which are really suitable to post here. But if I had to sum it all up visually, it’d be a picture of a guy passed out in a bush, surrounded by beer bottles. I have no idea where he is now, but I really hope he’s okay.
Also, at least I didn’t get smacked in the face by a flaming skipping rope like some of the others did. Honestly, that was probably the most sensible decision I made all night.
After watching the sunrise around 6:30 a.m. on Haad Rin Beach and getting back from the Full Moon Party at about 7 a.m., I was running on fumes after two nights of heavy partying. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the day was another complete write-off. By the time I surfaced in the evening, Alex took me to Amsterdam Bar—the ultimate spot to lounge with a view.
Day 8 – July 12th
On the 8th day, my week-long party trip to the island of Ko Pha Ngan came to an end. I took a three-hour ferry to Surat Thani, followed by another three-hour bus ride across Thailand to Krabi, my next stop. The bus journey was surprisingly pleasant—well-developed roads and air conditioning were a welcome bonus. As we drove through the mountains, I experienced a mix of hail, rain, and sunshine in just a few hours.
When I arrived at my hotel, I was grateful for some personal space after a week of hostel living. I was greeted with a shot, a cold towel, and a butler. I managed to snag a cliffside room with a great view. Since I’d spent most of the day traveling, I decided to spend the evening exploring the local markets in Ao Nang.
Surat Thani // Krabi
Day 9 – 13th July
The previous night, while exploring the markets, I ran into a guy I had shared the bus with from Surat Thani to Krabi—what are the chances, right? He was staying at a party hostel in Krabi and mentioned he was going on a scooter ride in the morning with a group of people, inviting me to join them. With no plans of my own, I agreed. After finding a sketchy rental service that didn’t ask for insurance, helmets, paperwork, or even a passport, we were on our way.
We rode for miles through the hills and mountains, making various stops for snacks along the way. Eventually, we reached a waterfall with a lagoon spring.
Krabi
Having not checked the weather in the morning before heading out on the day trip, I was woefully unprepared for the journey back from the waterfall to the hostel. I had only packed shorts, flip-flops, and sunglasses, and the rain was so heavy it felt like snowballs hitting my skin as I rode. One of the other guys clung to my back, trying to shield me from the downpour. She kept wiping my sunglasses so I could see, while I continued driving through the storm—definitely a nightmare of a trip back.
That evening, I joined the same group that was staying at the slumber party hostel for yet another party. It felt like I was 18 again, experiencing university for the first time, complete with beer pong and other drinking games.
Day 10 – 14th July
I’ve noticed a recurring theme: heavy nights followed by long travel days. This day was no exception, starting with an early wake-up to catch the ferry from Krabi to the Phi Phi Islands. I managed to check in around 1:30 in the afternoon, and with limited time on the islands, I decided to head straight to the famous viewpoints.
I asked some people on the way which path was the best to reach the top, and after following their advice, it was clear something had gone wrong. I ended up climbing steep, winding, and rocky roads for about an hour and a half, crawling through the jungle and walking through local villages where I got some strange looks. Eventually, I found a connecting path that led me to one of the viewpoints.
Just as I reached the top, the weather shifted dramatically, going from sunshine to rain. Again, underdressed and unprepared, I was freezing in just shorts. I took shelter in the tiny café at the viewpoint, where I struck up a conversation with a bunch of Irish guys. When I asked them how long it had taken them to get from the bottom to the viewpoint, and they said, “About 15 minutes,” I was fuming!
I asked if I could tag along with them on the way down to see how I had gotten it all so wrong. I stayed in touch with them, and we agreed to do a speedboat tour of the Phi Phi Islands the next morning.
Phi Phi Viewpoint
Day 11 – 15th July
This was the day I agreed to join the Irish guys for a speedboat tour of the Phi Phi Islands. The tour included visits to Monkey Island, Bamboo Island, Mosquito Island, and the famous Maya Beach. The trip ended with a little boat party, some snorkelling in one of the bays, and of course, roof jumping. I managed to cut my eye just from jumping into the water.
That evening, once we were back on shore, the Irish guys and I kept the party going with some friends I had met at the Full Moon Party, all at the Banana Rooftop Bar.
Phi Phi Islands // Speed boat trip
Day 12 – 16th July
After a packed couple of days on the Phi Phi Islands, I had to take the ferry to Phuket. It was easily one of the worst ferry crossings I’ve had—the sea was unbelievably choppy. Some people barely lasted five minutes before getting sick. I thought I had won when I made it through the first thirty minutes, but soon after, it got me too.
Upon landing in Phuket, I was only there for one night before flying to Bangkok. All I wanted was some comfort food and sleep. From what I saw on the drive to the hostel, which was fantastic, I wasn’t very impressed with Phuket itself, so I don’t think I missed out on much.
