Ko Phangan, Thailand; Where Life Is "Baht" a Dream

        Traveling to Thailand truly felt like a dream come true. The people are kind and accommodating. The scenery and culture are spectacular. Thai food is delicious. The language and architecture are both beautiful. And the massages...my God, the massages! Two massages in one day wasn't out of the question for this weary explorer. Nothing loosens you up quite like a Thai massage, where the masseuse twists, kneads & stretches your body using their own. 

        There are plenty of spots I still hope to visit in the future, but my favorite so far was the island of Ko Phangan. Ko Phangan is well known for the "world's largest beach party" AKA the Full Moon Party. It is hands-down the wildest party I've ever attended. These events are centered around the full moons throughout the year, as well as each New Year(even if it doesn't fall on a full moon). I rang in 2014 in Haad Rin, Ko Phangan drinking rum buckets with somewhere around 20,000 people. 
        We first flew to Ko Samui, where we took a ferry to the smaller, more desolate island of Ko Phangan. We arrived on the morning of NYE, but the party had apparently already started without us. As we waited in line for the ferry in this foreign land, we witnessed the following getting off the ferry: a man laid up on a stretcher in scrubs with his leg up...followed by a woman with a bandaged arm rolling her IV bag alongside her...followed by a monkey. I wish I had video proof of this sight, but I was too amazed to do anything at all. My next thoughts went a little something like this: "Is this real life? How crazy is this island party we're about to go to?...and, lastly, "Am I going to make it out alive!?" I turned to look at my travel partner, only to see the same terror in his wide eyes. A guy in front of us in line said "Am I dreaming, or did I just see what I think I saw?" We got to talking and we ended up sticking together for most of our trip.

        Well, we made it out alive with some incredible memories and stories. 
Here are some basic tips to live by:

• Don't bring any valuables to the party.
• *WEAR SNEAKERS* & keep them on all night if you want to come home with your feet in-tact. Buying sneaks there is virtually impossible, so don't forget to pack them.
• Don't buy drugs. There's plenty of fun to be had without them...and an extra high isn't worth not coming home. You should be aware of your surroundings at all times. Not everyone makes it out unscathed, so I'd suggest staying in control. Lastly on this point: you will want to extend your vacation, but not in a Thai jail.
• BEWARE of the buckets; they use "red bull" that's twice as strong as our red bull; it's called M150 & it isn't even legal in the states. One to share is enough!
• Make good decisions. As my Mom would say: "Keep your wits about you." Watching people jump a rope in flames is fun; jumping the rope and having raw burns all over your body for the rest of your trip is not fun. Watching drunk people swing around on a jungle gym is fun; being the guy I watched fall off & not get up is not fun(we ran for help because he was not responsive. "Help" is *very* hard to come by on this island). Another note: do not be decieved...that slide you see has water on it!
• Mopeds are cool and all, but we met a guy who had road rash from head to toe and he couldn't be in the sun, sand or water for the entirety of his trip. Needless to say, we stuck to the $3 cabs instead. You could be the best driver in the world, but if you hit loose gravel or get cut off, it will ruin your week. Not worth it.

        Ko Phangan has much more to offer than just the Full Moon Party. If you want a challenge, head to Wipeout at Laem Son Lake(affiliated with the obstacle course game TV show). This is where I beat the time for the fastest American female(Watch the video here: Wipeout Win)! You can watch others do the obstacle course and eat lunch if you don't want to participate. 

        If you want to relax instead, go to The Yoga Studio in Thong Nai Pan Yai. You will "find yourself" immersed in nature in an open air yoga hut. You'll also find a delicious little juice bar/vegan cafe and a gallery of beautiful paintings to browse through after your class. From there, walk to Thong Nai Pan Yai beach(pictured above). We loved it so much there that we cancelled our afternoon plans and stayed for a fresh seafood dinner and massage on the beach. 

        I'm sure most of the boat trips are great, but one day we went on an Orion Boat trip. It wasn't all that expensive for an entire day of snorkeling, kayaking, caving, volleyball, exploring and on-board meals! 

        I can't forget to mention the adorable family-owned place where we stayed in Baan Tai, Thaniza Beachfront Resort. We loved it there and it was a just a short walk on the beach to get to the craziness in Haad Rin. It was also a $3 cab ride to basically anywhere on the island! It was the perfect place for our needs.

Thaniza Breakfast

Until we meet again, Thailand!