Think of the first party you went to as a teenager, when the host’s parents were on holiday. Everyone’s a bit giddy because there’s absolutely no one in charge or being responsible and within an hour everything’s got a bit out of hand. There’s red wine on the cream carpets, the antique vase is smashed, there’s sick in the bin, someone’s just been dumped and is crying into their first bottle of vodka and the usually sensible person is dancing on the table, steadying themselves with the chandelier whilst re-enacting The Full Monty.
The 30,000 strong crowd
Now times it by 1000, again and again and again. That’s an indication of where The Full Moon features on the party (and chaos) scale. The sheer volume of people, personalities, cultures, languages, music, UV paint and alcohol creates an utterly mad but acutely exciting atmosphere. There’s the constant awareness that it’s all got a bit out hand, but of course it has, there’s 30,000 tourists here to party! There’s buckets of miscellaneous alcohol all along the beach, but they’re so commonly spiked that many of the vendors have actually taken to putting up signs declaring that they’re trustworthy! We opted for several beers instead. Drugs are everywhere too, as are undercover police, and we couldn’t really imagine a less safe environment to not be in control.
Charlotte outshines the moon…
We spent the first 10 minutes just staring open-mouthed at the stuff we were witnessing, then found a spot on the beach where we liked the music and weren’t getting trampled, had some drinks, then danced for hours. The fire shows were a cut above those we’d seen previously, someone was doing a stunt at every bar (whether it be a professional or intoxicated tourist) and it was so easy to meet people and have a laugh. Whilst we did see some fights brewing, most people were there just to have a good time and enjoy the party.
Is it worth it? Yes, it’s completely worth seeing… once.
The Full Moon water-slide off the roof of one of the bars:
Our Full Moon survival guide:
– Wear trainers or shoes that completely cover your feet, the beach is more a bed of glass than sand
– Find a meeting point within 10 seconds of arriving, because within 20 seconds you’ll have lost each other
– Don’t drink anything you haven’t seen being made or opened
– Take your time, there’s no need to drink loads quickly, you want to last the duration of the night!
– Decide how much money you think you’ll need and want to take, then double it
– Keep your money inside your clothes, so many people were pickpocketed
– Have a tetanus jab before you go
– Don’t go in the sea, the tides here are pretty ferocious. It’s also the free communal toilet for the night…
– Don’t sleep under a coconut tree!
Importantly, embrace it; the Full Moon Party is an amazing thing to see and be a part of, even in all its obscene glory.
Now to catch up on some precious sleep…
Charlotte & Sarah x
Two One-Way Flights 