Island Hopping - Koh Phan-Ngan New Year Adventures

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Just as I remembered it Koh Phanghan was nothing far off from your standard lads on tour holiday to the likes of Kavos, Malia and the rest. Top knot, steroid pumped tossers roaming the streets as if they own the place, still drunk from the night before bombing around on mopeds. Albeit our hostel itself was pretty quaint. "@ Beach Bed and Bar" in Baad Tai, about a 7min taxi from the pier, 10 from the main Haad Rin drag. Filled with mainly chilled backpackers and situated right on the beach front, only shared with a few other hostels and resorts along the beach. Very chilled vibe and happily spent days and evenings chilling on the beach. Plenty of luscious food places close by on the Main Street. Those quiet Thai places are the gems to find, selections of delicious pad Thai, currys, spicy meat, soupy noodly broths (minced pork soup is a must), such an array of flavours for 100-150BHT, that's £2-3! The area isn't short of some western beauties as well, slightly more pricey (in comparison anyway) but well worth it if your dying for some home comforts. The Food Factory does a killer burger for 200-250BHT, a little further down the street is "Outlaws Saloon" with a selection of burgers and grills, most importantly though the mouth watering full rack of ribs, only 295BHT so £6! And you definitely got enough meat for your money. I'm nursing a food coma post-ribs as we speak, it was beautiful. The main event in Koh Phangan is obviously the infamous Full Moon Party, that's where I celebrated my New Years (well actually in a street desperately running to get to the beach for the countdown and fireworks, second year at NYE Full Moon, second year to miss the countdown). The drinks (buckets) were overpriced and the beach was street to sea rammed with people. Maybe it was the amphetamine laced red bull (M150... Be carful of that cheeky bugger) or the questionable mushroom shake, but I had a brilliant night. There is a whole range of different music along the beach, fire skipping, glow paint everywhere, it was mental busy but everyone you bumped into was in a great mood. Be prepared to loose EVERYONE though, slowly one by one your 20 person group with drop to 10, 5, 2. Good job I had myself tied to some crazy American guy from our hostel, who had it just enough together to keep me alive. There are plenty of other raves and parties on the island, like the Waterfall Party and Jungle Party, one was enough for me though this year! Our last day on the island we decided it was about time we did a bit of exploring. We rented a couple of mopeds and set off into the more mountainous areas of the island. Along winding, steep roads we saw some beautiful views and even some monkeys in the trees hiding from the mayhem below them. Also came across some not so beautiful views, all the left overs from those raves and our ridiculous levels of consumption piled in a huge mass. This huge disgusting waste pit piled next to the beautiful lush jungle really makes you think about how this increasing level of tourism is damaging and tainting such a beautiful country.

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