Returning to the Scene of the Crime

As many of you know, Charlie and I met on July 4, 2001 on a minibus in Surathani, Thailand on our way to the Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Pha Ngan in Thailand. So when we decided to go back to Thailand (our first time since we met), we naturally thought we had to go to a Full Moon Party on Koh Pha Ngan. For old time's sake.

As I have noted in previous posts, Thailand has undergone massive development since Charlie and I were last here and Koh Pha Ngan is no exception. When we traveled in 2001, the road between the ferry port and Haad Rin, the site of the Full Moon Party, had just been built. The road weaved up and down perilous cliffs overlooking lush green and mostly virgin jungle. The little town of Haad Rin was nothing but a couple low buildings and dozens of coco and simple brick huts laid out on two or three unpaved roads and spilling out to the beach among basic, thatched roof "restaurants" serving the most delicious Thai food and very little in way of Western fare other than banana pancakes and hamburgers. I do not recall any ATMs at all and air conditioning was hard to find. I do recall renting a dire concrete block of a room, fan-only, for no more than $3 a night.

Oh, how the times have changed. The road between the ferry port and Haad Rin is almost completely developed the entire way, including 7-11s and ATMs. Haad Rin now has paved streets, countless multi-story buildings, designer boutiques, luxury resorts with swimming pools, more tattoo parlors than can possibly be economically viable, and crazy things like smoked salmon on the menus. The cheapest huts are $15-$20 a night fan only and cable TV is plentiful.

Haad Rin still knows how to throw a good party though. In fact, the parties have proved to be such good business, they now hold Full Moon, Half Moon and Black Moon parties and probably others I either missed or now forget. These pictures are from the night before the Full Moon Party. Yes, Charlie is drinking a Sang Som bucket and loving it.