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Koh Phangan Minus the Full Moon

April 7, 2015, In: Asia, Thai Islands, Thailand, Travel

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

I know what some of you are thinking… why even bother? Koh Phangan is almost synonymous with “Full Moon Parties”. In fact, no matter where you are in Southeast Asia, you will come across someone who starts talking about spending too much money on a flight to Koh Phangan about a week before the full moon. While I was in Laos I met two guys who were trying to make it down there. In Vietnam it was the same, we met a whole group who was flying to Phuket to pick up a Full Moon Party Package they’d booked the week before. Every month you meet people who are willing to skip all the temples and treasures of Southeast Asia to make it to this particular Thai island just in time for the full moon.

It seems to me, there are two schools of thought on Koh Phangan. There are the party people who regard it as the crown jewel of the Thai islands, and there are those who will skip the island completely because of the instagram hashtags they find morally reprehensible. I fall squarely in the middle. It’s not that I don’t like the idea of being cool enough to handle a full moon party…  glow sticks and body paint really do sound like fun to me! It’s just that I am old and somewhat boring and I can’t think of those two features without thinking of the house music and hangovers that accompany them. Not worth it.

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

Apparently I am not alone in my feelings. Back when I was timing my trip it was difficult to miss a moon party. Besides the full moon parties the island promoted quarter moon, half moon and black moon parties… and let me tell you: it is tricky to time a trip for a non-memorable moon! The two-thirds moon or seven-eighths moon are never marked on the calendar.

However, it looks like Koh Phangan has finally found a decent balance. The island will continue to host Full Moon Parties, which put the island on the map for many backpackers and tourists, but as of April 2015, the island is banning all other parties, including the quarter moon, half moon, black moon and jungle parties according to the Bangkok Post.

It seems that there are a lot of varying opinions about what this will mean for the island. With that said, I thought I might as well give you mine!

Koh Phangan | Walking Through WonderlandObviously the goal is to make the island more attractive to non-party goers for the majority of the month, but it’s my opinion that it could also improve the full moon parties themselves. No longer will you be able to squeeze in a Koh Phangan Half Moon Party if the full moon doesn’t jive with your travel schedule. So party-goers, relax. The island is still there and you still have every reason to paint yourselves in glow-in-the-dark paint and drink out of buckets. Now you all just get to do it at the same time under the same full moon!

For those (like me) who think this ban is a win-win for everyone, here are a few suggestions of things to do in Koh Phangan when there’s no full moon to party under.

Haad Rin (or Haat Rin) is the party beach, but when there is no full moon, I actually find this white sand beach to be incredibly relaxing. It’s also the perfect spot to eat pad thai sitting in the sand, grab a taxi boat to Bottle Beach, and stock up on all of the elephant pants and neon-colored tourist tank tops you will need for the remainder of your trip.

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland  Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

Catch a sunset and have a cocktail at Mae Haad Beach. This little beach is overlooked… which actually might be why I loved it so much. The water is crystal clear, the sand is squeaky soft, and there is almost no one there.  Koh Phangan | Walking Through WonderlandKoh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland
Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland   Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland    Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

GO TO Bottle Beach. This might be one of my favorite beaches in all of Thailand. You can play volleyball, get a thai massage, have a drink, Oh… and there are swings. Enough said?

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland
Secret Beach is another beach that everyone recommends, but we were given directions to two different beaches when we asked about it. I’m going to go ahead and say this one is Secret Beach… (the one with the wooden sign nailed to the tree that reads: Secret Beach), but I can’t be sure. One thing I know is that posting a sign isn’t a great way to keep it a secret.Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland
Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

If you make it to the Haad Son resort, follow their signs to the “beach” too. I loved this little temple we discovered. At this point, some of you have discovered a theme here… basically, you can’t go wrong with the beaches in Koh Phangan. Catching on?

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland Koh Phangan-34 Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

I would suggest a motorbike to get the most out of the island. Like anywhere in Southeast Asia it’s always an adventure, but at least in Koh Phangan it’s just about impossible to run out of gas.  There are honor system “gas stations” every quarter mile. (I exaggerate, but only a little.)

Southeast Asia Gas Station

Take a yoga class (or several). I didn’t… But if I ever make it back… I will. And I imagine this is what your view would look like while lying in savasana.

Koh Phangan | Walking Through Wonderland

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  1. Pingback: Thai Island Hopping: Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta | WTW

  2. Reply

    oh please make this a regular feature….I just adore reading about peoples travels/seeing their photos! This place looks soon beautiful! I went to Bangkok when I was 13 and Thailand is definitely on my list before we leave here, but where to go in Thailand is the question!

    • suzanne
    • April 7, 2015

    wow! looks so pretty over there! Thailand is on my travel list for sure!!! Did you go snorkeling?

    • Reply

      We did… Koh Phangan is phenomenal… but if you are really interested in snorkeling/diving Koh Tao is some of the best in the world.

  3. Reply

    One day, I’ll make it to Thailand. It’s pretty much the only place in SEA that I wanted to go and didn’t make it! We’ll be back….

    • Reply

      I have no doubt you will! And I will definitely be picking your brain when it comes to Mainland… I’m obsessed with your photos!

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How to Organize for The California House Assessment

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Ward Security celebrates Investors in People Gold

Ward Security is very proud to have won this award for the following services Property Inspections and Audits, CCTV and WIDS, Security Guarding, Alarm Response and Patrol Services, General Purpose Patrol and Narcotics and Explosives Search Dogs, Concierge and Reception and 24 Hour Control Help Desk Solutions

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Ward Security first achieved the Investor in People Standard in July 2003 and has successfully retained the Award at all subsequent reviews. The 2012 assessment is the first time the company has aimed for achieving a “beyond the standard” award and was thrilled to achieve the top award.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Last Medieval Footies

Don't think I mentioned yet that this whole army is built from the fine medieval range of Heroics and Ros.  Today's offering is the poorly armed rabble called up from every mudhole village, handed a sharp stick, and pointed at the enemy.  What these levies lack in courage and training and armor and so on almost forever, they make up for in numbers and being too dumb to know when to run away.

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tagged : cloudfall

This last week was packed with great little games. That was likely caused by Game Jolt's Glitch Jam and the Nar8 Jam both coming to an end.

It's probably worth going back through this week to see what you may have missed, because I have certainly missed some that should be to your taste in this week's Pocket Dimension.

Unsurprisingly, given my fascination with exploration games, many of those I have picked out are about scrutinizing and testing strange spaces. The "Insides Out" title refers to how many of them involve a surface bursting out of its framing (literally in one game), or in some cases, a substance (like tears or rain) coming out of an object.

It's tentative at best, sure, but who doesn't enjoy trying to bunch things together under an umbrella term; it's human nature, apparently.

"Cloudfall is a relaxing exploration adventure game with puzzles. Fly around and explore the ruins of Cloudfall. Experiment with different interactions in the world, solve the puzzles and discover your purpose as well as several different forms you can take. In Cloudfall you are safe, nothing can harm you." - Author's description

Play here (Browser)

Download here (Windows)


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Sunday, April 17, 2011

So you want to focalize a kitchen?

In my humble opinion, the gathering needs more kitchens like it needs more dogs, but for some  reason, everyone wants to focalize a kitchen. Seems to me that being part of the kitchen provides an amazing growing, learning experience on working collectively and provide safe and healthy food in the woods.

The reality of focalizing a kitchen goes something like this.

Unless you're serving main circle (dinner circle), Main Supply won't provide food for cooking. This means you provide the free food in the woods. While some kitchens have a donation can on the counter for after people have been fed, in reality most of the cost of food is born by those running the kitchen. You'll need to provide pots and pans for cooking, 5-gallon water buckets for dish washing, filtered drinking water for you and your crew and hopefully for all gatherers. You'll need to chop wood, haul water and wash dishes in addition to cooking. You'll need to make sure you provide sanitary cooking and serving facilities, keep sick people out of your kitchen, deal with late night movies and work your ass off.

If you've never plugged in with a kitchen at a gathering before, you might think about joining your energy with a well established kitchen to get a sense of how hard cooking in the woods can be before you strike off on your own.

If you're ambitious enough to serve main circle, make sure to be at kitchen council so your kitchen gets some of the supplies (often around 11 AM near Info). But keep in mind that even those kitchens serving main circle only get a portion of the food they serve from main supply.

Sure late night zuzu cooking is fun, but it also is hard to work around all the tripping hippies -- especially those who need baby sitting at 2 AM.

You'll also need to have some serious shitter movies going down. Not only for your crew but for anyone who is attracted to your camp. This can mean digging a new shitter every day from July 1 to 3 when the gathering population swells.

When the gathering is over, you get to disappear your kitchen so no one knows it was ever there. You get to haul your trash out, bury your compost and fill in your shitters.

What do you get for focalizing a kitchen?

More personal growth than you ever imagined possible in a couple of weeks. More stress than you can imagine and more people smoking you out that you could ever wish for if you're kitchen is dank. You get to move your kitchen three times because the US Forest Service keeps changing the rule on how close to surface water the kitchen can be - play it safe and go 500 feet if you want to avoid the move your kitchen game.

You get people bugging you at all hours of the day and night because they're hungry or thirsty. You get random dogs digging through your supply tent and eating the food you just hiked three miles on your back. If you leave your kitchen unsupervised by trusted kitchen crew, you come back to a kitchen missing pots or oranges or a tarp.

The wonderful tarps you strung over your kitchen collapse from rain in the middle of the evening meal. And above all, you get to have a complete temper tantrum when your nerves snap because no one wants to help wash dishes or dig the next shitter.  Of course, you can plug into an existing kitchen and learn from experienced family how a great kitchen works. (Try the Ovens, Kiddie Village, Musical Veggies, Granola Funk, Instant Soup, Tea Time, Warriors of the Light and BARF to name but a few of the great kitchens. Ask at Info when you get to the gathering).  Most kitchens welcome new people who are willing to work.

It's a wonderful magical crazy ride and worth every second if you last. But please, please, please read the Kitchen Mini Manual so you don't get your family sick due to lack of proper hygiene.

If you've every plugged into a kitchen, please share your words of wisdom.

  1. sssssoooooo true !!!!! HFM kitchen loves you!!!!

  2. *´¨`*•.¸this is great sister! thanks, We Love You!
    we are a new kitchen from Southeast Minnesota: Coulee Kitchen ¸.•*´¨`* ♥ just hot tea and raw veggie specials this year!! thks for the Kitchen Mini Manual link

  3. ...or have more fun and just bring a blanket and a bowl and leave everything else including you delusions of status behind in babylon.

  4. Right on spot... so many kitchen need haulers and diggers so support bros and sistas support... the experience is worth the effort. I think contribution with all of the above is essential give a little food, time, effort, and money... if you don't contribute you don't deserve to receive. Don't be a drainbo! Stay home your just in the way!

  5. mama T of sereniteaApril 20, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Karin YOU Rock !!! This is so REAL....It is so much work to have a kitchen...My Gratitude is huge to the Runners and Organizers of my main food kitchen Musical Veggie, and all other wonderful kitchens I've had the blessing to get to know...Lovin' U

  6. In 1988,I was introduced to the rainbow family of living light and attended my first national gathering. I did not know how to give. Seriously, I just was not brought up in a culture that gave to others who were not blood family. In 2011, I am so glad of the whole rainbow journey and my growth. You should never give till it hurts, and only you can tell yourself how much and when and how to give. I must just comment that this year, I have ideas about what and how I will give. I am bringing my needle and thread to help darning the clothing of folks who need it. I am bringing my rubber gloves and my chore boy scrubbie because I love water and I like to do dishes. I am bringing information about begginning sustaining a barter society, and our free barter fair this year. I am bringing my flute and my voice and my love of music. And I am bringing my need to be loved. Hurrah for the good balances between needs and desires, between giving and getting. !! love, Emerald Otter

  7. loving all of the input. I am blessed with being part of the Magic Bowl Kitchen. The amount of energy that is required is immense. I am always impressed with how it all gets done. This year will be my 15th National with a kitchen so Karma must like the results.

  8. Good to see you posting news again this year, Karin! Your posts were a great help when I went to the 2010 gathering in Allegheny. We bought a lot of produce from the Amish on our way to the Gathering to donate to the Musical Veggie kitchen, as well as the rice, coffee, spices, and other goodies we already packed. The MV kitchen is pretty selective about who helps prepare meals, so we gathered wood, did cleanups, and helped digging a shitter. It's always a wonderful time when everyone contributes something in their own way! Sorry I can't make it to WA this year.

  10. FOOD lookin for the kitchenJune 20, 2014 at 5:44 PM

    hey guys,check this out! My name is Cindy Im a first timer and as local as one can get.I have a huge supply of FOOD ! Pounds of pastas, beans, rice, oatmeal,dry milk, cereal Can foods, cream soups,beans, vegis, &fruit. Processed American, cheese breads and possibly fresh vegis and fruit.) Im talking bout a butt load! BUT! Theres always a but! I don't drive???? Im looking forward to my first gathering!! As I'm a cancer I can't help but to be prepared.I believe I can provide enough food to be worthwhile for a truck to help get the food and I from here to there.Please let me know if theres anyone able and or willing to get this together? Im right downtown,easy to find. to contact me please e-mail me @ muffinutter@ or leave me a message with my sweet friend Lisa # 520-661-3955 and I'll call you back immedatly.


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Friday, September 18, 2009

First Day of School!

The kids started school this week. Well, last week for Emma and Aiden but Izzy, this week. Izzy has been so anxious to start and said, "I can't stop smiling!" on the morning if her first day. She was so glad when she finally got her first homework today because she has been so excited to have homework. Emma has made her homework pages for a long time and today she had to draw or find a picture of an alligator. Boy, there's nothing like real homework!

Emma has her first boy teacher and is now in 4th grade. She is one of the older kids out in a portable classroom now! Aiden likes his new teacher and they have a pet fish named Oscar. It's interesting when their classes get all mixed up from year to year and after being in the same class with friends for two years they're in different classes this year. They don't seem to care too much but I'm probably more attached than they are! :)

We haven't figured out our routine all the way yet but I think we will not be allowing friends to come home after school during the week. There's just not enough time in the day! We also won't be having the tv on during the week. We'll see how that goes. We did just get a new tv from some friends that makes it that much more enticing to watch! It's 50in! Yeah for us!

Will post more things later!