Go to Thailand and not make it to a Full Moon Party... no chance!

Having decided to skip most of Malaysia and head back to Thailand, Amy and I embarked on a mission to the famous Thai island of Koh Phangnan, to party like it was 1999.

First stop was a day on Koh Samui, which has nice beaches but a lot of dodgy Western men with young Thai 'girlfriends'. We quickly hot-footed it over to the neighbouring Phangnan (on a horribly late, very rough catamaran - I went totally white and was nearly sick as it was so choppy. Yuck).

Koh Phangnan is fabled for its hedonistic beach parties, the origins of which come from hippie culture where everyone gathered together to celebrate the Full Moon. Dance music stepped in, making Phangnan a key destination for clubbers - and something I'd wanted to experience for a very long time.

Our beach hut was in Haad Salad, a gorgeous part of the island with bright blue sea, white sandy beaches and a laid-back atmosphere. Stark contrast to the madness we were about to experience in Haad Rinn!

Amy and I headed over to the party beach early on to meet Joe and Peter for a tummy-lining nutritious dinner (um, pizza)... and we soon got the party started, covering each other head to toe in bright UV body paint. The Argentinian guys in the bungalow next door had to be coaxed into it, but soon got in the mood and as James arrived fresh from the UK we were all in high spirits. Could also have been something to do with the buckets I bartered down to 100 Baht each...

The Full Moon Party is made up of a row of bars along the beach, each with enormous soundsystems set up, stages to dance on and DJs playing party tunes to get everyone dancing. It was total carnage... firethrowers, psychedelic body art designs, climbing ropes and slides, and 30,000 revellers getting down on the white sand. We danced to the best music I've heard the whole time I've been away; deep house, techno (and of course the obligatory 'Barbara Streisand'!). We danced the night away and watched a gorgeous sunrise from the beach, surrounded by chaos, people jumping over skipping ropes on fire and lots of fancy dress. The perfect night out!

Oh, and the journey home wasn't without event either. I've often said that freaks and weirdos flock to me; on my ride home in the back of a pick-up truck I was accompanied by a man who looked like an exact double of Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler... deep tan, bulbous nose, big muscles and deep New Yorker accent. Oh, and a pair of enormous breasts encased in a bikini top. This could only happen to me. Then I saw a monkey riding a scooter. This is Asia after all...

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