Party time on the beach in Thailand

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DANNY GOCS

FOR the past 20 years, Thailand’s picture-postcard island of Koh Phangan has attracted tourists from around the world keen to enjoy the destination’s party atmosphere, especially around the full moon.

The resort’s population of about 12,000 swells to more than 30,000 during the high season’s full-moon parties.

The event last month coincided with New Year’s Eve and among the revellers were hundreds of Jewish holiday-makers. For most Australians, the party was a highlight of their three to four-week week holiday.

Among the partygoers was a group of 19-year-old students from Melbourne who were touring around Thailand for 24 days — Adam Trytell, Ashley Kalb, Brad Caplan, David Glass, Gavin Katz, Jason Samuel, Jesse Strauch, Joel Gocs, Josh Lerner, Noah Green, Ryan Lewy and David Wloszczowski.

They also visited Bangkok, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Phi Phi Island, but the full-moon party was the main reason they travelled to Thailand during the holiday period.

“It was a great atmosphere on the beach on the nights leading up to New Year’s Eve,” said Trytell, who is studying second-year physiotherapy at Melbourne University this year, and organised the trip for the group of close friends.

“As you walked along the beach, there were DJs playing music, crowded bars and performers doing fire routines.

“On one section of the beach, all the Jewish kids gathered — there were hundreds of people from Melbourne, Sydney and other states, as well as those who had just completed six to 12 months on Israel programs. It seemed as if you knew almost everyone.”

The full-moon parties are popular with Israeli backpackers, many of whom spend months in Thailand after completing their army service.

“On New Year’s Eve, the crowd was so large that it was hard to move along the beach. It was like a footy crowd. But the next night most people left the island and Koh Phangan was quiet again,” said Trytell.

Koh Phangan is the fifth largest island in Thailand; most tourists arrive by ferry from Phuket and stay in the township of Hat Rin, which is dubbed “party central”.

Due to the popularity of the full- moon parties, accommodation is in strong demand and needs to be booked months in advance, especially during the high season (December-January).

There are many good quality hotels and resorts, and operators often require a booking of five to seven days around the full-moon party.

While Koh Phangan’s beaches are beautiful, Trytell said the group preferred the idyllic setting of Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea, where the stunning beaches between craggy cliffs¬† and a laid-back lifestyle provide the perfect setting for a relaxing holiday.