#letsthinkdifferent

Koh Phangan island is famous mainly for one thing: the Full Moon Party. Of course, you should see that one time in your life at least. When the time is coming, every people talk about that, like "hey, are you coming to the Full Moon Party" - "Yes, definitely"! The 23th February was already ticked on the agenda. I told you that I met some amazing people in Koh Samui, and I was happy to make this trip with one of my bro', "de la pura vida" (#CostaRicaTalk).

Actually, Koh Phangan is not only the Full Moon Party place and it is one of my favorite island until now. Human size, wild, lots of small and beautiful beachs and of course party. Just rent a motorbike, and the island is for you, go to discover some secret places (beachs, jungle or view points) and chill. Be carefull, the roads are like real montains sometimes!

As I explained, you really can feel the atmosphere warming up when the Full Moon is coming. Every shops are selling Full Moon Party stuffs, every people are talking about that, every bars are getting ready for this night, every hotels/guesthouses are getting full booked... Is it the soccer World Cup final?! Almost!

Finally, it is the D-Day! To be honest, I never seen something like this before, I mean, such an hot feeling for a party. Get ready, take your neon shirt, get painted and go to the main place: Haad Rin beach. We were a real squad to leave the hostel, starting the party in the taxi tuk-tuk, singing, laughing... It is going to be amazing! It was incredible to see all the tuk-tuks came to the same place, you feel like in Paris at 6pm on the road. You arrived with your team, but actually it is not for a long time. There is so many people that you loose everybody to at the end, get lost by yourself. Does not matter, because you just meet people, new or not, it is just a good experience and everybody is in a good mood, open and happy. One important point, you have to be able to handle your night, otherwise it could be dangerous, I saw so many people got crazy, in a wrong way. The gift of the night, the sunrise in the morning, if you are still there... The word of the end, it was awesome!

Accomodation: I stayed 5 nights at the Backpacker Club, in Baan Tai beach. The place is really, really nice, with a good bar, music all day and Dj for the night, swimming pool just in front of the sea, good food and not too much expensive. Top staff, friendly, helpful, chill and the french owner is really nice. The “negative” point is regarding the accomodation, just acceptable I think, it is ok. The dorms are kind of ok and there is not enough batheroom yet (only one for 3 dorms of 8 beds...) otherwise you have to go outside close to the bar to take your shower etc. Anyway, I had really great time there and it is not really expensive especially during the Full Moon time. Rate: 3,5/5.

Places: we almost made the tour of the island with the motorbike. One of the favorite beach was Secret Beach, a small place of paradise. Go to the waterfall was really nice, walking in the jungle, but in the dry season there is not a lot of water, so it is less impressive. Baan Tai beach is a chill place and a good alternative to stay if you do not have the budget to be really close of the Full Moon place. Haad Rin of course is the main beach where everybody come to meet everybody and party. You will find many restaurants and many bars.

#4 KOH PHANGAN - IamTravellingByMyself

Music: Alpha Wann - Barcelone (Instrumental)

After this chilling time in Koh Lanta, I did not really know what to do and where to go. I was thinking about a kind of plan, like to go more in the north to be able to go back in Bangkok and then probably leave to Cambodia (it was not fast like this in my mind at this time but...). So I am on my way to Koh Samui, one of the biggest island, in the other side from Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi (east side, Golf of Thailand).

This experience in Koh Lanta made me more comfortable with dorm room, meet people etc, that is why I definitely wanted the same thing again. The experience is really on now! I did not know what was going to happens... :). Because actually, do not ask me nothing about the island, the culture or something, I saw nothing more than my hostel, the beach and the places to go out. 

I arrived in Koh Samui no like red crayfish anymore, but like a snake... I was peeling so hard because of my sunburn, so ashamed! As usual, t-shirt on the beach and looking for the shadow, that was my motto. It was a real change for me to be there, especially because I came from Koh Lanta. Koh Samui is such a touristic place, lots of people and busy, mainly the area of Chaweng, where I stayed for 3 nights. The hostel was directly in the middle of this district, a few meters from the beach and many restaurants. But it was not really the location who made this hostel amazing, it was definitely people there! A great welcoming by the receptionist, and one of the first thing that he said to me, before to check in or everything, was "hey, we go out tonight there is a party, you join"? Nice! Same story by arriving in my room, a dorm with something like 10 or 12 beds, people just introduce themself like naturally, really open and friendly... I hope all these people could recognize themself in these words ;)!

It was going to be a good time here, and it was! Talked with people, share your own experiences just help you to understand more and more things and have lot of fun as well :). The plan for these 4 days was to eat, chilling on the beach (talking, playing football or whatever...), party and sleep. Not so bad!

Accomodation: Hello Backpacker hostel, very clean and with all what you need for an hostel. The atmosphere is awesome, easy to meet all the travelers there and have fun together. Good location in Chaweng. I recommend it, definitely! Rate: 4/5

Places: Chaweng beach is a real nice beach, but really busy and one of the most annoying thing is the planes arriving and leaving Koh Samui, just on the top of your head... That is a pitty to be so noisy for such a beautiful beach. Chaweng is an amazing place to party. The Ark Bar is the most famous, directly on the beach. Then you have lots of bars and clubs more in the downtown, just few minutes to walk (the Green Mango for example). You really can not be bored if you do not want to sleep. If you do not want to sleep, it is may be not a place to stay for you in Koh Samui.

I told you, this week in Koh Phi Phi island left some scars, and it is like a real red crayfish that I am coming to Koh Lanta. Absolutely not the right way to come here and enjoy the chill time on the beach... Anyway. The sun is so strong that I am like a vampire who is trying to hide himself from the UV rays with now my legendary blue towel...

So actually I did not do a lot of things in Koh Lanta, that is a pitty because it is such a beautiful island apparently, and the few things that I saw confirm that. That time means a kind of change in my travel, a time to be more open and definitelly put on this experience. If you follow the story, until now I always had a single room, that is nice but not really for the money first, then if you are travelling by yourself it is not really easy to meet people and change your way to think. That is what I got exactly, I mean by this way, and thanks to them. Euuh, not for all, I am not thanksfull for the yoga lesson (9am!), yes I did it for the first time. I felt die after this 1h30 of nightmare, I am sorry for my poor body. Such an experience!

I stayed 3 nights on this island, in the charming Leaf House hostel, in a dorm room litterally in a tree house (with some kind of issues, Katie we think about you). Located directly on the "Long Beach" beach, such a beautifull place where chilling is the best thing that you can do. White sand, clear water (only when the sun was gone for me...), restaurants/bars and an amazing point of view for the sunset. That was the plan for these 3 days... It is not so bad sometime to do nothing :).

Accomodation: Hostel Leaf House, dorm room with 5 singles beds in a tree house, just on the top on the bar. Totally cute but you can imagine with some issues: not really comfortable, not closed like almost sleeping "under the stars" and mosquitos... Excellent location, just few meters of the beach and nice staff. You can easily stay lying down downstair for couple of hours.

Places: Long Beach, Long Beach and... Long Beach. If you are looking for party, it is not really the right place and the change is kind of brutal if you are coming from Koh Phi Phi for example. But it feels good. Many restaurants all the long of the beach where you can enjoy the sunset.

#3 KOH LANTA - IamTravellingByMyself

Music: PNL - J’suis PNL (Instrumental)

After 12h by night bus from Bangkok to Krabi and approximately 1h30 by boat (yes, budget talk!), I am finally arrived in Koh Phi Phi, considared by most of people like a paradise! This Island is really in the south of Thailand on the left side, in the Andaman sea. Then it is easier to continue in other islands by the north to go back in Bangkok at the end (it was kind of my plan, even if nothing was really planned).

I tell you, one week in Phi Phi is really too much, but wait, it depends about what you are doing and about what happenned to you. In my case, it was not too long... So, first: keep your sweatshirt in the bus, otherwise you will get ill (checked!). Second: when you go for a long day snorkelling trip, do not under estimated the sun, and put your sun cream frequently, otherwise you will get a sunburn like never before (checked!). These kind of things could really be annoying during your stay, trust me.

Anyway, arriving in Phi Phi means like really the begining of this trip, even if of course you are still overthinking, for many reasons. You need to be open for people, talk and start to learn from each person that you meet, each thing that you see.

Walking in the village of Tonsai where you can find many shops, many restaurants, go to the view point by crossing the jungle and discover an amazing view of the island, chilling on the beach, one day on a boat for a snorkelling trip arround all the famous places like Maya Bay, Bamboo Island... You can not get bored in Koh Phi Phi! I did not talk about the night life? Do not worry, if there is a place to make party, it is in Phi Phi. So many bars in Tonsai, and continue your night out at the beach. The island is also victim of her success, and you will not be alone... It is really really touristic, and you can feel it during your day trip for example, where all boats come from everywhere to the same places. But it is Koh Phi Phi, and of course you are in the postal card :-).

Accomodation: I stayed in the Phuttachot Resort in Tonsai village, for one week in a double room of 35sqm with a small terrasse... Like this it sounds really nice. Actually it was too expensive for what it was, I mean it was not really clean (smelly bathroom, noisy air con and you hear everything outside), staff does not speak english and just enough friendly. But you have enough and all what you need at least, so it was kind of acceptable. Rate: 2.5/5

Places: as I said, there is plenty of restaurants, I liked the Reggae Bar where you can watch some Thai Boxing shows during the night (of vonluntary people between them, that is really funny, and Thai Boxers). The Pirate's Houses is also nice and the staff is really friendly, Pappaya restaurant for real good Thai food, The Rock Backpacker... I can not mark everything! To go out, just go to the beach! Also, for all your activities, there is lots of agencies everywhere, so you just have to compare the prices, and enjoy. All have pretty the same plans actually.