Party in the New Year, Thai Style!

It’s that time of year again. In the weeks leading up to Christmas you’re inevitably faced with the ‘So what are you doing for New Year’s?’ question. You know it has to be awesome. You can’t spend it at home sipping on a glass of red, kicking off 2013 in a party hat and the TV broadcast of the fireworks. No, you need a plan and fast! Our Australian cities offer a pretty good time for any party seeker but if you really want to bring in the New Year with a bang – head to Thailand!
Given our close proximity, you can nab a flight to Thailand with any budget airline flying out of your nearest capital city for next to nothing and you might even get lucky at this late stage with a great lastminute deal. The accommodation on offer can suit any budget, whether you’re holidaying backpacker style or you’re eager to travel in luxury – Thailand has it all!

There are a few places to see in the New Year in Thailand but the crème de la crème is Koh Phangan Island. Now, I’ve partied in Greece, Ibiza, London, Australia, Bali… you name it, but my favourite night out will always be New Year’s Eve on Koh Phangan beach. This place is like all the best nightclubs, and parties you’ve ever had times ten! If you want to live every lastminute, Thailand is the place to be!
Full Moon Party

The Full Moon parties on Haad Rin beach are legendary and tourists from all around the world come here every month to party and have a great time. But New Year’s Eve puts on one hell of a show that you would be mad to miss.
For drinks, you can approach any of the hundreds of stalls lining the beach and order a bucket which is about $10AUD. Watch the vendors pour in a litre of vodka and kiss your dignity goodbye as you sink down shots.
You can also order bottled pre–mix drinks and beer should you need to pace yourself (probably a wise idea…). There are bars all along the beach you can slip into for a quieter atmosphere but the real party is on the beach.

As the sun goes down the beach comes to life with fire twirlers, mastering a flaming Thai jump rope. Tourists try their hand at getting scorched. To avoid a trip to the medical centre we recommend avoiding this one.

From one end to another Koh Phangan is packed with people: some estimate over 200,000 flock to the island for the biggest night of the year. You have foam parties to get soaked in, stages in the sand to dance until your feet get sore, light shows to make a rock concert proud and an atmosphere of anything goes!

Tips and tricks

Not to be a Debbie Downer but there are a few tips if you are going to be travelling to Koh Phangan for New Year’s Eve.
Do – Wear shoes. There is a lot of broken bottles and loose items on the beach that could give you a nasty cut. As there is no hospital on the island you could be dealing with a serious injury on your lonesome until morning.
Don’t – Play connect four with the girl offering you a bet. You will never win. She. Is. Insanely. Good.
Do – Leave your key at front desk or in a safe place for when you return later. You don’t want to be sleeping on the door step while you wait for your room mates to get back.
Do – Exercise caution when buying a late night ‘imdrunkandimhungry’ snack from the street or alcohol might not be the only thing making you ill the next morning.
Don’t – Be fooled by the lady boys!
Getting there

There are a couple of different ways to get to Koh Phangan but all of them will ultimately end up with a short boat ride to the island from Koh Samui.
If you are in Bangkok you can get a flight to Koh Samui airport and then go to any tourist counter in the street (believe me there are plenty of them) and book your boat transfers for around $10AUD.
If you are in Phuket you can either get a flight into Koh Samui or you can go the long way (just a casual 12 hours – eeek) and go by bus.
This is what we did and boy oh boy was it a treat (not).

We organised with a street vendor to be picked up by a shuttle bus then transferred to a larger bus, then transported to Surat Thani where you will wait for another bus then drive a few hours to the harbour for another bus, then you will board something resembling the ‘boat of terror’ which will take you to Koh Samui and then onwards to Koh Phangan. If you decide to do it this way beware – it is not an enjoyable experience but it is the cheapest way to reach your destination.

Alternatively, you can hire a car from Phuket and get the larger boat which accommodates vehicles and go all the way in your own air-conditioned car for about $150AUD.
Where to stay

You will need to book your accommodation in advance for New Year’s Eve (so get booking now) and take care with your choice of location, as the island is much bigger than you think. If you find yourself far away from the action in Haad Rin don’t fret, you can always catch a tuk-tuk for around 200THB (10AUD) .