Both of us · Koh Phangan, Thailand · 27 September–6 October 2025
Emily’s Take
Koh Phangan is famous for the Full Moon Party, a beach rave that runs for about twenty four hours. That was not why we came.
Wild drinking marathons are not really our thing. We went looking for the quieter part of the island instead.
We stayed in a tiny house in the jungle. Our balcony became the place where we read, drew, did puzzles, and watched whatever came out of the trees. Bryson spent the week bragging about a monkey he saw.
I bought a Rubik’s Cube and taught myself to solve it from memory. I also started drawing beach scenes, though the drawings still had plenty of room to improve. Bryson started whittling and made a wooden spork. He remains very proud of it.
We rented a scooter from the lovely Bie Bie at Bie Bie Motorbike and Car for Rent. Sponsor us, Bie Bie. We rode through the jungle and stopped at beaches including Thong Nai Pan and Chaloklum. At Chaloklum we ate, then swam without meeting any jellyfish.
Hat stores and bandana shops aside, having a tiny head is not usually a problem. Finding a scooter helmet was different. Even the one meant for eight year olds was too big. We eventually found a helmet advertised as a first helmet for five year olds. It says B Baby in large letters on the back.
Ban Tai became our base for the two weeks. We ate at Harbour House almost every day because the meals were under 100 baht, about $3, and the people were kind to us. We also made too many trips to 7 Eleven and Big C. The same song played on a loop inside Big C: “Big C, Big C, Big Big C.” We still cannot get it out of our heads. The staff had to hear it all day.
Our house was near Wat Pho, so the temple chanting often woke us in the morning. One day we walked over and found a festival happening. We had not planned for it. We just got lucky.
We also took the GoPro out. The evidence is below.
Bryson’s Take
Koh Phangan was much quieter than its reputation. Nearly every shopkeeper asked whether we were going to the Full Moon Party. I said yes each time, mostly to avoid explaining that my idea of excitement involves cooking dinner and reading a book.
We stayed beside a 400 year old tree so enormous that it made everything else look temporary. The monks at the nearby temple chanted each morning, and I listened from my hammock while doing very little.
We explored the island by scooter, which is thrilling until you remember how traffic works. We saw beaches, mountain roads, and one monkey sprinting across the trail like it was late for an appointment.
In the evenings, I became the mosquito hunter before bed. It turned into a sport. I also whittled a spork from a piece of wood, which I am still unreasonably proud of.
We cooked simple meals, read on the porch, and listened as birds gave way to frogs each night. By the end, cooking dinner and reading outside felt like a full day. We were happy with that.
Open the camera roll (13 photographs)
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