Siam Diary: Part IV
May 16, 2004
Ko Samui
After three days of air-conditioned beach resort coddling in Phuket, we happily downgraded ourselves to a $15/night mosquito-net bungalow in Ko Samui.
Colonized by backpackers on the Kathmandu trail in the late 1970s, Ko Samui has long since outgrown its hippie-dippie heritage in favor of a more mainstream tourist economy. But the island still bears traces of it tie-dyed roots, with reggae bars and lodging establishments bearing names like "Poppies" and "Munchies," and an endless stream of Brit-kid ravers waltzing along the beach clutching cigarettes and cocktails.
While the beach itself hardly compares to the silky sands of Phuket, the surrounding scene feels more relaxed, and the locals more at ease with their shabby-chic tourist economy.
Our last night on the island happened to coincide with the full moon, so we took a night boat out to Koh Phangan for the notorious Full Moon Party, where Southeast Asia's rucksack nation congregates every month for an all-night hoedown.
Everyone says the Full Moon scene has long since peaked - due in no small part to a severe government crackdown on recreational drug use - but some 5000 bleary-eyed souls still seemed to be making the most of it, shuffling around in the sand to blaring house beats and tripadelic light shows painting the cliff walls.
We did our best to hang with the kids into the wee hours, but knowing we had to catch a 7:30am flight to Chiang Mai the next morning, we curtailed our revels around 2:30am, and left the young'uns to hoot it up til dawn.
>> more Ko Samui photos
next: Chiang Mai
File under: Travels
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