homeless bliss 24/7

photo credit:
papaija2008

Koh Phangan is a Thai island known chiefly for its grandiose drug-fueled parties, which continue well into the next day, and sometimes even into the next night. An afterparty of an afterparty is not unheard of.

Before the detailed guide on scoring, I need to say that common sense caution should be exercised when purchasing and indulging in drugs. Two of my acquaintances have been busted for smoking joints and had to pay quite a healthy fine/bribe, whatever you wish to call that. The fines range from a standard 40000 baht (about $1200 USD) to twice that amount in case more cops are involved or you have been arrested and brought to the police station. So, caveat emptor. Don’t consume drugs openly and don’t transport them on roads where you’re likely to be stopped and searched, e.g. the road to Haad Rin on the full moon party night. Anyway, purchasing and open drug consumption at the FMP is not recommended, there are plain clothes policemen and lots of dodgy Thai dealers.

The safest places are those secluded east coast beaches not reachable by road, only by boat. More on that later.

So, let’s start with weed. Weed is widely available on Koh Phangan from just every bar decorated with Bob Marley posters and playing reggae music. Sometimes the owner will sport healthy rastas. A lot of times, especially late into the night, the owner will smoke weed and will treat you to it. The guidebooks warn against weed sellers snitching on you to the police for additional profit, however I haven’t heard about such cases. Surely, those bar owners pay a cut to the police for some protection.

The standard price for a bag of weed is 500 baht. It usually comes compressed and it’s quite good.

You can also buy a prerolled joint for 200-250 baht in the “mellow mountain” bars at the end of the sunrise(full moon party) beach in Haad Rin, just not on the full moon party night when the police presence is stronger. It’s also safe to smoke there. Another place for buying a prerolled one is Amsterdam bar, about 2-3 kilometres north of Thong Sala on the coast road to Haad Yao. The joints are fat and do the job.

Mushrooms. This is the main illicit plant attraction of the island. Out of respect, I will not use the D word for them. Mushroom shakes are openly advertised in those mellow mountain bars in Haad Rin. The price of the “happy shake” is 500 baht, and it’s a good dose. I wouldn’t recommend to take it during a party, as the trip can get quite personal and introspective. Of course it won’t hurt to smoke some weed at the onset of trip, as the weed relaxed you and enhances the journey.

Cheaper places for buying mushrooms are Paradise Waterfall, a restaurant and a party venue a bit south of Chaloklum on the road to Thong Sala. The owner is an Indian looking guy and for that he earned the “mushroom baba” nickname. He can prepare a mushroom omelett or a pizza, not just the shake, and he will sell raw shroomies as well.  He charges 300 baht.

At the Golden Rock resort, a very cheap bungalows place in the “yoga” neighborhood in Sri Thanu village (a bit south of Haad Yao), you can get shroomies even cheaper, 200 baht for a small omelett. The owners there refuse to sell raw mushrooms out of fear that you will be stopped by the police with them.

MDMA, LSD and ya baa (meth) are widely available at parties of the Half moon, Black moon and Jungle experience variety. I’ve seen a stall that openly sold MDMA (800 baht) and space cookies (200 baht) at the Jungle experience. Otherwise, just ask around. An LSD tab costs 300 baht.

A honourable mention goes to the Haad Yuan/Haad Tien area, a couple of adjacent beaches reachable by a short 200 baht longboat ride from Haad Rin, Those beaches are like a bubble, in the sense that the law doesn’t seem to be enforced there. The bars, Eden which is located on the rock between the beaches, and Guy’s bar just behind the new age paradise called “The Sanctuary”, sell just about everything openly.

Weed which they call barbecue, “lucy”(LSD which comes as a drop in a small bottle of an energy drink, 600 baht), “mom and dad”(MDMA, 800 baht), bhang lassi and probably ketamine, although I didn’t ask. Funnily when I asked for a bhang lassi, they ran out of yoghurt but it didn’t deter the bartender. She just prepared a bhang ice coffee. Guy’s bar has a big part on friday night, and Eden holds the weekly party on tuesdays. Those parties are much smaller than the big Haad Rin/Baan Tai parties, but also quite nicer.

A short notice on sacred medicines. Ibogaine ceremonies are administered in Monta Vista healing retreat, just north of Thong Sala on the coast road, as a part of their monthly life changing program (quite expensive at about 4000 euros). Another place in Koh Samui also administers ibogaine for a cheaper price of $2000. Google “ibogaine samui”. Ayahuasca is sometimes available on Koh Phangan and Samui, however it is rare and done in a friendly circle. If you’re into it, you will probably figure out whom to ask on Koh Phangan.