It's the simple beach life which continues to attract visitors each year along with the island's reputation for full moon parties and a hedonistic approach to life. The backpackers, budget tourists and aging hippies are beginning to give way to families and more mainstream tourists but the beaches are still beautiful and undeveloped. The full moon party scene still runs with a cast of thousands in high season - all on the beach. Hedonists everywhere still flock to the world's biggest beach party every month. The music from the multiple sound systems is mostly ear-splittingly loud trance and house, and a predominantly youthful crowd dance 'til dawn on party nights. This may not be to everyone's taste, certainly, but it's definitely a unique cultural experience. Other events such as the Half Moon Party and Black Moon Party also attract large crowds. However, it is still possible to visit the island and avoid the full moon party altogether, with dozens of quiet, secluded resorts and beach huts dotted all over the island for a variety of prices. Many of the more costly resorts offer such facilities as daily yoga, yoga teachers' training, meditation, a variety of healing, healthy & natural therapies, spa massage & pampering services and herbal steam rooms.
Other activities available on the island include scuba diving with a number of companies offering very reasonably priced training courses and excursions, snorkelling, especially off the Mae Haad sandbar in the north west, wakeboarding, archery, fishing, walks in the national park or simply relaxing in the company of other farangs or the friendly locals.
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