| Thailand is a land of enchanting and exotic tastes for | | | | bowls with flowers, fruit, candles and incense. The |
| foreign visitors as I was to learn when I experienced | | | | candles and incense are lit and everyone heads down |
| the Water Festival of Loi Kathong on the island of Ko | | | | the beach and starts putting them in the water. It is |
| Chang. | | | | one of the more amazing light shows you will ever |
| Ko Chang | | | | see and beats Las Vegas hands down. Thousands, |
| In October 2003, the travel bug seriously bit me. The | | | | and I mean thousands, of little lights bobbing on the |
| symptoms led me to sell my business, pack a small | | | | surface of the smooth ocean. |
| backpack with necessary items and roll into Los | | | | After the bowls comes one of the most visually |
| Angeles International Airport with a major credit card | | | | amazing things I've ever seen. Everyone is familiar |
| and an attitude. A few days later, I was in Thailand | | | | with the paper lanterns used in Asia. Typically, they |
| and headed for the island of Ko Chang, located close | | | | come in the form of a rectangle form with a bamboo |
| to the border with Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. | | | | or light wire frame. Very popular with college |
| Ko Chang is a heavily forested island with little towns | | | | students since they are cheap and look better than a |
| full of beach huts. This is what I was exactly what I | | | | bare light bulb. |
| was after. Spending days lounging in the sun and | | | | For the festival, Thais would take these paper |
| contemplating my navel. Unfortunately, I soon | | | | lanterns and close off the top. They would then affix |
| experienced the local bacteria, which was not what I | | | | a small this paper plate to the bottom with a candle |
| was after. | | | | on it. Light the candle, wait for the heat to do its |
| Since I had rented my beach hut for a week with | | | | work and they had an instant hot air balloon. Once |
| payment in advance, the family running the place | | | | the lanterns could float, you simply let go and off the |
| looked me upon favorably. They took pity on me | | | | slowly went over the ocean. It was a sight to see as |
| and I was soon growing fat on Tom Yom Kung and | | | | there were thousands of them floating over the |
| other soups and curries. After four days, I had finally | | | | water. |
| kicked the bug and felt halfway human. This was | | | | As the festival wound down, the ocean had been |
| good news as it was the night of the full moon | | | | transformed. The air was full of gracefully floating |
| water festival. | | | | lanterns while the water itself was dotted with slowly |
| I had heard of full moon festivals in Thailand. For hard | | | | bobbing points of light. |
| partying tourists, this was apparently the night the | | | | If you intend to travel to Thailand, make sure you |
| big beach parties happened. In Ko Chang, it was a | | | | schedule your trip around a full moon. It is a scene |
| little different as the night was tailored to the actual | | | | you'll never forget. |
| Thais, not tourist. | | | | Rick Chapo is with Nomad Travel Journals. Writing |
| The Loi Kathong Festival happens every full moon. | | | | journals are the perfect travel accessories and travel |
| Offerings are given to appease the water spirits. | | | | gifts for him or her. |
| These offerings come in the form of banana leaf | | | | |