I went to the most insane beach party on the planet - and I've never seen anything like it

Thailand is known for lots of things: gorgeous beaches, spicy cuisine, elephants. But in the last few decades, it's also become known for one of the biggest parties on the planet: the Full Moon Party.

It takes place once a month (and on major holidays like Christmas and New Year's) on the island of Ko Pha Ngan, an hour's flight from Bangkok. As many as 30,000 people attend the rave, which goes past dawn. Most are tourists from Europe and the US who have come specifically for the event.

The monthly influx has transformed once-sleepy Haad Rin beach into party central. The town's streets are lined with drug stores, clinics, T-shirt shops, hostels, and massage parlors. It has also become more dangerous, with reports of date rape, drowning, and even deadly shootings.

I was in Thailand during the 2016 New Year's Eve bash, and my husband and I decided we couldn't miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it really was once-in-a-lifetime, because I'd never do it again. At 30, I felt like the oldest, most sober, and least neon person on the beach. But it was awesome to see, just once.