Full Moon Party - Koh Phangan

What the Full Moon Party is

Every month, on the night of the full moon, Haad Rin beach on the southern tip of Koh Phangan transforms into one of the largest beach parties on the planet. Between 20,000 and 30,000 people pack the shoreline from around 9pm through to sunrise, with dozens of bars running sound systems in different genres - drum and bass, house, reggae, commercial hits - bleeding into one another along the sand.

The party has been running since the late 1980s and has become a fixture of the Southeast Asia backpacker trail, but it draws a wide range of ages and nationalities. Whether you come for the music, the spectacle, or just to say you were there, it is a genuinely unique experience.

What to expect on the night

Haad Rin beach is reached by speedboat from the main pier at Thong Sala (about 30 minutes, roughly 150–200 THB each way) or by songthaew over the hill from the northern and eastern coasts of the island. Boats run continuously on party nights.

Bars line the beach selling buckets - a Thai staple of spirits, mixers, and Red Bull served in a small sand bucket with straws. Prices for entry to specific areas vary by venue but many parts of the beach are open and free.

Highlights include:

• Fire shows - staff from the bars put on fire rope and fire poi performances throughout the night
• Neon body paint - dozens of vendors near the beach entrance sell UV paint; it has become a tradition to get painted up before the party
• Sunrise - those who make it through the night are rewarded with one of the better sunrises you will see from a beach in Thailand

Practical advice

Book accommodation early. Rooms on and near Haad Rin fill weeks in advance for full moon dates, and prices spike significantly. If you are flexible, staying further away and taking the boat or songthaew in is often more comfortable and cheaper.

Wear something you do not mind ruining. The beach is packed, drinks spill, and you will likely end up in the shallows at some point. Leave good shoes at the accommodation.

Watch your belongings. Crowded events attract opportunistic theft. Use a minimal bag or money belt for cash and your phone. Do not bring anything you cannot afford to lose.

Stay hydrated. The combination of dancing, heat, and alcohol dehydrates quickly. Bottles of water are sold throughout the beach.

We recommend arriving around 10–11pm rather than at opening - the energy builds through the night and peaks between 2am and 4am. The last boats back to Thong Sala and other piers leave around 6–7am.

Getting to Koh Phangan

The most common routes are from Koh Samui by high-speed ferry (30 minutes) or from the Surat Thani mainland pier by overnight boat or daytime ferry. Most travellers use the Koh Samui to Koh Phangan route as a stepping stone from Bangkok.

Full moon dates for 2026: January 3, February 1, March 3, April 2, May 1, May 31, June 29, July 29, August 28, September 26, October 26, November 24, December 24.

Check the official schedule at fullmoonparty-thailand.com before booking, as dates occasionally shift by a day when the full moon falls on an auspicious Buddhist holiday.