The ground vibrates, the chaotic noise and confusion, the bodies scattered on the sand, the fire everywhere …
A geological disaster? The apocalypse? Not quite. Thousands of travelers voluntarily come to witness Thailand’s famous Full Moon Party, possibly one of the wildest beach parties in the world!
Dancing with 10 – 30,000 travelers on a beach under a full moon is quite an experience. But not everyone enjoys hedonism and debauchery. Drugs, theft, and injuries are common. Many travelers deliberately avoid chaos. Love it or hate it, the monthly beach party on the island of Koh Phangan is so big that it literally affects the flow of backpacking travelers in Thailand!
Don’t be surprised; Transportation and accommodation get very busy on the islands. Consider the phases of the moon when planning your Thailand vacation. If you’re not interested in the Full Moon Party, consider avoiding Haad Rin, or the islands around Koh Samui, during the week leading up to the full moon.
What is the Koh Phangan full moon party?
Yes, it sounds like a pagan gathering on a tropical island. The epic event started as a small gathering of friends in the 80s and grew into one of the biggest and most notorious parties on the planet. Now more than 30,000 partygoers, some in more than just body paint, go to the beach at Haad Rin to share their sweat and drinks with people from all over the world. The party peaks at dawn and finally slows down late the following afternoon, leaving a scene of carnage and trash on the beach.
Many revelers literally sleep where they fall, still clutching their buckets!
Some travelers call the Full Moon Party scene a done deal, claiming the party has become overly commercialized since its scant origins in 1985. However, experiencing one of Thailand’s Full Moon Parties in all its Chaotic and primal glory under a hot moon is considered a rite of passage for backpackers on the Banana Crepe Trail.
Tips for Attending Koh Phangan Full Moon Party
- The dates of the feast of the full moon are adjusted around the Buddhist holidays; don’t assume the party is the actual night of the full moon.
- Unless you reserve something or arrive days in advance, it is difficult to find accommodation during peak season. Unsurprisingly, accommodation prices triple in time for the Full Moon Party. Many people choose to stay on Koh Samui and then take a ferry to the party. During peak season, travelers often share rooms, sleep on the floor, sleep on the beach, or don’t sleep at all!
- Unless your plan is to party all night, find accommodations away from Sunrise Beach and the main road to hope for sleeping.
- Some enterprising locals have blocked the main beach access roads to charge an entrance fee. Basically, you are asked to buy an expensive bracelet that serves as your “ticket.” Paying the unofficial fee is optional; You will find many paths to the beach. Some travelers want the bracelet to be worn as a souvenir for months afterward.
- The Danish-run Same-Same Guesthouse near the beach is popular for epic warm-up parties and free body painting before the Full Moon Party.
Safety tips for the full moon party
The Full Moon Party is and should be a fun experience. Don’t get the wrong impression – it’s generally a good-natured event. But putting tens of thousands of intoxicated people in one place will create some bad situations.
Sadly, the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party claims a few lives each year, mainly due to drownings and overdoses. The moon affects the tides and creates strong currents; Don’t swim drunk.
Drugs of all kinds are ubiquitous. You can’t trust the quality and the labels. Obviously, you shouldn’t accept a mystery pill from anyone, regardless of the source or the claims. Even the island’s pharmacies sell fake and unreliable prescription drugs to travelers who are willing to pay.
Clinics fill up during the party with revelers who have broken bones jumping out of things. Others drank too much or mixed alcohol and prescription pills. Burns are common. The fire jump rope is a popular attraction during the party, and inevitably some people end up with severe burns when it is wrapped around their legs.
Fortunately, staying out of trouble is easy with a little vigilance.
- Do not bring anything to the party that interests you. This rule applies to money, phones, cameras, sunglasses, and footwear.
- Before leaving your bungalow or guesthouse, please store your valuables at the reception. Theft of guesthouses and hostels is a problem during the full moon party.
- Although readily available, the drugs are illegal in Thailand. The police have cracked down on full moon parties; Undercover officers in civilian clothes patrol the party.
- Stay out of the water! Most of the deaths that occur during the full moon parties are due to drowning.
- The drink of choice at Full Moon Parties is the famous Thai bucket. Watch your drinking, as bucket medications are not uncommon. Buying them from reputable places is safer than the many huts with funny names on the beach.
- If you think you have to crash on the beach, do so within the “designated” sleeping areas with tape around you.
Coming to the full moon party
The Full Moon Party takes place on the island of Koh Phangan, in the Gulf of Thailand. Transportation can be booked in combined bus-boat and train-boat packages, or you can make your own way to the island.
Begin by taking a bus or night train from Bangkok to the city of Surat Thani. Flights from Bangkok take less than two hours, and getting to Koh Phangan from Chiang Mai is fairly easy. Surat Thani (airport code: URT) is the starting point of the island.
Once in Surat Thani, you can book a four-hour ferry or speedboat to the island. On Koh Phangan, numerous songthaew (red van taxi) drivers will be waiting for the ferry to arrive. Take a trip to Haad Rin, where most people will go, a peninsula at the southern tip of the island.
The party is spread out along Haad Rin Nok: “Sunrise Beach”. Haad Rin is narrow enough to walk between Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach (Haad Rin Nai). Don’t expect to get much sleep if you stay near Sunrise Beach or the east side of the peninsula! The noise continues all night and into the next morning.
Budget accommodation on the island is packed to the max. Some people choose to stay near Koh Tao or on Koh Samui and then spend the night of the party.
Other places in Koh Phangan
Although many travelers don’t stray far from the party scene at Haad Rin, Koh Phangan is actually a large and beautiful island with many bays and beaches. The north of the island is covered in private bays that can only be accessed by boat or by jungle trails.
The Full Moon Party comes to the Haad Rin peninsula at the southern tip of the island. Don’t avoid Koh Phangan for fear that someone will paint your face and hand you a bucket of rum and Redbull!
Located in Haad Tien Bay, the Shrine is a beautiful health retreat just a 15-minute taxi ride from Haad Rin. You can get away from the party scene for a few days, detox, and meet interesting people at the many workshops there. The neighboring Haad Yuan Beach is another good alternative to get away from Haad Rin for a few days.
When to go
Koh Phangan’s full moon party sells out during Thailand’s peak season between November and April. December, January, and February are often the biggest months. The party generally experiences peak attendance for New Years Eve.
Because many major Buddhist holidays are based on lunar events and occur during the full moon, sometimes the full moon festival is the day before or after the actual full moon.
The Full Moon Party build is as wild and enjoyable as the party. People gather in increasing numbers during the week leading up to the full moon.
The future of the full moon party in Thailand
Thailand’s ruling military government has made it clear that they are not fans of the boisterous event on Koh Phangan. Numerous efforts to quell the many other moon phase festivals on the island (Half Moon, New Moon, Shiva Moon, etc.) have been partially successful. The Full Moon party continues only because the livelihoods of many island residents depend on the event.
As the government tries to control the chaos, and commercialization continues to progress, the future of the Full Moon Party in Thailand is uncertain at best.
