First things first, I swear I’m not a crazy person who went out of their way to go to an island once a month just to go to a party. I used to live in Thailand for two years, and one of those years I spent on Koh Phangan, the infamous party island of Thailand and the home of the Full Moon Party. At the time I was running a hostel so we always threw a pre-party for Full Moon and I undoubtedly got convinced to go to every single Full Moon. I’ve got more Full Moon Experiences than most, so you can consider this your Full Moon Party guide to make sure you’re fully prepared for the chaos!

Let’s start with the basics, what is the Full Moon Party? The Full Moon Party happens once a month (except for December when it happens twice) on Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan every single month of the year on the night of the full moon. Sometimes it is one or two days before or after the full moon due to some religious holidays in Thailand where you cannot sell alcohol, but nevertheless it always happens. It is essentially a huge beach party in Koh Phangan with all the properties along the beach holding their own little party. There can be as many as 30,000 people on the beach from all over the world, so it’s definitely no small event. Koh Phangan is huge for the Thailand party scene, so if you’re looking for nightlife make sure you don’t skip this island! Let’s get into some of the Full Moon Party Dos and Don’ts.

Let’s start with where to stay on Koh Phangan.

The island of Koh Phangan is not huge, but getting around isn’t the most convenient so I would recommend staying in one of two areas. First off we have Baan Tai, full of hostels, restaurants and bars, and my personal favourite area to stay. I like this area as it still has lots to do and see, but it isn’t so close to the Full Moon that you never get any peace, quiet or sleep. Koh Phangan nightlife exists all over the island, so you definitely don’t need to be right on the Full Moon beach. The other area I would recommend is Haad Rin, which is where the Full Moon beach is located. During the days leading up to Full Moon this area is buzzing with excited backpackers and loads of events. However, I personally don’t like staying in Haad Rin as you never get any break from the noise and chaos. If you’re looking to party a lot and aren’t overly concerned with sleep, you’ll love this area. Another important tip is to book in advance, the island fills up fast and I have seen many backpackers who did not plan ahead and have nowhere to stay on Full Moon Night. You probably don’t want to be the person sleeping in the sand with their backpack, so keep that in mind.

It should be noted regardless of where you stay you’ll want to rent a scooter to get around to see the beaches, waterfalls and other areas of the island. Taxis are not cheap here like they are in some areas of Thailand, so a scooter makes for the easiest way to get the full experience of the island. However, to be clear I DO NOT recommend you drive yourself to parties, more on that later.

In the days leading up to Full Moon there are loads of events all over the island, I’ll write a separate post about those otherwise this one will never end. On Full Moon Day, I recommend enjoying a pre-party at a hostel and then heading to the beach around 11:00 pm. The party goes well past sunrise so you don’t want to arrive too early and miss the good part!

Less is more when it comes to bringing things to Full Moon.

The beach is completely packed shoulder to shoulder and you will without a doubt lose the majority of the people you went with. It is chaos to say the least. Would I call it life-changing? No. That being said, I do think it is worth seeing at least once in your life. The party starts to really kick off around 9:00 pm and goes until well past sunrise. If I can offer you ANY advice, it is to bring only the essentials!! I cannot count how many Facebook posts show up in the local groups after every single Full Moon about lost phones, passports, wallets, Gucci slides (lol I know) and god knows what else.  

So now you might be wondering, what are the essentials? In my opinion you only need three things: money, your phone and something to carry those two items in. Some people choose not to bring their phone because there is a high chance you may not have it by the end of the night (been there, done that) BUT I do think it is important to have in case you lose your group because it is near impossible to find people even with your phone, let alone without. I highly recommend a fanny pack (or a bum bag or belt bag or whatever it’s called) to keep your belongings as close to you as possible. When I say the beach is packed I mean it is packed, it is not hard for someone to reach into your bag and take something so the closer to your body the better. 

Of course you’ll need money, but how much? Let’s break it down. Depending on what area of the island you are staying in, a taxi will cost you anywhere from 100 – 400 baht to get to the Full Moon Party, and should be about the same to get back. If you’re unsure just ask the hotel/hostel you are staying at how much it should cost. Taxis on Koh Phangan are expensive (compared to the rest of Thailand), as they are run by the mafia. Sometimes the price is dependent on the mood of the driver, and honestly you can never really be sure what the price will be. I cannot stress enough make your peace with paying the taxi cost instead of driving your scooter. The road to get to Haad Rin is windy, full of hills and blind corners. There is no better way to ruin a trip than getting seriously injured in a scooter accident (also been there, done that multiple times) so I promise the cost of the taxi is worth it for Full Moon. Also, let’s be real, you’re going to drink, probably get drunk and no one should be driving in that condition. PERIOD. So don’t be an idiot and endanger your own life as well as everyone else’s. Full Moon Party safety will benefit you in the long run so you don’t end up having to end your trip early due to a bike accident (you would be amazed how many times I’ve seen this happen).

Of course you’re also going to need to buy drinks (unless you don’t drink, but the Full Moon will be painful to deal with sober). The price of drinks varies depending on which bar you are at. On average, beers are anywhere from 100 – 200 baht and buckets are anywhere from 250 – 400 baht. The buckets are STRONG at Full Moon, they do not cheap out on the alcohol that goes in them so I wouldn’t expect to drink more than 2 at most (unless you’re a menace, then all the power to you). 

There is an entrance fee to Full Moon as well which is 200 baht. You cannot buy tickets in advance so you just purchase them when you arrive (they don’t run out so no stress). The money is used to help clean up the beach after, so it’s for a good cause as well. The last cost will be using the toilet. They charge 20 baht per trip to the toilet so factor that in as well.

In my expert opinion on Full Moon, bring 200 baht for entry, figure out the price of your taxis, estimate how much you think you will drink (bring enough for an extra drink just in case) and potentially a couple extra hundred if you like a drunken meal at the end of the night. Haad Rin is full of food stalls at night and they hit right after a night out (not sure if they’re actually good or if I was just drunk but that isn’t the point). When I went to Full Moon personally, I used to bring 1500 baht, and it was always more than enough for me.

Keep in mind Full Moon is considered a festival, so it’s a great chance to dress up if you want to! Literally anything goes, you can wear a bikini, shorts and a top, a dress or a full festival fit. Rave culture in Thailand is alive and well, so people like to go all out. You will see a little bit of everything so wear whatever your heart desires. 

On the beach you’ll have tons of options of where you dance the night away.

Now that we’ve covered the preparation, let’s talk about where to spend your night. There are a ton of options along the beach, all with different vibes and playing different music. Whether you like EDM, D&B, Hip Hop, 2000’s hits, techno, trance, rock or anything in between, there is something for you! My personal favorites were Drop In Bar, Mr. K and Sunrise Bar. They play more mainstream and D&B, a few of my friends used to DJ at them so I’m a bit biased but they are definitely fun!

Once you’re done having the time of your life, walk the opposite way of the ocean and you will undoubtedly find a taxi. IF you aren’t done partying yet, there is always a day party and a party in the evening the day after. Although most will question all their life decisions by a pool or the beach and feel sorry for themselves for the day. Either way, you have options. 

Bonus tip! If you’re headed to Koh Tao after Koh Phangan (as many people do) I would recommend waiting a day or two after the Full Moon Party! The boats are packed and the post-Full Moon hangover is real. You will thank me later.

And there it is! Don’t forget you can always reach out with any travel related questions on my Instagram (@travellingaly). I love helping other people discover their love of travel, so I’m always available to help!

Have you been to a Full Moon Party in Thailand yet? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments!