- Posted: 17th February 2023
The full moon party in Koh Phangan is a must-go island festivity at least once in your island vacation in southern Thailand. Elevate your travel experiences with fond memories partying and socializing with thousands of party-goers on Haad Rin beach.
Upon arrival at the party scene, you will be captivated by its electric atmosphere, thumping music, people dancing with neon body paint, rows of local food stalls and incredible fire shows.
Whether you are in Phuket island or other vacation places around southern Thailand, the whole region will come to a standstill when Koh Phangan host the renowned full moon party.
Here’s a head-start before you plan for the party-of-the-lifetime experience around your beach holiday , so that you can have a great time and avoid a disaster.
The origins of Koh Phangan Full Moon Party
Back then, the Full Moon Party was thought to have started by backpackers and tourists in the late 1980s as there was nothing else to do on the coconut fringe island except for sun, sea and partying on Haad Rin beach.
There is something special about Phangan’s full moon party compare to other beach and island parties around the world, probably because of its cheap access for visitors to accommodations, F&B and all the good stuff.
The Koh Phangan party became renowned as it was held every month on the full moon and attracted lineups of international and local DJs, live music, food stalls and the famous fireworks display on the shoreline.
Fast forward, if you have a penchant for more parties, there are others like half moon, black moon and even no moon party in Koh Phangan invented by the locals.
There are full moon parties in Bali, Koh Toch in Cambodia and other top beach destinations around Asia but Koh Phangan party takes the cake.
Koh Phangan full moon party stretches almost the entire 2km of Haad Rin beach with numerous bars and clubs participating with top local and International guest DJs.
This 24+ hours non-stop full moon mega beach event starts as early as in the evening until the next day and beyond. The music, dancing and boozing never stop flowing till like forever.
The best months to experience this spectacular full moon party are on peak seasons where you will find thousands of tourists and locals arriving by ferries, speed boats and private yachts to the island.
Most popular drink is the “bucket”. A combination of alcohol of choice with ice, coke or Red Bull pack into a bucket. Most resorts in Phangan are fully booked at this time and requires 3-7 days of pre-booking.
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How to get to Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan
From Koh Samui
By Slow Ferry: Catch the slowest journey with this wooden boat (more than 45 minutes) from Bangrak pier in Koh Samui direct to Thong Sala pier in Phangan. There will be tons of taxis, and motorbikes to take you to Haad Rin beach (approx 30 minutes)
You can book the ferry service via 12GO.ASIA or at the pier itself if you are near this location (around 200-300 Baht) And the cab transfer will cost 100-150 Baht. On a bike, hop on as a pillion will cost you around 80 Baht.
SPEED BOAT: This is the fastest way. There are tons of this service being advertised on all of the top beaches in Samui, mostly at beach pubs or eateries along the coastline. Prices, time, and place of departure are displayed prominently. Here are some heads up to note.
- Always ensure the speedboat is not over-crowded before boarding
- Try to book a seat before nightfall as the wind will be super chill
- Try to get a seat behind the boat driver at the front as it will shield you from the splashes of water
- Wear sandals as the speedboat will dock about a few meters from the shore. You need to wade in knee-deep water to reach the shore
- Get familiar with your speedboat parking location and confirm the departure time back to Samui with the boat driver
From Phuket
By Flight: The most comfortable way is to plan your arrival in Koh Samui a few days before the event. Most importantly, ensure you book the best accommodation in Samui or Koh Phangan with easy access to the party.
By Minivan/High-Speed Ferry: This is the cheapest means of transport but a bit of a hassle as there are too many pickups (other tourists) and delays, sometimes almost more than 8 hours journey. You might even miss the last ferry across to Samui or direct to Phangan.
Private Minivan Transfer: This is a great option rather than the above as you are in full control of the minivan driver, perfect if you are in a group or have cash to splash.
Group Party Tour: There are tons of travel operators that organize Phangan party tours with full board meaning including accommodations, meals, and so on.
From Koh Tao
Koh Tao is a short distance of about 40km from Koh Phangan. The only means of sea transportation are by ferry, speedboat, and private charter.
The ferry journey can take approximately 2-3 hours depending on the erratic weather along the sea route. So you need to check with the operators before departure.
Vacationers and tourists on Koh Tao are usually there for scuba diving and snorkeling, so it’s best to stay in Koh Phangan for a night or two prior to the Full Moon party before heading back to Koh Tao.
From Surathani
If you are in Surathani, there are only 2 ways to get to Koh Phangan, Either, take a direct high-speed catamaran ferry to Koh Phangan with a stopover in Samui or a slow Car Ferry to Samui for a few night stay before heading to the party.
You can even rent a bike or vehicle and hitch a ride on the Car Ferry (approx 3 hours). The point of departure for both is at Donsak pier (north-east of Surathani)
When are the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan for 2023
If you are planning a vacation staying near top Koh Samui beaches and villages or even at some beautiful islands in southern Thailand, here’s are all the Koh Phangan party dates (2023), seasons and info to coincide with your travel plans.
For the best experience and latest happenings, you can always check out local websites or official sources for up-to-date information about the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan.
Click/Tap on any of the season’s Toggle > button to view:-
This is the most crowded time of the year with tourists from all the world visiting Thailand’s southern islands. Majority of accommodations are super costly and heavily booked. Everyone is eager to party.
Best season to have a good time. Koh Phangan party at full throttle with 20K to 30K party-goers.
Crowds are lesser at this time of the year but still enough to fill up the party’s epi-center on Haad Rin beach.
Many tourists visit Thailand for the beautiful summer vacation. The party crowd is much lesser and quiet on this season.
These months falls on the Monsoon or rainy season with pretty much less crowd. Even tourists are turn-off by the chilly and wet weather to enjoy the party.
- Sunday, February 5, 2023
- Tuesday, March 7, 2023
- Wednesday, April 5, 2023
- Friday, May 4, 2023
- Sunday, June 4, 2023
- Sunday, July 2, 2023
- Thursday, August 3, 2023
- Thursday, August 31, 2023
- September 29, 2023
- Friday, September 29, 2023
- Monday, October 30, 2023
- Monday, November 27, 2023
- Wednesday, December 27, 2023
- Sunday, December 31, 2023
Full Moon Party Accommodation Koh Phangan
There are a variety of accommodations available nearest the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan. The most popular location to stay is Haad Rin beach, the epi-center of the beach party.
Haad Rin accommodations are pretty great for you to crash after a heavy night of partying. For those who want a quiet location away from the pounding music, there are tranquil beach towns such as Ban Thai and Thong Sala.
Hostels & Bungalows: A short walk from Haad Rin beach, Leela Beach Bungalows and Hostel offers both private bungalows and inexpensive dorm rooms.
Mid Range: Silver Beach Bungalow is pretty cozy beachfront lodge with a great restaurant. The nightly price before bargaining is around 1,000 Baht.
Top Range: Sarikantang Resort & Spa featuring a spa, pool, and beachfront restaurant is pretty perfect for couples trip or group of friends. Prices at about 2,500 Baht.
Koh Phangan Party Safety
Here’re all the safety precautions that I can think of before heading to the epic Full Moon beach party.
- It is unsafe to pass out or sleep on the beach
- Wear beach sandals with thick soles to prevent unseen objects like broken glasses
- Watch out for pickpockets and wear shorts with zip or Velcro pockets
- Ensure your accommodation are nearby in case you need to “crash out” of the party
- Drink sensibly and don’t overshoot your booze consumption
- Don’t swim out into the sea off Haad Rin as the undercurrents can be overwhelming
- Lastly, if you want to use some weed (which is legal now), I recommend that you do it at your own premises
