Koh Phangan full moon party guide
Once a month travellers from all over the globe join together on the eastern Haad Rin beach with one intention – to PARTY! Since the first small lunar-lit party back in 1970s, the FMP has gained worldwide fame as the place to kick off those flip-flops and let your hair (or often dreadlocks) down.
Haad Rin is where up to 20,000 insane revellers descend once a month and has Koh Phangan's largest variety of beach clubs that collectively host the ultimate backpacker celebration. There are more than a dozen major sound systems running the length of the bay, with around 30,000 people coming for the New Year Party.
 | Music guideThe Full Moon Party started off as a hippy event during the 1970s with wall-to-wall trance music, but the evolving scene has embraced many different music genres to cater for diverse tastes...more |  | Full Moon Party datesAs one would expect, there is a Full Moon Party around once every month. But there are also additional celebrations that make it onto the Koh Phangan calender for visitors...more |
 | Full Moon Party roomsWith 30,000 revellers all descending on Haad Rin beach, finding decent value accommodation can be difficult running up to the Full Moon Party. Check out our insider guide here...more |  | Health & safetyEveryone wants to let their hair down at the Full Moon Party, but high spirits and over-indulgence can sometimes lead to accidents. Read our guide to having fun within safe limits...more |
Evolution of Koh Phangan Full Moon Parties
And it is not just crusty hippies which make the journey these days, with ‘flashpackers’ and some increasingly high society types staying in plush resorts around the island before being shipped in for the evening’s debauchery.
Music comes in all different styles at the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party with techno and trance featuring most prominently, but also drum n’ bass, house, dubstep and reggae easy to find. Huge DJ names from all over Asia, Europe, the United States and beyond regularly combine holidays with work by spinning some tunes on the night.
During the run up to each full moon the island gets busier as boat loads of backpackers arrive, checking into accommodation in Haad Rin and around the island. The atmosphere starts heating up early in Haad Rin with many starting the night before, but it all gets into full swing on full moon night with each beach bar playing their own special style of music full blast onto the beach.
The streets are filled with people and vendors selling street food and the full moon classic cocktail, known as the 'bucket'.
Party until sunrise before taking a taxi boat home
One small bottle of Sangsom Thai rum, one bottle of ultra strong syrupy Red Bull (which is illegal in the EU) plus one bottle of coke are tipped into a round plastic contained with ice and a handful of straws – with a splitting hangover also guaranteed.
Staying on Haad Rin during the Full Moon Party is not always for the faint-hearted, and many people (especially those that visited years ago) are aghast how this once pristine beach has become overdeveloped and the bastion of fast-food stands and convenience stalls.
However, those coming to the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party for the first time are wise to gloss over these necessary truths and just soak up the hedonistic atmosphere of the world’s foremost beach rave.
Many people never actually stay on the island for the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party but simply get boated over from Koh Samui’s Big Buddha beach for the evening and catch a shuttle ferry back the next morning. Although the vast majority of these services are blissfully uneventful, every so often there are problems with overcrowding and drunk passengers/crew and people can get hurt.
There is now a 100 baht charge for those coming from outside Haad Rin to help pay for security and beach cleaning, although everyone can help by using the rubbish bins. This may sounds obvious but wait until you see the state of the sand once the sun rises!
For many people, the breaking of day is just the midway point and they continue to dance way into the following day at the popular after-party at Backyard Bar.
