Koh Phangan: 6 Tips about the Full Moon Party + 10 Top Party Venues

Once a month, when the sun goes down and the moon appears fully illuminated from our planet’s perspective, a paradise island in the Southern Gulf of Thailand called Koh Phangan hosts myriads of young people coming from every corner of the planet to enjoy the Full Moon Party. In fact, the appointment is in Haad Rin sandy beach, in the south, where the most massive beach party of the planet takes place every month, when the moon is full. In this post we share 6 tips to stay safe during the Full Moon Party. Additionally, we also tell you about 10 other top party venues, according to locals and international residents of the island.

During our nine months there, we discovered that the Phangan District chief officer ordered the ban to all parties, due to the complaints of local residents, and making it completely unclear how much longer the Full Moon party will be permitted to continue. Undeniably, there are a lot of economic interests behind this controversial event, so nobody currently knows whether it will be banned for good or not. Therefore, although we knew in advance that we wouldn’t find our favourite music, vibe and crowd there, we decided to be part of the history, and to experience the infamous Full Moon Party on Silva’s birthday.

What is the Full Moon Party and why it became so popular

It’s a crazy beach party with different scenarios and different types of music to suit all tastes. The first Full Moon Party was improvised at Paradise Bungalows on the beach in 1985, hosting about 20–30 travellers, mainly hippies and backpackers playing guitars, drinking beers and smoking weed. According to what locals report, they had so much fun, that they repeated the party the next month on the full moon night and the following one too.

This was how the event rapidly gained fame, through word of mouth. Nowadays, it draws a massive crowd, becoming an unmissable part of the itinerary of many travellers to South East Asia, who are very attentive to drop themselves in Phangan right on the full moon dates. Although this event attracts around 50,000 people to Haad Rin Beach every month, it’s not the only massive spot on the island. Here below we share with you 6 tips about the Full Moon Party and 10 other top party venues, to make the most out of your stay in this paradise.

What to expect at the Full Moon Party

A soft and sandy white beach, a rough sea, thousands of drunk young people, fluorescent body paintings and shirts, buckets filled with cheap liquors and ice, litres of Chang beer, fire dancers, loud music, a babel of languages and colours, missing flip-flops and missing wallets.

There is not a unique music stage, but several bars with different kinds of music, from one end of the beach to the other one, surrounded by bucket vendors. Honestly, we have to admit that coming from Europe, we have been in much more decent parties in Ibiza, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Barcelona. Don’t get us wrong, the party itself is massive, maybe it’s just a matter of personal tastes. Actually, we were also a bit disappointed because most of the music was just commercial, and in some spots there was no dj at all, just loud speakers.

In addition, the scenery turned out to be very similar to what you could see during a spring break party in Cancun or in Lloret de Mar, just considerably more amplified. So, don’t expect to meet a crowd of house and underground music lovers. They will be on the east coast at Guys bar and Eden bar, instead.

However, at least once in life, it’s worth going there to have some fun before they close down for good, and here below we share 6 tips that will help you make the most out of your night. Since we also think that there are plenty of locations in Phangan with even better vibes, further down you’ll be able to read about 10 other top party venues that we love.

6 TIPS TO STAY SAFE AT THE FULL MOON PARTY

1. Prepare your own bucket with your own drinks

Several tourists report every month that they have been drugged and robbed during the Full Moon Party. Once we had a terrible experience too, in a famous bar of the island, where we believe the staff did spike our drinks to rob our expensive camera. In the end, it didn’t happen because we noticed something very weird was going on, and we went home. But it was not fun at all! Going back to the buckets, there are several shops where you can buy alcohol, soft drinks, ice and buckets in Haad Rin. So, just prepare your own drinks and avoid any possible source of intoxication.

2. Leave your passport and credit cards in your room

Take with you just the money you are going to spend for the night. Be aware that you will need to pay a fee of 200 bahts to enter Haad Rin on the Full Moon night, and that you will need some extra money for using the toilets. Keep your valuables in a money-belt to avoid unpleasant pickpockets or scams. As all places with big crowds, also this massive party attract thieves. Girls, you don’t need a bag. Leave it in the hotel. You are at the beach, don’t worry about your make-up or hairstyle!

Remember that many passports are reported as lost on the nights of the Full Moon Party. More important, there are no foreign embassies in Koh Phangan, so stow your documents in a safe place before you leave your room, and take only a photocopy with you. After all, why would you need your passport on you at a party?

3. Don’t drive to the party

Haad Rin is located in an area of difficult access. Although the police checkpoint before getting to the party is currently not equipped with a breathalyser, it’s absolutely not a safe idea to drive there. The road is very dark, steep and slippery. Take a taxi, instead. It’s very cheap and distances on the island are pretty short. Every year fatal accidents are reported in Koh Phangan, due to the conditions of the roads, the ingestion of alcohol and drugs, the wandering dogs and the lack of helmets. We recommend being wise and not to drive on the Full Moon night, especially if you are going to party hard.

4. Book your accommodation in another part of the island

Haad Rin accommodations require a minimum of 3 nights booking during the Full Moon days, and they are seriously overpriced on those dates. Beside that, Haad Rin becomes overcrowded and disappointingly noisy. Book your room in a cheaper and quieter area, and take a taxi to the party. The resorts located on the rest of the island don’t require a minimum stay of 3 nights and you can get much better deals.

5. Stay away from fire

You will be invited to jump through rings of fire, limbo under a fire pole or jump fire rope. We have sadly witnessed several incidents that turned out into unpleasant burns. Watch out and always keep a safe distance.

6. Stay away from drugs

Remember that you are not in Amsterdam or Barcelona. If you get intoxicated and need medical assistance, you may get into serious trouble. Drug consumption in Thailand is considered a criminal offence and can be punished even with the death penalty. Don’t underestimate this point and save your craziest nights for Berlin or Ibiza, instead. You don’t want to end up in a Thai jail while travelling, do you?

Undoubtely, Koh Phangan owes part of its charm to the fact that, in terms of development, it’s at least a decade behind other Thai islands, like Samui or Phuket. Since here you can still enjoy pristine beaches, secluded waterfalls and the magic of the jungle, it would be a big pity to visit it only to party on Haad Rin Beach. Instead, we recommend a longer stay, maybe even combined with some retreat to recover from the party. In fact, the island is one of the world top yoga and healing destinations, with renewed training schools and healing sanctuaries.

But if you are not into yoga, and you come with your best party mood, let us tell you that there are other events and places you shouldn’t miss on the island. Here below you will find a complete list of the best party places, according to locals and international residents on the island.

Top 10 Party Venues in Koh Phangan (beside the Full Moon party)

1. Sramanora Waterfall party

From 8pm to 8am two nights only a month, right before & after Haadrin’s Fullmoon party.

2. Loi Lay Floating Bar

One of the most known and visited Tech House venues in Ban Tai. It’s the place to be every Sunday evening.

3. One Love Bar

Here you may enjoy the best sunset views in the area, while sipping a nice cocktail, you can read a book or learn a new skill thanks to their workshops. Fire shows and dancing nights are also very popular among residents. They close on Sunday.

4. Kawee Secret Garden

Read a book in their lounge bar with over 6000 books in several languages or satisfy your appetite at their Garden restaurant. Every Thursday they host a secret garden party with the best DJ’s playing Deep House, Tech House, Electro, Dubstep and Funky Breakbeat.

5. Ban Sabaii Trance Party

This party takes place 3 days before and 3 days after each Full Moon party on the beach in Baan Tai (at the Sabaii Beach resort). Expect UV deco, Goa trance, acid moon, progressive music, a hippy vibe and a happy crowd, focused on dancing, swimming and enjoying the beats.

6. Shivamoon Party

Dance all night in Baan Tai jungle at the rhythm of psy trance music. It’s not super easy to find the location, therefore we recommend taking a taxi to this party.

7. Half Moon Festival

This epic tropical jungle festival opens its doors from 8pm until sunrise on half moon nights (twice a month). Expect music, fun, party, fire shows, body UV paintings, shops and entertainment. They count on bars and food stalls to refresh your energies. Indeed, here you will enjoy fantastic vibes and spend a memorable experience!

8. Blackmoon culture Party

Progressive and psychedelic music once a month, when the moon is completely disappears. This happens about 2 weeks after the moon is full. The location is in Baan Tai’s bamboo forest. The exact location and the dates of the next event are available on their Facebook.

9. Guys bar and Eden Garden

Every Friday evening, the must-go residents’ party venue is at Guys bar on the east coast (Haad Tien Beach). This party attracts a more mature crowd and there is one rule: strictly no fights, just enjoy the vibes! To get there you need to take a boat from Haad Rin (about 200 baht/15 min ride) or a taxi from anywhere else in Phangan. Hippy vibes, house, techno, electro music and super happy people that on the rest of the week you are likely to find at the yogi friendly SriThanu beach. The party continues next door, at Eden Bar on Haad Yuan Beach (after the sun rises) every Saturday morning. We recommend renting a bungalow on the beach here to rest after the long double party, and to enjoy the stunning nature of the unspoiled east coast.

10. Slip N Fly Party

Expect a giant slide (about 40 mt), loud party music and a very joung crowd. It’s a daytime party, and they just open about 6/8 times a month. So, in order to be sure not to miss this party while in Phangan, check their Facebook for the next available dates.

Which is your favourite party in Koh Phangan? Hard to decide, isn’t it? Wherever you decide to go, let the fun and the good vibe continue!