The Full Moon Party is a monthly all-night beach party on Haad Rin Sunrise Beach, Koh Phangan, held on or near each full moon. Expect 5,000-30,000 people, a 100-200 THB entry fee and music until after sunrise. Book Haad Rin accommodation weeks ahead, stay in a group, wear shoes and never touch drugs.
Rooms in Haad Rin and across Koh Phangan book up days to weeks before each party, and many places set minimum stays. Book early, choose a room with free cancellation and check the official party date first.
Pick your dates on the next page.The Full Moon Party began in the mid-1980s as a small gathering of travellers at a bungalow resort on Haad Rin, and has grown into one of the world's best-known beach parties. Every month, around the full moon, the whole length of Haad Rin Nok (Sunrise Beach) on Koh Phangan's south-eastern tip turns into an open-air festival: a dozen or more bars set up sound systems facing the sea, each with its own music, from EDM and house to drum and bass, trance, reggae and chart hits.
Crowds range from around 5,000 in the low season to 20,000-30,000 in peak months such as December, January and July-August. Most people are in their late teens to early thirties, but you will see all ages. The atmosphere is joyful, messy and loud, with neon body paint, fire shows, buckets of spirits and dancing on the sand until well after sunrise.
It is also just one night. Koh Phangan has jungle, hikes and some of the best beaches in the Gulf, so it is worth staying longer than the party; see our list of things to do in Koh Phangan.
The party is held on the night of the full moon, or as close to it as possible. Two things can shift it by a day or two:
Always check the confirmed date with your accommodation or the official Haad Rin schedule a few weeks ahead, and plan to arrive at least a day early, as ferries and rooms fill up. For the weather side, the Gulf is driest from roughly January to August; the parties still run in the October-December rainy season, but a downpour can thin the crowd. See the best time to visit Thailand.
New Year's Eve on Haad Rin is effectively a second, even bigger Full Moon Party, whatever the moon is doing. Accommodation for Christmas to New Year sells out months in advance.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Entry fee (beach cleaning and security) | 100-200 THB |
| Bucket (spirit, mixer, ice) | 300-600 THB |
| Beer | 80-150 THB |
| Neon body paint | 100-200 THB |
| Street food at Haad Rin | 60-150 THB per dish |
| Return party boat from Koh Samui | 800-1,500 THB |
| Shared taxi from Thong Sala to Haad Rin | 150-300 THB per person each way |
| Haad Rin room on party nights | 1,000-5,000+ THB per night, often with minimum stays |
A realistic party night, including entry, drinks, food and transport, costs 1,500-3,000 THB (about €40-80) before accommodation. Carry only the cash you need for the night; our Thailand trip cost guide helps with the rest of your budget.
Rooms in Haad Rin and across Koh Phangan book up days to weeks before each party, and many places set minimum stays. Book early, choose a room with free cancellation and check the official party date first.
Pick your dates on the next page.You have three realistic options, each with trade-offs.
If you want calm before and after, split your stay: a couple of nights near Haad Rin for the party, then move to Thong Nai Pan, Haad Salad or Sri Thanu to recover. Compare hotels in Koh Phangan with live prices, or read where to stay in Koh Samui if you are basing yourself there.
Koh Phangan has no airport. On party nights, extra boats run from Koh Samui: the Haad Rin Queen sails directly between Big C pier in Bophut and Haad Rin, and speedboat and catamaran operators run return trips from Bophut, Big Buddha, Maenam and Chaweng with hotel pick-up. Koh Tao has dedicated return party boats sold by dive shops and hostels.
From Bangkok, the classic route is a night bus or train to Surat Thani or Chumphon followed by a ferry, or a flight to Samui or Surat Thani plus a boat. Combined tickets are on our transport tickets page, and getting around Thailand compares the options.
Crossings back to Samui can be rough in the October-December monsoon, and boats are crowded with tired, drunk passengers. Keep your ticket and phone in a zip bag, wear the life jacket if offered and do not sit on the edge of a speedboat.
Popular spots include the bars at the south end near the rocks, the bar on the hill at the north end for views across the crowd, and the stretches of beach in front of the big sound systems. You do not need a plan, just walk until the music suits you.
Most people have a brilliant night, but every month some end up in the clinic, in a police cell or worse. These rules make the difference.
Check that your travel insurance covers you, save the number for Thai tourist police (1155) and read our Thailand safety guide before you travel.
If the dates do not suit your trip, or you want something smaller, Koh Phangan has other regular parties.
Planning a wider Gulf trip? Combine the party with Samui and Koh Tao using our island hopping routes, see the Koh Phangan destination guide, and check things to do in Koh Tao for a calmer next stop.
On the night of the full moon each month, or a day before or after if the full moon falls on a Buddhist holiday or an election day when alcohol sales are banned. Always confirm the date a few weeks ahead.
The entry fee is around 100-200 THB. With drinks, food and transport a typical night costs 1,500-3,000 THB, plus accommodation, which is pricier in Haad Rin on party nights.
Yes. Party boats, including the Haad Rin Queen from Bophut, run return trips on party nights. The crossing takes 30-60 minutes and return tickets cost roughly 800-1,500 THB.
It is reasonably safe if you stay in a group, pace your drinking, wear shoes, stay out of the sea, avoid fire-rope skipping, use taxis instead of scooters and never buy drugs.
Haad Rin lets you walk home but has minimum stays and noise. Ban Tai, Baan Kai and Thong Sala are quieter and cheaper, with taxis running all night. Samui or Koh Tao work with a return party boat.