Attending a Full Moon Party is high on a lot of backpackers’ bucket lists when travelling Southeast Asia, and for good reason! The Full Moon Party is a monthly all-night beach party every month coinciding with the full moon. It occurs on Koh Phangan island, a large island in the Gulf of Thailand (the islands to the eats of the mainland). Full Moon Parties have been occurring since 1983, with the first allegedly being attended by only 30 travellers. Nowadays, the Full Moon Party attracts between 5,000 to 30,000 people every month!
There is also another festival known as the Half-Moon Party, which occurs every month on the half-moon (between the two full moons). The Half-Moon Party is a smaller party (but still pretty massive) that occurs in the jungle instead of on the beach. This guide will cover everything you need to know if you attend a Full Moon Party, such as where to stay, safety tips and what to expect.
Planning your travel route around the Full Moon Party
The most important thing to consider when backpacking South East Asia is planning your route around the Full Moon or Half Moon Party. There is a semi-official full moon party website that posts accurate dates; you can find the website here. For the Half Moon Party, the official dates can be found here.
Regardless of whether you go to Full Moon or Half Moon, you must book your accommodation and bus/ferry tickets at least a week in advance (if not more). Particularly for Full Moon Party, it is extremely popular, and hostels and ferries will book out. Also, to have the best experience of the Full Moon Party, you will want to arrive at least two days earlier to attend the pre-moon parties. You also may want to attend the two post-full moon parties to really get the full experience, and for this, you would need to plan for five days.
Ideally, coming from one of the neighbouring islands in the Gulf of Thailand (Koh Tao and Koh Samui) will be the most convenient. But you can also get direct transfers from Bangkok, Khao Sok National Park, Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Phuket and Phi Phi Island. The best advice I could give in terms of the route is to make the Full Moon Party work into your proposed travel route. Backtracking costs money and wastes time, so a bit of pre-planning goes a long way! Below is a custom map of Thailand to help you visually see how far away certain places are from Koh Phangan:
Full Moon Party or Half Moon Party
Whether you attend a Full Moon or Half Moon Party, you are gonna have a great time, and the party is going to be of epic proportions! Personally, I chose to attend a Full Moon Party, and most people will opt for Full Moon Party over Half Moon Party. However, attending a Full Moon Party may not work with your travel dates or route. If that’s the case, attending a Half Moon Party is a great alternative.
The main differences between Half Moon and Full Moon are costs, number of people, music and location. The biggest difference is location. Full Moon Parties are famously held on Haad Rin Beach; however, Half Moon Parties are held in the jungle. Half Moon Parties tend to be a bit cheaper than Full Moon Parties, where the whole island gets more expensive. There are also fewer people at Half Moon Party, usually between 3,000-10,000. The music is less diverse as well, with a lot more techno beats than anything else.
Despite all the differences, a lot of things are the same between the Full Moon Party and Half Moon Party. There will be buckets, fluro body paint and many drunk backpackers having a great time. There are still two pre-parties and two post-parties, and prices will be more expensive on the island at this time. You still need to organise hostels and transport in advance to avoid disappointment. The safety tips and what to expect in this guide will be similar to the Half Moon Party, although the focus of this travel guide is for people attending the Full Moon Party as it is more popular.
Where should I stay in Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party?
There are three main areas where travellers stay on Koh Phangan: Thong Sala, Baan Tai and Haad Rin. These areas cater to very different types of travellers, so make sure you choose wisely. There are heaps of hostels, guesthouses and hostels in all of these areas. Once you’ve narrowed down which area is right for you, there will be plenty of accommodation options to choose from. Just make sure you are booking at least two weeks in advance to avoid disappointment! Also, a lot of hostels have minimum stay periods during this time. You will usually end up paying more if you’re only staying 1-2 nights, as opposed to 4-5 nights. You can book all accommodation online here.
Staying in the Thong Sala area
Thong Sala is in the northwest of the island and is popular with couples, vacationers or those who want to stay somewhere quiet. This area is close to the pier and has a great night market, cute bars and restaurants. It’s also closer to beautiful beaches in the north, such as Mae Haad. The main downside is it is further away from Haad Rin Beach (where the Full Moon Party happens) and the other locations for the pre and post-parties. So, you’ll end up spending more money on Tuk Tuks and Songthaew’s getting to and from the parties. A lot of people still prefer staying here, though, for the relaxed atmosphere.
Staying in the Haad Rin Beach area
The other area you could stay in is the Haad Rin Beach area. This is perfect for avid partiers who want to be right in the thick of it, drinking all day and night. It’s a massive money and time win not having to commute to Haad Rin for the Full Moon Party. Some of the hostels are literally right on the beach, so you walk out of your hostel into the party. For the pre and post-parties, you will have to get a Tuk Tuk or Songthaew, but you’re not too far away from where these parties are.
The main downside to staying in Haad Rin is that you will literally not be able to escape the party. If you’re not someone who wants to spend their whole time in Koh Phangan partying, then Haad Rin is not going to be the area for you. The other thing to be mindful of is security; there will be lots of people coming and going to your hostel for drinks who aren’t staying there. Make sure you have everything locked and stay in a hostel with good security.
Staying in the Baan Tai area
Baan Tai is the third area where travellers will stay and is becoming the most popular. Baan Tai is halfway between Thong Sala and Haad Rin and is the best of both worlds. If you want a quieter night, you can head up to Thong Sala Night Market or the beaches and waterfalls in the north. If you want a heavier night, you can head south to Haad Rin for any of the pre or post-parties. It’s also a lot more affordable than both Thong Sala and Haad Rin areas.
The main downside is there is not much in Baan Tai other than hostels. There are a few restaurants, cafes, 7/11s and a smaller night market, but nowhere near as many options as Thong Sala or Haad Rin. You will still need to get Tuk Tuks or Songthaews to get to the parties, but it’s not as far or expensive as coming from Thong Sala.
Below is a custom map of Koh Phangan, highlighting the three main areas where travellers stay:
How many days should I stay in Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party
How many days you spend on Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party depends on a few factors. Firstly, how much you actually want to party and how good you are at handling your alcohol. The other thing to consider would be how much of the island you want to see during the day for sightseeing. Lastly, how much time you spend in Koh Phangan also depends on how much time you have to travel and your budget. It will be more expensive on the island during Full Moon Party time.
One common misconception about Full Moon Party is that it is just one all-night rager party. There are actually so many parties both before and after the Full Moon Party, so it’s more like a multi-day Full Moon Festival than just one party. You don’t have to attend all of the parties; some people only attend the actual Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach. However, it is more of an experience attending all of the multiple days of partying. If you want to attend all the parties, you will need five nights (two pre-moon parties, one full-moon party and two post-moon parties).
There is so much more to Koh Phangan than the Full Moon Party
The other thing to consider is whether you want to actually sightsee and experience Koh Phangan island (not just the parties). There are so many great things to do in Koh Phangan, such as hiking, beaches, snorkelling, chasing waterfalls and sunset viewpoints. I’ve got a whole travel guide of Koh Phangan here, including what to do, where to eat and how to get around. To explore all the sights of Koh Phangan, you will need two full days. If you want to do activities during the day, you can still manage this during Full Moon Party days. However, if you party too hard, want to day drink or get bad hangovers, you may not be able to explore during the day and go out at night. If this is you, you will want to allow an extra two days, either before or after the Full Moon Festival, to sightsee.
What to expect at the different Full Moon Parties
Most nights of the Full Moon Festival will follow the same formula. During the day, some people will be hungover and sleeping off the alcohol from the night before. Other very keen people will be day drinking by the hostel bar/ pool. While others who are less hungover will be exploring different parts of the island and doing hikes. Between 8-11 pm, most people will pre-drink at their hostels or head to party hostels if they’re staying somewhere without a bar.
Getting to the Full Moon Parties
Hostels will organise Songthaews (big open-air trucks with seats in the back) to wherever the party is happening that night. Prices can fluctuate depending on where you are staying in relation to where the party is. From Baan Tai, on average, it cost me around 230 THB Thai Baht ($6.50 USD) for a one-way Songthaew to the party. This was generally a pretty packed Songthaew, where some people were sitting on other people’s laps or standing. Most hostels don’t organise transfers until around 11 pm as the parties are pretty quiet before this time.
What it’s like at the Full Moon Parties
When you arrive at wherever the party is on that night, you will need to pay an entrance fee. This is usually around 200 THB Thai Baht ($5.65 USD) per night, but prices can fluctuate. There are some creative ways you can get around this (like swimming to the party from a nearby resort), but I wouldn’t recommend this as the security will catch you and may kick you out. My best tip for cutting down costs at the Full Moon Parties is smuggling in your own alcohol. They will check bags, so ideally, hide it on your body. Otherwise, the combined price of accommodation on Koh Phangan, transport to the parties, entry fees and alcohol will really add up! While alcohol in Thailand, in general, is considered quite affordable, the prices of drinks at Full Moon Parties are much more inflated.
All of the parties have bars, toilets and food stalls, so you basically won’t need to leave. The toilets are pretty grim through and often run out of toilet paper, so try to bring your own. Most parties start at sundown, but they only start getting busy at around 11 pm. Parties will all run until sunrise, but a lot of people will clear out by around 3-4 am.
Getting home from the Full Moon Parties
You’ll need to jump in another Songthaew heading back to your hostel when you’re ready to leave. Usually, there will be other people waiting at the exit heading in whatever direction your hostel is. If there’s not, it’s better to wait until you have a big enough group to make the Songthaew cheaper. The less people you have, the more expensive the ride will be. To Baan Tai, on average, it cost me around 230 THB Thai Baht ($6.50 USD) for a one-way Songthaew from the party.
Rating the different parties of the Full Moon Festival
This is purely based on my experience and the experiences of other travellers who have been to the Full Moon Party in 2022/2023. These are the main pre and post-Full Moon Parties, but there are also many other events on Koh Phangan during this time.
- Two nights before the Full Moon Party- Oxa Beach Party. 8/10. This is everyone’s first full moon party of the festival, and the mood and energy is high! Oxa Beach is smaller than Haad Rin but a pretty sick location.
- The night before the Full Moon Party- Jungle Party. 8/10. Cool location- pretty big crowd. Do not drink too much and ruin yourself for day drinking the next day for the Full Moon Party.
- The Full Moon Party– Haad Rin Beach. 10/10. This is the night of nights, and it did not disappoint! A massive party on the beach, everyone with fluro body paint and so many buckets. Followed by a crowd of drunk backpackers watching the sunrise on the beach.
- The night after the Full Moon Party- Garden of Eden. 7/10. Party on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Kind of expensive to leave because the local boat owners know you can’t swim back, so they charge whatever they want. Some people say this is better than the Full Moon Party.
- Two nights after Full Moon Party- Oxa Trance Party. 5/10. This was the quietest of all the parties by a long shot. The energy was pretty chill, and most people seemed a little dead from days of drinking. Lots of people were on things other than alcohol. Honestly, missable, in my opinion, unless you’re a big partier.
Tips for surviving the Full Moon Party
- Accept that you will be constantly losing your group and trying to find each other again. There are many different bars and dance floors along Haad Rin Beach, but also crowds of drunk people. You will inevitably lose your friends, then find them again, only to lose them in a crowd.
- Book your hostel and your bus/ferry/plans in advance. Everything sells out or gets really expensive around Full Moon Party time, so plan in advance and get things booked at least one week before to avoid disappointment.
- Unfortunately, you may get robbed. The most common robberies are pickpocketing, phone snatching and robbing people who fall asleep on the beach (that was me!). Don’t take your bank card with you, and only take the amount of money that you plan on spending or would be happy to lose. You will want to take your phone for pictures; make sure you keep it close to you at all times. The thieves are fast and quick and will take it straight out of your hand!
- Wear clothes and shoes you don’t care about. Clothes will get stained with fluro body paint, or you may take them off to go for a swim in the ocean and find they are gone when you get back. Shoes are pretty much useless, as you will lose them in the sand, and nobody wears them anyway.
Tips for thriving at the Full Moon Festival
- Full Moon Party is better if you have a group. While I love solo travel, and you can definitely do it on your own, it’s better if you have a group of friends. Most people you meet in the weeks before Full Moon will be heading there. So try to make plans to meet up or stay at the same hostel with people you vibe with at previous hostels. You can definitely make friends or form a group once you get to Koh Phangan, but a lot of people already have pre-formed groups, which can be hard to get into.
- Drinks are going to break the bank. Prices for everything go up during Full Moon Party time, particularly drink prices. My very cheeky top tip would be to smuggle your own alcohol in and then buy mixers from the bars. You can buy Soju (Korean fruity Vodka), SangSom (Rum) or Hong Thong (Whiskey) very affordably from supermarkets or 7/11s.
- Try to make it for sunrise. One of the best parts of the Full Moon Party was watching a stunning sunrise with a bunch of drunk people on Haad Rin Beach. Also, making it to sunrise is a badge of honour!
Did you find this blog post helpful? Want to see more travel tips and recommendations? Join me on Tik Tok and Instagram for daily travel content!
This blog is a free and independent source of information for all things travel and backpacking. If you benefitted from the information on this blog, please consider using the affiliate links to book hostels/activities etc. This will be at no extra cost to you but helps subsidise the cost of running a free travel blog.
