Full Moon Party Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know

The Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach, Koh Phangan, happens every month on the night of the full moon and has grown from a small beach gathering in the 1980s to an event attracting 10,000–30,000 people. It runs from approximately 9pm to well into the following day — multiple stages with different music (techno, drum and bass, reggae, pop), fire shows, neon body paint, and bars stretching the length of the beach. If this sounds like your idea of a good time, it is genuinely excellent. If it sounds like your idea of nightmare, Koh Phangan also has peaceful north-coast beaches that are calm and beautiful.

Practical preparation matters significantly here. Wear shoes — the beach is covered in broken glass and sharp objects by midnight. Don't bring anything you cannot afford to lose — phones and wallets are frequently stolen in crowds of this size. The buckets (Thai whisky or rum with Red Bull or Coke, served in sand buckets) are potent and widely adulterated — pace yourself and be aware that methanol contamination from low-quality spirits has caused serious medical incidents at past events. Keep a photograph of your accommodation address on your phone for when you need to navigate home. Book accommodation on Haad Rin beach several months in advance for Full Moon dates — prices triple and availability disappears. Many experienced travellers stay in the quieter north of the island and take a taxi for the party rather than staying at the crowded Haad Rin end. Travel insurance that covers alcohol-related incidents (many policies exclude this) is advisable.