The Full Moon Party

The party takes over Haad Rin Sunrise Beach, also written Haad Rin Nok, on the south-east tip of Koh Phangan. Haad Rin is a small peninsula with two beaches back to back: the calm Sunset side (Haad Rin Nai) and the party-hosting Sunrise side. Everything happens on Sunrise.

The timing follows the moon, not the calendar. There's one main party per lunar cycle, on or right around the night of the full moon, which is why the date shifts every month. Since 2026 the party runs on the actual full-moon night — the dates below are the confirmed nights — though a rare exception can move it, so it's worth confirming locally before you lock in flights and ferries.

Koh Phangan is reached only by boat, so first get to the island by ferry (commonly via Koh Samui or Surat Thani on the mainland). Once you're on Koh Phangan, Haad Rin sits at the southern end and most people arrive one of two ways. From the main beaches and from Thong Sala, the island's ferry town, shared songthaew pickup-trucks run to Haad Rin; fares are usually around 100-200 THB per person depending on distance and how full the truck is. From beaches along the south coast, a longtail boat-taxi straight to Haad Rin is often quicker and avoids the winding road.

On party night some ferries (such as the Haad Rin Queen from Koh Samui) land right at Haad Rin pier, dropping you steps from the sand. If you're staying elsewhere on the island, line up your boat-taxi or songthaew back in advance, because demand after sunrise is brutal and prices climb.

Picture tens of thousands of people packed onto one beach, a wall of competing sound systems, neon paint everywhere, fire shows, and energy that builds through the small hours and peaks around dawn. It's a sensory overload more than a curated festival; there's no single stage or headliner, just zones and bars you drift between.

Go in with a plan rather than expectations of order. Phone signal collapses in the crush, so agree a meeting point with your group before you arrive. The buckets are stronger than they look, so pace yourself if you want to actually see the sunrise. And it's genuinely fine to come for the spectacle, have a few hours, and leave before the heaviest hours; you don't have to rave until 8am to have done it.

The Full Moon Party anchors a whole calendar of smaller events, so there's almost always something on around it. The Jungle Experience runs in the days just before the full moon, an open-air party set back in the island's interior. The Half Moon Festival happens roughly a week either side of the full moon (so twice a lunar cycle) in a forest clearing near Ban Tai, with a more electronic, festival-style production across multiple stages and a separate paid ticket.

The Waterfall Party is a jungle event near Ban Tai for people who want the party energy without the full-moon crowds, often timed close to the Full Moon Party itself. There are also smaller Pre- and Post-Full Moon parties on the nights bracketing the main event. Dates for all of these shift with the moon and can move for holidays, so check a current schedule rather than assuming.

A few realities worth taking seriously. Wear closed shoes, not flip-flops: the sand hides broken glass and the fire skipping-ropes and limbo poles catch the unwary every single party. Keep your drink with you and don't accept open drinks from strangers, as spiking happens. Never swim at night, especially after drinking; the Sunrise beach has strong currents and people drown here. Watch your belongings in the crush, and keep cash and phone in something secure and ideally waterproof.

Drugs are illegal in Thailand and penalties are severe, including for small amounts; police do run checks around Haad Rin and you do not want a holiday to end in a Thai cell. Finally, book your accommodation well ahead: Haad Rin sells out for party nights weeks in advance, so either reserve early or stay in a quieter bay and travel in.