The Fool Moon Parties in Thailand got hyped so much through Social Media that it has problems satisfying the expectations of the tourists. Thousands of youngsters from all over the world are still visiting Koh Phangan to go completely wild on the famous beach of Haad Rin. The entire bay will be filled with crazy party people that dance the night away. But is Full Moon Thailand worth going? Let me talk through this in this Thailand travel blog.
During New Years Eve rumours say there are about 40,000 souls where in the low season the number can go down to only 10,000 visitors. I have been there several times and every time I went I had a blast, so my advice is: go crazy, go hard and experience it to its fullest! Make sure there is space in your Thailand itinerary for some crazy wild party! Im sure that island hopping in Thailand won't disappoint you... enjoy the rollercoaster ride, but be a responsible tourist!
How to get to the Full Moon party in Thailand
Traveling in Thailand got so much easier since there is 12Go Asia. This transportation search engine for Thailand compares prices, companies and travel options for busses, boats, trains and even domestic flights in Thailand. Koh Phangan lies in and between Koh Tao and Koh Samui. To get to Koh Tao from Bangkok involves a bus/boat combination ticket. These joint tickets start from 1,000THB and can easily be booked online through 12Go Asia. From Koh Tao to Koh Phangan there are several boats daily.
The easiest way to get to Koh Phangan is by flight/boat through Koh Samui. Keep in mind that flying to Koh Samui is expensive ($150 one-way). There are joint tickets through Surat Thani that connect Koh Phangan by a 2 hour boat approximately. Try to find your most convenient route through the Thailand transportation search engine above and book your ticket to the Full Moon party directly.
Be fun, be crazy
When going to visit Full Moon Party in Thailand make sure you look extraordinary! Have a look at these wicked party cloths. Dress up crazy, it is a once in a lifetime experience. Regardless which party you go: Full Moon or Half Moon, dress to impress
Have no expectations for the Thailand Full Moon party
I would advice you to not have too high expectations. It is not gonna be like the professional organized parties in the Western world. The Full Moon party is one big chaos and actually its not one party but there are loads of small parties going on all concentrated in a huge bay in the South of Koh Phangan. All the hotels lined up at the beach have their own stage, so music will vary every 100-meter. Don’t expect top-notch sound systems, though some resorts have invested a lot over the years. Walk around and find your favorite spot. The location though is amazing and walking from one end of the bay to the other will probably take you about one hour. The earlier in the morning, the bigger the chance you will never reach the other side of the bay anymore.
What are you going to do after Koh Phangan? Traveling to Koh Tao? Check this list of the best things to do, places to see and a list of good restaurants.
What makes the Full Moon party in Thailand so great?
Everyone running around on the beach is kind of lost and its vibe is therefore extremely chill. People are not at all concerned about how they look or what they are wearing and that’s why it feels so uncomplicated and accordingly super relaxed. Loads of people are painted in fluorescent colors and are not wearing more than their bathing suits. Please be aware to not wear your best clothes as the paint is hard to wash out and there is always someone who thinks you need a bit of extra paint somewhere on your body!
On top of that the alcohol is super cheap and can literally be bought in the supermarket directly at the beach or at one of the many stalls. That’s probably why you will find loads of party people walking around with their own bottle of alcohol. If you want to go like a die-hard Full Moon-er then you poor the bottle of alcohol in a bucket add a can of coke to it and you can run around with your own whiskey-coke bucket.
The icing on the cake is that there are mushrooms shakes for sale. Last time I was there I know for sure they were still selling them, cause they fucked me up completely. I probably had one shake too many as I started digging holes in the sand. But as I told you it was a night to remember and I was back just in time to head to the ferry that took me to the airport. If you are willing to try one of these shakes head to either the left or right end of the bay and in the last bar they will serve you one of these bad boys. I drank 4 of them since I didn’t feel anything in the beginning. With me it took a couple hours before they hit me and believe me they hit me hard!
Koh Phangan beyond the Full Moon party
Where is the best place to stay in Koh Phangan? This completely depends what you are looking for. If you are there to just party hard then I advice you to book a place around Haad Rin where the party takes place. Most probably it will only be the place you are going to drop your stuff. Sleeping in this area will be quite difficult as the party keeps on going. So the next day in the afternoon you will still find some crazy dudes dancing on the last tunes of the party. The nights before the party wont be different and loads of there are loads of unofficial pre-parties.
I mostly stayed as far away from Haad Rin as possible. Its not only because I wanted to get away from the party but also because Koh Phangan is more than the Full Moon party. In the North there are gorgeous bays and hiking trails to explore. A lot of times I found these places to be completely deserted and amazingly quiet. My favorite bay is Haad Salad where there is great snorkeling. Ask around for some bars where you can get everything to make you chill to the max if you understand what I mean. It occurred a couple times that I woke up on the beach in the middle of night, still swinging in my hammock!
From Haad Salad there are lovely hiking trails through nature to Ao Chaloklum and beautiful picturesque Haad Khom for those looking for complete isolation. Ask locals in which direction and they will guide you.
For sure rent a motorbike for a couple dollars a day and go across the island. You will be stunned how green, quiet and beautiful Koh Phangan actually is. The majority knows the island cause of the Full Moon party but what those people don’t know is that it’s also a famous yoga retreat. I’m not into yoga myself but there are plenty places completely devoted to yoga.
Half Moon festival
To me the best party is actually not the Full Moon party but the Half Moon Festival located in the center of the island, to be precise, somewhere in the jungle. This is more what you really expect from a party. It can’t be seen anymore as a warm up to the actual Full Moon party as it is in fact a way better party. It’s called a festival and its location, setting, line-up and organization live up to that. Be prepared to pay about $30 for a ticket, but then in return you will get something like this. The next video makes you willing to skip the Full Moon party and plan this Festival in your itinerary!
And yes it is half moon twice a month, which means the party is also been held two times per month. For their full website head to: www.halfmoonfestival.com
Are you already excited to visit Thailand? Have a look at my 62 Thailand travel tips to make the most of your holiday! with all info about visas, vaccinations, where to stay, festivals, what not to do in Thailand and many more ideas you might not have thought about. What about naked sushi? Or a ladyboy show? Scuba diving courses? Thailand is full of surprises and I feel blessed to have been visiting so many times. Never a dull moment in Thailand. Go to my Thailand page to see all my Thailand travel blogs!