The Full Moon Party has become a world-famous event that almost every traveler has heard of. As many as 30,000 people from all across the world gather together to join the celebration.
Dancing alongside thousands of travelers on a stunning beach beneath the full moon is an extraordinary experience. The monthly gathering is arguably the most epic party in Thailand, and one of the craziest beach parties in the world.
If the Full Moon Party Koh Phangan isn’t already on your bucket list, then it certainly needs to be.
The only way to reach Koh Phangan is by ferry. As there is no airport on the island, everyone arrives by ferry from either Koh Samui or Don Sak Pier in Surat Thani.
The fastest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Phangan is by flight and ferry. Numerous flights operate between Bangkok and Koh Samui, with a flight time of approximately one hour. When you arrive at Koh Samui airport, you will find ticket counters selling onward travel to Koh Phangan.
A more affordable but slower way to travel is by catching a bus/train to Koh Phangan. The tickets will be joint transportation (bus/train/ferry). If using this option, it is better to find an overnight bus or train and to spend the journey sleeping.
The tickets for the overnight trains usually sell out fast, so we strongly advise to book at least seven days in advance. Not the same is true for the buses, and you can usually book these just a few hours before.
Getting from Phuket to Koh Phangan is just as easy, by either flight or bus. The bus departs from Phuket bus station and travels to Donsak Pier. When you arrive at the pier, you will take a ferry to the island. The overall journey time is around 7.5 hours.
Just like when traveling from Bangkok, you can also fly from Phuket to Koh Samui and catch a ferry across to Koh Phangan. Despite being quicker, flying will always be the more expensive option.
To get to Koh Phangan from Koh Tao or Koh Samui, you will need to take a ferry. The fastest boat operator is Lomprayah, which you can book directly via their website.
Ticket prices from Koh Tao to Koh Phangan are between 500 to 600 baht, with an overall journey time of roughly one hour. The journey time from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan is just over an hour, and the tickets are around 300 baht.
People usually start to arrive for the party around 10 pm although it doesn’t reach its busiest until around midnight. The party is all night long until the early hours of the morning.
The days leading up to the full moon party are usually just as exciting, with plenty of other enjoyable events to choose from — these include the waterfall party, the jungle party, and the half-moon party.
What To Wear To The Full Moon Party
Throughout the island, many shops sell full moon party attire. The clothes consist of bright-colored vests or shorts, covered with the full moon party written on them. You will find most people at the party wearing them.
The idea of wearing next to nothing in clothing is so you can cover your skin in neon paint from one of the many artists on the beach. The paint comes in bright fluorescent colors, and you will see party-goers covering their legs and body in some trendy designs.
The UV Paint is the norm at these parties, and it seems that the more you wear, the trendier it is. The paint will stain your clothes, so it’s a good idea to invest in some party clothing.
It’s also a good idea to wash all of the paint off before you go to sleep, as hotels will charge you if you stain their bedding or towels.
It costs 100 baht for entrance to the full moon party, although you can avoid paying this if you are already staying on Haad Rin Nok beach.
Drink plenty of water throughout the night to keep hydrated. Hopefully, it should help with the morning hangover, too. Never underestimate the drink buckets as they contain a high percentage of alcohol. Pace yourself with the drinks, and you might even make it to sunrise.
Assuming you don’t want a cut foot or worse, we advise you to wear trainers. The beach contains a load of rubbish, broken glass, and other hazardous objects. Flip flops are not a feasible option, and to be honest, you’ll lose them within the first 20 minutes anyway.
Using drugs in Thailand is a serious offense and comes with severe penalties. No matter what other people tell you: if you get offered drugs at the full moon party or anywhere else in Thailand, then walk the other way.
Often, police officers will go undercover to try and bait tourists into buying drugs. The only thing you’re actually buying, though, is a fast ticket to jail. The best-case scenario is you will be asked for a hefty bribe. But failure to pay that, then you may find yourself in a Thai prison. And let me tell you, Thai Prison is not a place you want to visit.
Leave your bike at the hotel/hostel and take a taxi. By leaving your bike behind, you avoid any temptation to drink and drive back home.
For the sake of a few hundred baht, then we strongly advise taking a taxi to and from the full moon party. There is no shortage of taxis operating throughout the night.
With plenty of accommodation choices available on the island, you will want to stay in the Haad Rin area (full-moon party beach) to be close to the action. We always advise booking your accommodation at least a few days in advance as rooms tend to sell out quickly around this period.
You can also stay on the neighboring island Koh Tao and take a taxi boat to and from the full moon party.
And don’t forget to make friends and bring them back to Koh Tao with you after to do a spot of diving with the best Dive center on Koh Tao Big Blue Diving.
