As much as we hate it, Winter Wonderland is over and it's time to hit the beaches and embrace summers. And what better than attending one of the WILDEST beach parties on a BUDGET!
How to get there
From Koh Samui
Like the name suggests, the Full Moon Party happens every month on the pristine beaches of Koh Phangan, the island is accessible by a ferry which plies every half an hour from Koh Samui. The distance between the island is 12km so getting to Koh Samui on a flight is the fastest way to reach Phangan. However the flight tickets are usually very expensive.
From Surat Thani
Surat Thani (not Surat) is the closest airport to Phangan and its slightly cheaper to get tickets to Surat Thani than Koh Samui. It takes about 4-5 hrs on the ferry which you can get from Donsac Pier.
Stay in Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan is a small island and during the parties can get packed quiet early. There are multiple stay options on the island from travel hostels to comfortable hotels. We stayed at this beautiful hotel called Neptune Villa. It had a private beach access and comfortable rooms. It's located at a 800 mtr distance from the main party beach.
FULL MOON PARTY
The party happens at Haad Rin Beach. Although the main beach party is an over night party which starts at around 5PM it picks up at around 7pm and the rush lasts till 2PM after which it starts becoming dead, so don't assume its going to be the same the entire night.
The entry to the party is fairly easy, you do not need to book it in advance (many online sites will tell you to). The entry is around 1500 INR and you can get your tickets right at the beach entry.
Must try the bucket alcohol which starts from 120 BHT all the way to 250 BHT (with a scope for bargain) because everyone is selling it.
Cannibis is legal in the country so you get pre rolled joints at some stores along with cannibis tea, chocolates and brownies.
The party typically has around 3000 people and can get very crowded in the peak hours so make sure to not carry any valuables, phones are fine but be cautious.
Navigating through the party
The beach stretches upto 1.5km with 3 zones different kinds of music playing in each zone. Right most is where you'll find EDM, Psychedelic and house as you move towards the left it moves into the direction of commercial & hip hop. The left most shack is an LGBTQIA+ shack where you'll find people from across orientations and geographies.
There are many fire shows, fun games and different kind of dances happening across the beach so make sure you take a round of the entire stretch and don't stick to one shack.
If you survive the night you must stay till the sunrise and experience the morning vibe of the beach, you'll find people in small groups partying or simply lying around and relaxing.
AFTER PARTY
Koh Phangan is a party island especially during the 3 days of the full moon party. In the western coast of the island there are many beach parties happen for the next 2 days of the full moon party. One of the popular ones is the Samsara Party.
Keep an eye out on the posters across the island they will indicate the many after parties happening on the island.
Last and most importantly, while Koh Phangan is a party beach it has the prettiest sunset beaches. So DO NOT just stay there for a day and spend atleast 2-3 days exploring the island.
