Full Moon Party Koh Phangan: Dates, Cost, What to Expect, and How to Stay Safe

The Full Moon Party started in the late 1980s as an informal gathering on Haad Rin Beach on the southern tip of Koh Phangan. It grew steadily through the backpacker boom of the 1990s and is now among the world’s most famous recurring beach parties, drawing between 10,000 and 30,000 people on the night of the full moon each month. The party runs from approximately 21:00 to sunrise, with multiple stages, bars, and fire-show performers spread along the 600-metre beach.

It is emphatically not a quiet night out. It is loud, crowded, occasionally chaotic, and for many travellers arriving from Ko Samui or Surat Thani, it becomes one of the most memorable nights of their trip. Going in with accurate expectations and some preparation makes all the difference.

Full Moon Party Dates 2026

The party takes place on or within a day of the actual full moon, sometimes shifted by a day to avoid conflicts with Thai national holidays. Confirmed dates for 2026 (verify with organisers as dates can shift):

Month	Date
January	13 January
February	12 February
March	14 March
April	12 April
May	12 May
June	11 June
July	10 July
August	9 August
September	7 September
October	7 October
November	5 November
December	4 December

Always confirm dates at www.fullmoonparty-thailand.com or with your accommodation on Koh Phangan - dates occasionally shift.

Entry and Cost

Entry to the main beach area (Haad Rin) requires a wristband: approximately THB 100–200 (as of 2026). Wristbands are sold at the beach entrance. Drinks are sold at bar prices along the beach - expect to pay around THB 150–250 per beer or bucket cocktail. A bucket (typically containing a mix of liquor and a mixer in a plastic bucket with straws) costs approximately THB 250–350.

Budget for the night: THB 1,500–3,000 covers entry, drinks, and a tuk-tuk or boat transfer back to accommodation.

Getting to Haad Rin

From Haad Rin (staying locally): Walk - the village is small and everything is within 10 minutes on foot.

From Thong Sala (the main port town): Around 20 kilometres north of Haad Rin. Songthaews (shared taxis) run frequently to Haad Rin all day; on party night, expect to pay around THB 100–200 and accept that they’ll be packed. Journey time is approximately 40 minutes.

From Koh Samui: Several ferry operators run dedicated Full Moon Party boats from Koh Samui’s Big Buddha or Na Thon piers. These leave in the late evening and return at sunrise. Tickets cost approximately THB 700–1,200 per person return; book in advance in high season. The crossing takes around 30 minutes on a speedboat.

From Koh Tao: Boats run from Koh Tao on party night and return the following morning. Similar pricing to Koh Samui crossings.

What Happens on the Night

The beach runs roughly north to south. The southern section is the most intense - fire shows, the loudest music, and the most densely packed bars. Moving north along the beach, it gets progressively calmer. The first-timer sweet spot is the middle section: close enough to see the fire dancers and hear the full range of music, with enough room to move.

Fire performances are the visual highlight - poi, staffs, ropes, hula hoops, and limbo bars soaked in fuel and lit. These are performed by skilled artists; several hundred baht tucked into the performers’ tip can from a safe distance is the appropriate acknowledgement.

Music covers a wide range: the northern bars tend toward reggae and chill, the southern bars toward progressive house and drum-and-bass. Bring earplugs if you’re sound-sensitive - even stepping 10 metres from a speaker makes a significant difference.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in Haad Rin itself is convenient but noisy if you need sleep the night before or after. The most popular options:

Cactus Bar Bungalows - simple bungalows right on Haad Rin Nok (Sunrise Beach), metres from the party. Doubles from approximately THB 800–1,200 per night; prices spike significantly the week of the full moon.

Paradise Resort - slightly removed from the main strip, more sleep-friendly. Pool, restaurant, rooms from approximately THB 1,500 per night.

Phangan Island Resort - on Haad Rin Nok; good mid-range option with sea-view rooms from approximately THB 2,000 per night in high season.

Many visitors stay in Thong Sala or elsewhere on the island and travel in on party night, avoiding the noise while keeping logistics simple. This works well.

Safety: What to Know Before You Go

The Full Moon Party has a reputation for incidents that are largely avoidable with basic precautions:

Drinks: Never leave a drink unattended, never accept a drink from a stranger, and avoid the very cheap buckets from unlicensed vendors (methanol contamination has been an issue historically). Buy only from established bars.

Fire shows: Keep a safe distance - roughly three metres minimum. Alcohol and fire performances don’t mix. The performers are experienced; the spectators are not always sober.

Belongings: Use a waterproof phone bag or leave valuables at the hotel safe. Pickpocketing in dense crowds happens. Keep cash in a front pocket.

Drugs: Thai drug laws are severe. Possession of even small quantities can result in lengthy prison sentences. Police presence at the Full Moon Party is significant, and undercover operations have been documented.

Getting home: Agree on return transport before the night starts. Songthaews back to Thong Sala run through the night at premium prices; confirm the fare before getting in. If you’ve booked a Koh Samui ferry, don’t miss the boat - the early morning harbour can be chaotic.

Beyond the Full Moon Party

Koh Phangan has reinvented itself over the past decade, and the island now has a well-developed yoga, wellness, and food scene based around Thong Sala and the west coast that has nothing to do with parties. If you’re visiting primarily for the natural beauty, northern beaches like Bottle Beach (only accessible by boat) and Haad Khuat offer dramatic cliff-backed sand and clear water without the Full Moon crowd.

Half Moon Festival and Shiva Moon Party are the two most popular mid-month events, taking place in a jungle venue with a more electronic music focus than the beach party. These draw smaller, more music-focused crowds. Tickets via the festival websites: approximately THB 600–1,000 per person.

The Full Moon Party is worth experiencing at least once - the energy is genuinely unlike anything else in Southeast Asia. But Koh Phangan’s beaches, snorkelling, and food are the reasons to stay longer than the party.