Best Party Hostels
15 February 2026 · 8 min read
Haad Rin beach, 30,000 people, neon paint, and bucket drinks. The complete guide to surviving and enjoying Koh Phangan's Full Moon Party.
What Is the Full Moon Party?
The Full Moon Party is a monthly open-air beach rave on Haad Rin beach, Koh Phangan, Thailand. It started in the late 1980s as a small gathering of travellers and has grown into one of the world's largest regular party events, drawing 10,000 to 30,000 people on peak nights. The party runs from around 9pm until well after sunrise.
The beach splits into zones. Each bar section plays different music: EDM, reggae, drum and bass, hip hop, trance, and Thai pop. Fire dancers perform along the shoreline. Neon body paint stations set up at the beach entrance. The whole strip is about 700 metres of sand, lined with bars selling bucket cocktails ($5-8) and beers ($2-3).
The atmosphere is chaotic, loud, and memorable. It is not a curated festival experience. Think of it as a giant beach house party with 20,000 strangers. The best moments happen at 3-4am when the crowd thins slightly and the music quality improves.
When to Go and How to Get There
The Full Moon Party happens every month, timed to the full moon (dates shift monthly). The biggest parties are December, January, and August. March to May and September to October are quieter months with smaller crowds but the same setup. Half Moon and Black Moon parties fill the gaps on alternate weekends.
Getting there: fly to Koh Samui airport (Bangkok Airways or AirAsia from Bangkok, $40-80) then ferry to Koh Phangan (30 minutes, $10). Cheaper option: night boat from Surat Thani on the mainland ($15, 6 hours). From Koh Tao: Lomprayah catamaran (1.5 hours, $12).
Book accommodation 2-4 weeks ahead for December and January parties. The rest of the year, 1 week is enough. Hostels on Haad Rin beach fill up first. Staying in Thong Sala or Baan Tai is cheaper and only 15-20 minutes away by songthaew (shared taxi, $3-5).
Where to Stay: Party Hostels on Koh Phangan
Slumber Party Hostel is purpose-built for the Full Moon Party crowd: pool parties, pre-drinks, organised group transport to Haad Rin, and a social atmosphere that starts days before the actual event. Dorm beds run $15-25/night during party week (normally $8-12).
Echo Beach Hostel on Baan Tai beach offers a quieter base with its own beach bar and regular shuttle to Haad Rin. Good for travellers who want the party but also want to sleep. Haad Rin itself has dozens of guesthouses and basic hostels within walking distance of the beach; prices double or triple during Full Moon week.
The smart move: arrive 2-3 days before the party. Koh Phangan has more to offer than one night on Haad Rin. Bottle Beach on the north coast is only accessible by boat and has some of the island's best swimming. Thong Nai Pan is a quieter beach with good snorkelling. The Phaeng Waterfall in the island's interior makes a solid day trip.
Survival Guide: What to Bring and What to Avoid
Bring: waterproof phone pouch ($2 from any beach shop), old shoes you do not mind ruining (the beach is littered with broken glass by 2am), a small amount of cash (1,000-2,000 baht, $30-60), and sunscreen for the next day. Leave valuables at the hostel.
The entry fee is 100 baht ($3) collected at the beach entrance. Drinks are cash-only from beach bars. Buckets (whisky or vodka + mixer in a shared bucket) cost 200-300 baht ($6-9). Bottled water is 20 baht ($0.60). Eat before you go; food options on the beach are limited and overpriced.
Avoid: swimming drunk (drownings happen every year), accepting drinks from strangers, walking on the rocks at either end of the beach, riding a scooter home after drinking, and anything offered by strangers on the beach. The party itself is safe for most people who use basic common sense. Pickpocketing is the most common issue; use that waterproof phone pouch.
After the party: shared songthaews back to Thong Sala and other areas run all night ($5-10, prices increase after 3am). Pre-arrange transport with your hostel if possible. The sunrise from Haad Rin beach at 6am is worth staying for if you can make it.
Beyond the Full Moon: Other Parties on Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan has built an entire party calendar around the lunar cycle. The Half Moon Party (jungle setting, techno and house music, smaller crowd) runs two weeks after each Full Moon in a purpose-built arena in Baan Tai. The Waterfall Party happens in a natural jungle setting with a waterfall backdrop.
The Jungle Experience (monthly, week before Full Moon) offers a more curated electronic music event in the hills above Haad Rin. Maya Festival runs periodically with international DJ lineups. All of these draw 1,000-5,000 people, compared to the Full Moon's 10,000-30,000.
Outside of party events, Koh Phangan has evolved into a wellness and yoga destination. The contrast is deliberate: the same island offers both Full Moon Party mayhem and silent meditation retreats. Many travellers combine both. The island's dual personality is part of its appeal.
