Full Moon Party in Thailand: description and dates of the parties in Koh Pha Ngan

Here are the descriptions and dates of all the Full Moon Parties and other celebrations that will take place on Koh Pha Ngan island.

The full moon celebrations resumed slowly from October 2021 and have been going on almost "as before" since April 2022, see :
1st Full Moon Party since Covid attracts over 10,000 partygoers in Thailand

What is a Full Moon Party?

Full Moon Party in 2015

A Full Moon Party is an all-night party, normally held on full moon nights, on Haad Rin beach on Ko Pha Ngan island.

See our article :
Koh Phangan Island in the Gulf of Thailand: the complete guide

Sometimes, when the full moon falls on the day of an important Buddhist festival, the Full Moon Party is organised a day before or a day after.

The Full Moon Party therefore takes place every month throughout the year.

During the Full Moon, access to the beach is not free, the money is used for cleaning, collecting waste, cans, bottles, cigarettes...

People staying in beachside hotels don't always pay, as sometimes the hotel includes the tax, but this might not be a good idea if you want to go to bed early!

The party also takes place in the many clubs along Haad Rin beach.

The music is played at very high power, with sounds ranging from techno to trance, drum and bass and reggae.

In addition to music and dance, there are beach games such as skipping rope competitions.

Jumping rope on the beach at full moon

But for many amateurs, it is also an opportunity to get drunk and take drugs.

Alcohol bucket for Full Mooner

Origin of the Full Moon Party

According to Wikipedia, the first Full Moon Party was improvised on Hat Rin beach in 1983 by about 20 to 30 travellers.

The games were then repeated and, over the years, gained worldwide fame by word of mouth.

Today, for many travellers, attending a Full Moon is one of the must-see experiences during a travel to Thailand.

Housing

If you are coming to a Full Moon party, you should book your hotel in advance:

You can compare hotel offers in Thailand with Booking.com

To find SHA++ (SHA extra plus) or quarantine hotels, you need to select the filter "Health and safety": Establishments with health and safety measures.

Security at Full Moon Parties

Drugs

Although many partygoers use drugs, Thailand's drug laws are very strict and the police are reinforced during parties.

There are undercover police officers on patrol and the drug dealers themselves can report drug addicts to the police.

Theft and assault

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of assaults and robberies at parties and bars in the area, leading the UK government to officially warn tourists to be cautious at Full Moon events.

There are also burglaries in hotel bungalows while partygoers are away from their rooms.

Accidents, injuries

On the beach there are many broken beer bottles and cigarettes.

Every month, many revellers cut and or burn their feet and legs at the Full Moon Party, which can be avoided with the right shoes.

Full Moon party schedule in 2023

Sunday 4 June 2023
Sunday 2 July 2023
Thursday 3 August 2023
Thursday 31 August 2023
Friday 29 September 2023
Friday 29 September 2023
Monday 30 October 2023
Monday 27 November 2023
Wednesday 27 December 2023
Sunday 31 December 2023

Many important Buddhist festivals in Thailand take place on full moon days.

Therefore, sometimes the full moon festival can be changed if it falls on a Buddhist festival.

There are four religious holy days that fall on the same day as the full moon.

On these dates, alcohol is not allowed to be consumed anywhere in the country, and for this reason (as well as to respect Buddhist tradition), the Full Moon Festival Committee postpones the festival until the next day or one day in advance.