Koh Phangan is most famous for its monthly Full Moon, Half Moon, Jungle Experience, and Waterfall parties. This post breaks down the cost and what to expect when you attend.
Full Moon & Half Moon Parties
The Full Moon and Half Moon Parties take place every month on Haad Rin Beach. The party starts when the sun goes down and lasts well into the next afternoon. There is a $3 (100 baht) entrance fee per person. All the bars along the beach participate and temporary stages are erected on the beach for the many DJs that play everything from techno to hip hop.
There is no shortage of entertainment. We even saw tourists jumping a rope of fire. I wouldn’t recommend that anyone do this. We actually saw a group of 4 get seriously burned after one of them tripped and knocked the others down on the rope.
There are no shortage of vendors selling food, drinks, body paint, and party gear so if you didn’t bring it, you can buy it!
Drinks range from 100-200 baht ($3-$6) for a single drink to 200-500 baht ($6 – $15) for a bucket. You can negotiate with vendors for better rates, but be aware that many of the lower priced bucket vendors pour their liquor from open bottles versus the closed bottles that you see in the buckets. The liquor they pour may not always be what you ordered and in many cases, won’t be the same amount. We found that we were better off paying a little more for vendors that poured the closed bottles into the bucket. Also, the vendors on the streets are slightly cheaper than the vendors that sell along the beach area.
The COVID-19 outbreak happened while we were on vacation in Thailand. As a result, the government decided to cancel the March Full Moon Party. We were bummed, at least until we learned that even though the party was officially “cancelled”, it would still happen.
Now please remember that at this point of the outbreak, the media was still comparing the Coronavirus to the seasonal flu so Dave and I weren’t too concerned. If we knew then what we know now, we probably wouldn’t have gone to the party. All that said, it was epic!
For more information on the Full Moon and Half Moon Parties Click Here
Jungle Experience
The Jungle Experience takes place one day before the Full Moon Party in the Baan Tai Jungle. The venue is an open air, outdoor pavilion that’s wildly decorated with fluorescent artwork, sculptures, and black lights.
Tickets are 600 baht ($20) per person. VIP tickets are also available for 1000 baht per person, but in our opinion didn’t offer much more than the standard entry ticket so save your money.
You’ll find multiple DJs spinning techno and house music into the early hours of the morning while performers dressed in quirky costumes dance and spin fire.
Drinks range from 100-200 baht ($3-$6) for a single drink to 200-500 baht ($6 – $15) for a bucket. In order to buy drinks, you must buy coupons with cash. There are ATMs available. Drink prices are regulated by the venue and are not negotiable.
Doors open at 10pm but the party doesn’t get going until well after midnight, so don’t go early. And there is no outfit too crazy for this party, so come dressed up!
For more information on dates for the Jungle Experience Click Here
Waterfall Party
The Waterfall Party takes place twice a month; two days before and two days after the Full Moon Party. The gates open at 8pm but the party doesn’t get going until well after midnight and finishes at 8am the next day.
The venue consists of a dance stage next to a waterfall with DJs spinning all different types of music from techno to rap.
The entrance fee is 600 baht ($20) per person. VIP access costs a few dollars more and gets you access to the VIP bar above the dance stage as well as transportation through the woods to the party. Otherwise you have about a 1/2 mile walk through the woods stepping over ravines and mud puddles. In my opinion, it was worth a few extra dollars to get the VIP ticket.
For More Information on the Waterfall Party Click Here
Whether you choose to attend one, two, or all three of these parties when you visit Koh Phangan, hopefully this post will give you a better idea of what to expect!
