Haad Rin, or Hat Rin, is on the island of Ko Pha Ngan off the coast of Thailand. Every month it draws tens of thousands of party goers for the (in)famous Full Moon Party.
- Sea Walk. Various good shops, bars and restaurants including a great Italian restaurant called I Sapori.
Sea Walk. Various good shops, bars and restaurants including a great Italian restaurant called I Sapori.
Most people come for the party, but there are thing to do for the other 27 days between full moons.
- Jetskiing is available on the beach. Be careful as jet ski owners may falsely accuse you of scratching and damaging a jet ski and then try and charge up to 90,000 baht.
Banana boat rides are not for the faint-hearted, the ride is hard and fast.
- Just-Some-Shop. A large, Thai family's shop that sells everything from dinner plates to buckets to fireworks. Pretty cheap and you can find everything you need, including that luminous body paint you've always wanted.
Just-Some-Shop. A large, Thai family's shop that sells everything from dinner plates to buckets to fireworks. Pretty cheap and you can find everything you need, including that luminous body paint you've always wanted.
Haad Rin is packed with both small and large open air restaurants serving Thai and Western food. Street food is readily available all night and several restaurants near the beach are open 24/7.
- All Arena, Soi Drop Inn. Italian, with very good pizza, not far from the beach.
- Casanostra. Homemade Italian food.
- Kingfisher. Good breakfast, fresh seafood and grilled steaks and big burgers.
- Om Ganesh. Excellent Indian restaurant serving tasty curries
- Little Home. Great food in a roofed, but open restaurant. Homely atmosphere provided by the owner's children, pets and Thai soaps on TV. Always busy, even in low season and non-FMP weeks. It's almost impossible to get a table on the night of FMP. Reasonably priced.
- Same Same Burger. Western style hamburger and chips. Different burger and meal types available. Good for late night meal, open 24 hrs.
All Arena, Soi Drop Inn. Italian, with very good pizza, not far from the beach.
Casanostra. Homemade Italian food.
Kingfisher. Good breakfast, fresh seafood and grilled steaks and big burgers.
Om Ganesh. Excellent Indian restaurant serving tasty curries
Little Home. Great food in a roofed, but open restaurant. Homely atmosphere provided by the owner's children, pets and Thai soaps on TV. Always busy, even in low season and non-FMP weeks. It's almost impossible to get a table on the night of FMP. Reasonably priced.
Same Same Burger. Western style hamburger and chips. Different burger and meal types available. Good for late night meal, open 24 hrs.
If you're after party heaven you can't do better than Haad Rin. It is most popular one night a month, the night of the Full Moon Party. Every bar is hopping, the beaches packed with trance, dance, buckets and various other suspicious substances. However, if the sight of thousands of bottles and other rubbish repulses you, make sure you leave the beach area before the sun comes up, or grab a garbage bag and help tidy up a little.
While the Full Moon Party itself is only one day a month, the 3 to 4 days before the full moon party each have several different "parties" per night at different locations in or near Haad Rin, the most famous of which is the Jungle Party and the Pool party. While the full moon party is huge, the days leading up to it are often considered better parties as full moon can be incredibly large, hectic and crowded.
The most popular form of drinking here is "buckets" which consists of a pint of alcohol, ice, and mixer inside a small bucket. These are generally sold at beachside or street side stands. Prices vary from 150-400 baht depending on the type of alcohol. Buckets of local spirits Sangsom and Hong Thong are the cheapest at 150-200 baht each.
- Cactus Bar. A busy place that tends to play R 'n B, pop and all the other chart rubbish that you can hear in any cheesy nightclub the world over. Serves its purpose as it separates hardcore ravers from the annoying backpackers.
- Club 9. The largest indoor club on Ko Pha Ngan just steps away from the famous party beach. Attracts people for its mixture of full moon entertainment, live music, reputable DJs, themed parties and private VIP service. Offers a fresh entertainment atmosphere that differs from the repetitiveness of the beach party scene.
- Coral, Coral Bungalows (Along the road into town, on Hat Rin Nai (Sunset Beach). Pool parties to give some craziness on nights where there isn't some lunar celebration happening. Free taxis cruise the town to take you there. Don't arrive too early - some people got on the taxis at 19:00 expecting a party to find hotel residents eating dinner and swimming at sunset. Lots of sweaty, luminous dancing on tables and questionable activities in the pool. Not quite full on Full Moon madness, but certainly memorable.
- Drop Inn Bar. one the biggest bars on the beach. Cocktails are cheap, they have plenty of beach seating and great fire shows. Music is generally commercial dance mixed in with house. One of the best music selections on a regular night.
- Kangaroo Bar. Below Mellow Mountain and offers the exact same thing, including "happy shakes".
- Mellow Mountain. The most (in)famous location in Haad Rin. After a precarious ascent up the stairs, expect to find 'special shakes' (the "Happy Shake" is the house special, 500 baht each) full of fungal fun. A very chilled out, laid back atmosphere - perfect if you want to escape the bustle of the beach party. Like many similar places in Thailand, police generally ignore the goings on, but be aware it is illegal and so you could be arrested. Many visitors to Haad Rin venture here for at least a look, even if not trying a shake. A full bar is available.
- Vinyl Club. For dancing to techno, but serves drinks as well. Next door is Zoom Bar which offers more of the same.
Cactus Bar. A busy place that tends to play R 'n B, pop and all the other chart rubbish that you can hear in any cheesy nightclub the world over. Serves its purpose as it separates hardcore ravers from the annoying backpackers.
Club 9. The largest indoor club on Ko Pha Ngan just steps away from the famous party beach. Attracts people for its mixture of full moon entertainment, live music, reputable DJs, themed parties and private VIP service. Offers a fresh entertainment atmosphere that differs from the repetitiveness of the beach party scene.
Coral, Coral Bungalows (Along the road into town, on Hat Rin Nai (Sunset Beach). Pool parties to give some craziness on nights where there isn't some lunar celebration happening. Free taxis cruise the town to take you there. Don't arrive too early - some people got on the taxis at 19:00 expecting a party to find hotel residents eating dinner and swimming at sunset. Lots of sweaty, luminous dancing on tables and questionable activities in the pool. Not quite full on Full Moon madness, but certainly memorable.
Drop Inn Bar. one the biggest bars on the beach. Cocktails are cheap, they have plenty of beach seating and great fire shows. Music is generally commercial dance mixed in with house. One of the best music selections on a regular night.
Kangaroo Bar. Below Mellow Mountain and offers the exact same thing, including "happy shakes".
Mellow Mountain. The most (in)famous location in Haad Rin. After a precarious ascent up the stairs, expect to find 'special shakes' (the "Happy Shake" is the house special, 500 baht each) full of fungal fun. A very chilled out, laid back atmosphere - perfect if you want to escape the bustle of the beach party. Like many similar places in Thailand, police generally ignore the goings on, but be aware it is illegal and so you could be arrested. Many visitors to Haad Rin venture here for at least a look, even if not trying a shake. A full bar is available.
Vinyl Club. For dancing to techno, but serves drinks as well. Next door is Zoom Bar which offers more of the same.
Be careful where you sleep and store your belongings if you're going to the Full Moon Party, as every month at this time many people have their bungalows broken into and valuables stolen. There are safety deposit boxes available at many resorts and in the town itself, but there are also reports of theft from some of these. Try find somewhere where you can at least use your own padlock, or stay at one of the higher end resorts if you can afford it. Alternatively, consider not staying at Ko Pha Ngan. You can get a boat over to the party from Ko Samui. If you do have stuff stolen, expect a long line queuing to report thefts at the police station the next day, and to have to pay for a report if you need one for your insurance. It might be a great night out, but it's not so great in the morning when you find yourself with no money and no passport.
Like most of Thailand, visitors should never attempt purchase drugs from numerous young Thai men around town and the beach quietly indicating to people they have them for sale. These sellers are nearly always either undercover law enforcement or in league with law enforcement, who will then promptly arrest you shortly after the transaction is complete. You will then be required to pay a very large fine of up to 5,000-10,000 baht or more on the spot. However, drugs in Ko Phangan may be purchased and used hassle free at various locations that specialize in them, but never from a street tout.