5 Awesome Alternatives To Thailand's Full Moon Parties

Thailand’s Full Moon Parties are legendary, with numerous people descending on the beaches every lunar month for a full night of revelry and hedonism. The island of Koh Phangan, notably the beach of Haad Rin, is the home of the awesome parties, though many other islands have started hosting huge beach parties, too. But what if your itinerary doesn’t include Koh Phangnan or your dates don’t coincide with the full moon? Or, if the intense debauchery of the FMP just doesn’t appeal to you? Fret not, for here are five fantastic alternatives for fun-filled nights of dancing, drinking, and cavorting.

Half Moon Parties, Koh Phangan

Swap the beach for the jungle and party all night long at a Half Moon Party, another of Koh Phangnan’s open-air lunar events. The Half Moon Parties take place every two weeks, falling one week before and one week after the Full Moon Party. More akin to an organised music festival than a drink- and drug-fuelled mess, thousands of people come every fortnight to dance to the awesome beats and sink some buckets. Neon body paint is still very much on the agenda too. If you feel peckish head to one of the food stalls to refuel before bumping and grinding to the DJ’s tunes.

Grab a bucket or two for the Half Moon Party

Waterfall Parties, Koh Phangan

There’s no need to be sky with the body paint at the Waterfall Party

Black Moon Parties, Koh Phangan

The lesser-known and more chilled-out of Koh Phangnan’s moon-centred beach events, the Black Moon Parties (officially known as Black Moon Culture) take place on Baan Tai beach. You’ll still feel right at home daubed in neon paint and waving glow sticks, but the overall vibe is a lot more peaceful and mellow. Florescent artwork and psychedelic designs cover the DJ stage, and the hippie vibe is strong. The hypnotic sounds of psychedelic trance fill the air and the thousand-strong crowd dances and chills on the sands.

Patong Beach and Bangla Road, Phuket

If you’re skipping Koh Phangnan altogether and spending your beach time along the Andaman Coast, every night is party night along Phuket’s Bangla Road. Close to Patong Beach, the drinking and dancing may not actually take place right on the beach, but it’s just a short saunter to dip your feet in the sea and feel the sand between your toes. Bangla Road is frenzied, with revellers making their way from bar to bar, gawkers taking in the sights, bar girls fishing for punters, and people trying to sell everything from cheap shots and club admission to tacky bracelets and tickets to ping pong shows. Keep it cheap and grab a bucket from a street vendor or a cold beer from a convenience store, or pay the premium prices for a drink in front of a pole-dancing stage. Whether you’re into drinking, dancing, flirting, or hooking up, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Bangla Road is one of Phuket’s hottest night spots

Walking Street, Pattaya

Just a few hours from Bangkok (itself home to a great night scene) and located along the Thai Gulf, Pattaya may not boast Thailand’s best beaches but it can lay claim to some of the nation’s naughtiest nightlife. Another place where the parties take place on all nights of the week, Walking Street proudly labels itself as Thailand’s Sin City. Attracting a diverse range of people, there’s a bar or club for everyone; couples can have as much fun here as groups of young friends and solo travellers looking for some adult nighttime entertainment. Ping pong shows, pole dancing, prostitutes, and coyote dancers are part and parcel of the Walking Street night scene, though you’ll also find chilled-out joints with mellow music, pool tables, and pub grub.

Pattaya’s Walking Street offers plenty of variety at nighttime

It’s worth keeping in mind that islands such as Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phi Phi have jumped on the FMP train too, offering smaller and more laid-back beach parties for the full moon if you really want to channel your inner werewolf and frolic in the moonlight but don’t quite fancy the chaos on Koh Phangan.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.