'''Haad Rin''' is on the island of Ko Pha Ngan off the coast of Thailand. Most famous for their Full Moon Party.

Get in

By Boat

From Ko Samui: There are at least 3 ferries a day from Ko Samui's "Big Buddha" pier directly to Haad Rin. Other ferries go to Thongsala, a short songthaew ride away.

By Songthaew

Songthaew pick-up truck taxis are the island's official form of taxi and cost around 100 baht a ride. You might want to consider pre-booking a return trip after the full moon party to avoid paying the extortionate rates that drivers can charge drunken tourists in the early hours of the morning.

Get around

Haad Rin is compact enough to be walkable, although for some of the resorts on the headland you might want to consider a motorbike ride. Motorbike hire is widely available from many vendors. Although there is minimal traffic the hills around Haad Rin are steep and therefore it's not advisable for inexperienced riders to tackle them. Resorts will order transfer by minibus, songthaew or motorbike to and from the pier.

See

Do

  • Jetskiing is available on the beach
  • Train in Muay Thai Boxing
  • Buy

    Eat

  • '''Casanostra''', located near the 7 Eleven. Real home made Italian food.
  • '''Kingfisher'''. Good breakfast, fresh seafood and grilled steaks and big burgers.
  • Om Ganesh. ext to the ferry pier. excellent indian restaurant serving tasty curries

    Drink

    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 trash 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.

  • '''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 though as it separates the hardcore of ravers from the annoying "spring break rules!" types.
  • '''Drop Inn Bar''' at the top end of Haad Rin is 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.
  • '''Mellow Mountain'''. Built into the side of a cliff. After a precarious ascent up the stairs, expect to find 'special shakes' (the "Happy Shake" is the house special) and a very chilled out, laid back atmosphere - perfect if you want to escape the bustle of the beach party.
  • '''Vinyl Club''' is more for dancing to techno, but serves drinks as well. Right next door is '''Zoom Bar''' which offers more of the same.
  • Sleep

    Anywhere up to a week before a Half-Moon or Full-Moon party, the hotels in Haad Rin and the immediate surrounding areas get booked out as the population around the beach swells, with the more comfortable places being taken first. If you're planning to visit about this time, look into staying outside of Haad Rin, and taxi in and out, rooms on the other side of the island are not only cheaper but also much quieter.

  • '''Phangan Sunrise Resort''' [http://www.phangansunrise.com]. All rooms have Twin bed with light comfortable duvets, shower and bathtub , large balcony, safety box, minibar, Wi-fi connection at the whole resort.
  • Tommys Resort. 0/13 Haad Rin East . 077) 375 215-6. 000 b. excellent location beach front bungalows, lively bar playing music throughout the day and great for a drink at night and at the full moon party.

  • Phanganburi Resort. aad Rin Nai Beach. ttp://www.phanganburiresort.net/. 1.00. 0.00. 375 Baht. Phanganburi Resort is one of the finest and largest hotels on Koh Phangan in Thailand. Built at Haad Rin within walking distance of the full moon party the resort offers guests luxury accommodation at very reasonable prices. </sleep>

    Stay safe

    Be very careful where you sleep and store your belongings if you're going for 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...

    Get out

  • Ko_Samui
  • Ko_Tao