How to find the best hostels for the Full Moon Party
When you think of the biggest parties in the world – Rio Carnival, Glastonbury, Mardi Gras – most of them take place every year. But Thailand’s Full Moon Party attracts crowds of more than 20,000 people every single month! Not only is it one of the best parties in the world, it’s one of the most unmissable on the backpacker trail. It’s not just the night itself that draws revellers – for two or three days before, and two or three after, the whole island is like one big festival with all of the full moon party hostels alive with fun-loving travellers looking to make some memories.
The Full Moon Party takes place on Koh Phangan’s infamous Haad Rin beach, which is lined with bars, clubs, drink stands and sandy dancefloors. While many of the best hostels for the full moon party are in Haad Rin itself, there are plenty of excellent options in nearby Baan Tai – perhaps the most popular spot, given its much cleaner (and quieter) beach. Our selection of the best full moon party hostels will need to be booked in advance, as places are in high demand. Always check whether they have a minimum stay – some of the hostels ask guests to book in for at least five nights. But It is possible to ship in for the night from Koh Samui specifically for the party. The last ferry leaves Samui at 18:30 and the first one to return in the morning is at 7am – perfect if you’re happy to pull an all-nighter.
Jump straight to:
- Best cheap hostels for the Full Moon Party
- Best hostels for the Full Moon Party for solo travellers
- Best of the rest hostels for the Full Moon Party
Best cheap hostels for the Full Moon Party
With hostels available from £3, a ticket to the party a couple of quid and one of Thailand’s infamous buckets only costing a fiver, it’s easy to keep costs down at the Full Moon Party – particularly if you book your hostel well in advance. To secure the best prices, aim to book ahead, because the closer you sneak to the day, the higher those prices get. Also, prepare to have your inner penny pincher dazzled by happy hour offers, free shots, and alcohol-based prizes for winning games.
Dancing Elephant Beach Club
This Koh Phangan institution has been welcoming guests for 11 years, enticing them with cheap rooms, great vibes and a serene beachside location. The hostel is located 15 minutes from Haad Rin Beach, and 10 minutes from the locations of the Half Moon Party and Waterfall Party, which is held two days before and two days after every Full Moon. While the cheap drinks certainly flow, there’s less peer pressure to get out of your mind here than at some of Koh Phangan’s hostels during peak times. It’s the perfect place to relax and recuperate by day, ready for another night of dancing until dawn. Their murals – over 700m of them – are a colourful sight to behold.
Hostel highlights:
- Beachfront location
- Beach volleyball and gym
- Bar and restaurant
- Bike hire
- Air-conditioning
? Address: 100/1 Moo1, Baan Tai Road, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai
Book your stay at Dancing Elephant Beach Club now!
Phanganist Hostel
Perhaps you’ve heard of Drop In Bar? If not, you certainly will after the Full Moon Party. Open since 1989, it’s the original bar bringing the party on Haad Rin Beach. The Phanganist Hostel is brought to you by the same team, so pack your party hat – things are about to get wonky. This is one of the cheapest and most raucous hostels on the island, with plenty of communal areas ripe for pre-party fun and games, including a swimming pool with poolside bar, sun beds and sun deck. These guys regularly host parties, complete with live DJs and generous drinks offers that cater to even the thirstiest of guests. These guys also run Phanganist, a website that tells you all you need to know about what’s going down on the island, like which DJs are playing where, and the location of the most lucrative happy hour offers.
Hostel highlights:
- Hot tub
- Swimming pool
- Bike hire
- Free drink in Drop In Bar every night
? Address: 140/16 Moo 1, Baan-Tai, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai
Book your stay at Phanganist Hostel now!
Roadtrip Phangan
Located just an 100m stumble from Haad Rin Beach, you can get from Roadtrip to the party in under one minute. The hostel’s location means you won’t have to front for a ticket or cabs either, which is a bonus for you bargain budget hounds. Roadtrip’s dorm rooms may be cheap, but more importantly, they’re clean, comfortable and air-conditioned. They also have a great communal area to hang out in, ideal for mingling with your fellow ravers and revellers.
Hostel highlights:
- 100m from the party
- Air-conditioning
- Helpful staff
- 24-hour security
- Hot showers
? Address: 130/37 Moo 6 Haad Rin, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Haad Rin
Book your stay at Road Trip Phangan now!
Echo Beach Hostel
This is another beachside delight catering to all your lounging needs with their array of hammocks, swings and beach cushions. Alongside cheap beds, Echo Beach keeps guests entertained with yoga classes, games, live music and nightly bonfires. Line your stomach with something from their restaurant – their bargain Thai dishes of the day being a tasty highlight. Echo Beach’s friendly rabble of bar staff always manage to get the party going with drinks specials and games galore, including old faithful’s like beer pong, flip cup and Ring of Fire. Expect to see plenty of trays of free shots doing the rounds too. Buy a ticket to the Full Moon Party from these guys and you get a free taxi and drink upon arrival thrown in.
Hostel highlights:
- Free taxis to Full Moon Party (and all other main parties)
- Daily yoga classes on the beach
- Live DJs
- Body painting
- Free drinks
- Bonfire
? Address: 30 Moo 1, Baan Tai, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai
Book your stay at Echo Beach Hostel now!
Best hostels for the Full Moon Party for solo travellers
Rocking up to one of the world’s biggest parties on your lonesome might feel a little daunting as a solo traveller, but in reality it’s the perfect opportunity to socialise. Everyone you meet is in Koh Phangan to connect, make new friends and have the time of their lives. The best full moon party hostels for solo travellers are those that focus on bringing all of their guests together and creating an environment where everyone feels included. Here are some with the best reputation for doing so…
The Nomad House
Walk in the door and you’ll have ten friends before you’ve even put down your backpack at The Nomad House. This large hostel, which prides itself on providing a home away from home, is ideal for solo travellers who are keen to make a gang of new mates to UV-paint up and boogie on down with. Make no mistakes – this is a party hostel. It’s ideally located in Baan Tai, placing you amongst the pre and post Full Moon action held at the Loi Lay Floating Bar, Jungle Experience and Maya Party. As well as more opportunities for partying than you can shake a glow stick at, Nomad House offers great activities and days trips, including scuba diving, kite surfing, trekking and yoga, should you fancy something wholesome to offset the debauchery.
Hostel highlights:
- Free tea and coffee
- Free yoga six days a week
- Swimming pool, restaurant, bar and nightclub
- Beachside location
- Air conditioning
- Bike hire and parking
- Fitness centre
- Late check out
- Shuttle bus to party
? Address: 99/46 Moo 1 Thong Sala, Bangkrak Beach
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai
Book your stay at The Nomad House now!
Lub D Koh Samui Chaweng Beach
If you fancy staying away from the madness and shipping in for the night, Lub d on Koh Samui is an idyllic spot to do so from. If you’ve been on the road for a while, a night in this ‘social hotel’ offers backpackers luxurious touches with an affordable price tag and plenty of hangout areas primed for getting to know fellow travellers. Make like George Michael and lap up the delights of the ‘The Tropics’ – Lub d’s beach club, featuring a beachfront infinity pool overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, swim-up bar, and floating DJ booth – the perfect place to start the party, or to wind it down the next day.
Hostel highlights:
- Infinity pool
- Beachfront location
- Live DJs
- Bike hire
- Bar and restaurant
? Address: 159/88 Moo 2, Bophut Koh Samui
? Neighbourhood: Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
Book your stay at Lub D Koh Samui Chaweng Beach now!
Mad Monkey Hostel Koh Phangan
Mad Monkey is a superb chain of hostels found across South-East Asia where you’re always guaranteed a fun time. The central feature of this boutique hostel is its pool bar area, overlooked by balconies that give it a sociable, Ibiza-esque vibe. These guys also love a fun activity – I’m talking karaoke, pool parties, quizzes and the like. The hostel is located in Thong Sala, close to where the ferry arrives, so it’s a little further from the Full Moon action. But it’s in a prime location for Koh Phangan’s mountain-top sunset bars, including Secret Mountain and Amsterdam Bar, both of which are top of the pops for getting your evening started in style with pool parties, food and decent cocktails and DJs.
Hostel highlights:
- Pool parties
- Bar and restaurant (serving delicious food)
- Transfers to the party
- Great staff
? Address: 204/30 Moo 1 T, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Thong Sala
Book your stay at Mad Monkey Hostel Koh Phangan now!
Lazy House Shenanigans
Providing the dream party cocktail of central location, swim-up pool bar overlooked by a DJ booth, pool tables and sunny garden, Lazy House Shenanigans is an excellent choice for serious partyers. These guys regularly host big name international DJs, making their Full Moon warm-up pool parties infamous on the backpacker trail. They also appreciate the value in a decent meal, offering all-you-can-eat BBQs before the buckets of Thai whiskey come out. If you book five nights with them around the Full Moon Party, the BBQ is free. Lazy House is one of the biggest hostels on the island, ensuring you meet plenty of new homies.
Hostel highlights:
- Walking distance to the party
- Swimming pool
- International DJs
- Air-conditioning
- Late check-out
? Address: 132/2 Moo 6, Tumbon Baantai, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Haad Rin
Book your stay at Lazy House Shenanigans now!
Best of the rest hostels for the Full Moon Party
These fellas also bring the Full Moon magic…
Shiralea Backpackers Resort
Koh Phangan is a beautiful island and one way to see parts of it that aren’t doused in UV paint is to stay in an entirely different corner to the party. Shiralea Backpackers Resort in Haad Yao is just the spot. Picture bamboo bungalows with shady, hammock-strewn balconies nestled amongst lush jungle surroundings, with a pool and bar in its centre and the beach a short stroll away. The hostel also offers private pod-style dorm beds for those flying solo. Expect wild warm-up parties, drinks deals and transfers to and from the action. It’s also close to Freeway Bar, a banging beach bar ideal for lively sundowners en route to the party.
Hostel highlights:
- Air-conditioning
- Private pod-style dorm beds
- 24-hour pool
- Bungalows
- Hammocks
- Swimming pool and on the beach
? Address: 58/18 Moo 8, Haad Yao West, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Haad Yao
Book your stay at Shiralea Backpackers Resort now!
The Slumber Party
This hostel has got a pretty an ironic name, given chances are you won’t be getting any sleep. At The Slumber Party, which is almost always full to the rafters, you’ll be gifted DJs throughout the day and night catering to a crew of friendly guests partying around the pool, getting in the full moon party spirit. These guys take night time revelry seriously, organising the biggest pub crawl on the island, and banning anyone over the age of 35 from staying!
Hostel highlights:
- Free shots every night
- Swimming pool
- Great pre-party vibes
- Bar and restaurant
? Address: 112/39 moo 1, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai Beach
Book your stay at The Slumber Party now!
Chill Inn Beach Café and Hostel
After the serious ear bashing that is the Full Moon Party, heading back to this dreamy beachside paradise will be just what the doctor ordered. Located on Koh Samui’s heavenly Lamai Beach, the Chill Inn is the perfect place for some R&R after hitting it hard. The food here is sensational, and the Irish and Thai owners cater to their guests every whim like you’re a member of the family. The hostel’s dorms overlook the ocean and there are plenty of areas to lounge in the sunshine or shade.
Hostel highlights:
- Air-conditioning
- Peaceful beachside location
- Live music
- Fantastic restaurant and bar
? Address: 438/118 Moo 1, Maret, Koh Samui
? Neighbourhood: Lamai Beach.
Book your stay at Chill Inn Beach Cafe & Hostel now!
Phangan Arena
It’s always party time at Phangan Arena, a fancy hostel famous for hosting some of the best warm-up parties and pool parties on the island. Plus, it’s only a short stroll to the action – just follow the fire. The hostel boasts all the necessary ingredients for full moon fun, including a swimming pool, 24-hour restaurant and bar, DJs, body painting, and happy hour and drink deals around the clock, perfect for servicing the rowdy games of beer pong the hostel is known for. When the fun is over and you’re nursing a hangover from Hades, lap up their beanbag-strewn chill out zone, complete with PlayStation and a big screen playing all your Netflix favourites. Those that like to sweat out those toxins will love their outdoor gym, soccer pitch and daily yoga classes.
Hostel highlights:
- Pool parties and full moon warm-ups
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Football pitch, beach volleyball and basketball
- 24-hour bar and restaurant
- Pool and ping pong
- Massage centre
? Address: 111 Moo 1 Bantai, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai
Book your stay at Phangan Arena now!
Goodtime Beach Backpackers
If you’re searching for a slightly more intimate party hostel, Goodtime Beach could be right up your street. This party palace offers the perfect mixture of hedonism and relaxation, with gorgeous private bungalows, a treehouse room, and comfortable dorms, complemented by a 24-hour pool, restaurant and bar, offering seriously good drink deals. The hostel is perfectly located close to all the action, but far enough away that you won’t be hearing psytrance in your sleep. During full moon, you will need to book for a minimum of three nights to secure your spot.
Hostel highlights:
- 24-hour swimming pool
- Beachfront location
- Party atmosphere
- 24-hour bar and restaurant
? Address: 101/2 Moo 1 Baan Tai, Koh Phangan
? Neighbourhood: Baan Tai
Book your stay at Goodtime Beach Backpackers now!
We hope this guide helps you to discover the perfect full moon party hostels for your trip to Thailand. Let us know in the comments if you’ve stayed in one of our recommended hostels, or if you’d like to share a hostel that you think other backpackers shouldn’t miss.
Download the Hostelworld app and prepare for the Full Moon Party now!
Keep reading:
? The 20 best hostels in Chiang Mai for every type of traveller
? The ultimate guide to backpacking Thailand
? The best hostels in Siem Reap for every trip
About the author:
Amy Baker is the author of Miss-Adventures: A Tale of Ignoring Life Advice While Backpacking Around South America, and founder of The Riff Raff, a writers’ community that supports aspiring writers and champions debut authors. You can follow Amy on Twitter here.
The post Don’t miss your shot(s)! The best hostels for the Full Moon Party appeared first on Hostelworld Travel Blog.
