Koh Phangan full moon party with kids – Ultimate Guide

Whilst definitely not on every families bucket list when visiting Thailand with kids we really wanted our daughter to experience the craziness of a full moon party. We’ve never avoided any part of life, in fact we embrace a life of creativity, music and smart decision making. We take her to Glastonbury every year which is essentially a full moon party in a muddy field that lasts for days! But we wanted to do it in as safe, sensible and stress free way as possible. I knew it would be a bit different to attending as adults only and would absolutely take more planning. Hopefully this post will make it as easy as possible for you to attend the Koh Phangan full moon party with kids and hopefully put some of your worries to rest.

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Is the Full moon party in Koh Phangan suitable for kids?

First up the biggy – is the full moon party suitable for kids? I’d read all the horror stories about the hedonism, crime and crowding so spent hours crawling the internet to find how true they were. Each family is different and will have different limits of what is and isn’t appropriate. We are pretty liberal but I still don’t want to expose my daughter to anything upsetting or unsuitable.

We spent several hours from 6pm until 11pm exploring the main beach area of the party and am happy to report we saw nothing unsuitable. Yes there were drunk people later on in the evening but nothing worse than you often see in the UK. The beach is also big enough and quite enough at either end that any thing you want to avoid is pretty easy.

That said, we left my husband and his friend at the party as we returned back to our villa with the kids and they reported back that it got a lot worse after midnight. Yes all the things you’ve heard about happening happened and they became a lot harder to avoid. So my main advice is to arrive and leave early. You’ll still get the full moon experience without the stress. Stay on the main Haad Rin beach area and the larger restaurants. Do not veer off down dark side streets and if a place starts to feel too crowded, head somewhere else.

You’ll see lots of signs, T shirts, magnets etc. It will wash straight over most kids heads.

What will you see at the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan

Now for some of the reasons to take the kids to a full moon party – what you will see. It’s essentially up to 20,000 strangers from all over the world having a party on a beautiful beach. Most are just very happy to be there and people watching is always heaps of fun when everyone is full of joy. And I think kids always pick up on happy atmospheres.

Kids will probably get very excited about the huge amount of fluro. There are temporary tattoo stalls all over the beach so get involved and let them choose a design. They’re not very expensive and they do look really cool. All the locals who were working the stands were really friendly and it was lovely chatting to them as they worked their magic.

You’ll also see fire shows and plenty of them, all along the main beach. These are where extremely talented locals put on a display dancing with lit ropes and sticks. It really is quite something and the kids will be transfixed.

You’ll be able to watch them use lit ropes as skipping ropes and fiery sticks as limbo posts. Party goers are are invited to test their ability (and sobriety) by taking part. And you’ll likely see several revellers stumbling over, tripping on ropes, singeing their hair. Don’t do this, especially in front of the kids. It’s harder than it looks and really not worth the risk.

The Main action takes place on Haad Rin beach. Restaurants, bars, nightclubs and street sellers line the sand with dance music of all sorts banging out from huge speakers. There will be dancers on stages and DJs in booths. It’s like one huge open air nightclub. Crowds will be dancing on the sand, laughing, drinking and jumping to the music. Kids will find it easier closer to the water or on the outskirts of the main crowds. We didn’t find the competing music too loud but if you think your kids will struggle with it, bring some noise cancelling headphones or just carry on walking to find somewhere quieter.

How to get to the Full Moon Party

If you’re just there for the night

If you’re visiting the Full Moon party from Koh Samui then it’s best to pre book the boat across. Tours will also include travel from your accommodation to the pier on Koh Samui and insurance for when you’re on the speedboat. If you think the kids will last then you can also book you return journey on a boat that leaves Haad Rin pier at 1am. This is the one we ended up catching after a lot of confusion. There’s no real need to pre book the return, most party goers do not leave the party until a lot later so the boat will be practically empty.

Getting to Koh Phangan from Koh Samui by speed boat is very simple. We were picked up in a fantastic songthaew from outside our villa, dropped to the pier where we picked up our speedboat tickets and relaxed with a cold drink while we waited to board. We were give life jackets and the journey took just over an hour. It was great fun splashing through the waves, the spray was great to cool us down on the way.

We mistakenly presumed that the boats would run too and from the island every hour. Which they do at the start of the night and after sunrise so when we arrived at the pier at 11, ready to head back to Koh Samui we really struggled to find a boat. We also struggled to communicate with the few people around the pier.

Eventually we figured out there would be a boat at 1 so basically hung around the concrete pier (not wanting to head back into the party so late). The journey back, although quick was absolutely terrible with rough waves in the dark. I spent most of it crying. Whilst the kids slept through the journey this is not something I would ever do again and if the weather is really bad the boats wont risk the trip. So – if your at the Koh Phangan Full Moon party with kids either leave before 10pm or pre book some were to stay on the island.

If you’re staying on Koh Phangan

If you’re staying on the island then traveling is a lot easier. You can hop on a ferry from Koh Samui, Koh Tao or Donsak near Surat Thani. There are several ferries each day, they are large, very safe and super cheap. You can pre-book your tickets before you travel or just turn up on the day.

The only way to get to Koh Phangan is by boat. There is no airport on Koh Phangan, the nearest are on Koh Samui or Surat Thani then you’ll need to get a bus or taxi to the port.

What time does the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan start?

The party starts at around 7pm, when the sun starts to go down and continues until dawn the next day. This is one heck of a long time to be partying and I doubt there are many kids who would go the distance. There will be a party atmosphere around Haad Rin from early afternoon of the day of the party so don’t worry about there being nothing to see if you arrive (and leave) early.

Tickets to the full moon party on Phangan

You don’t need to pre book tickets to the full moon party. Once you get off your boat just follow the crowds to the alleys heading on to the beach. Here you’ll go through a security checkpoint, maybe have your bag checked and get your party wrist band. It currently cost 200 Thai Bhat to attend which is just under £5. If you rock up before 6pm it will be before they have finished setting up so unlikely that you will need to pay.

What to eat at the Full Moon Party

You will not go hungry during the Full Moon party but you might not always be able to get exactly what the kids want. I’d have a decent sized meal before you head in to the party and then top up with delicious street food when you’re there. We indulged in the delicious freshly cooked corn and sweet chocolaty pancakes when a sugar hit was required.

If your kids just want something they recognise then there are plenty of convenience stores where you can get crisps, drinks and chocolate bars.

You can also grab a table at one of the restaurants bordering the party. It is quite nice to have a sit down and a rest away from the craziness.

What to drink at the Full Moon Party

Firstly lets cover what not to drink. The dreaded buckets! These are basically plastic buckets with a mini bottle of spirits, and a mixer and they are sold from street stalls EVERYWHERE. Yes they look super fun and sound like a great idea to get you in the right mood but they are always ridiculously strong. The alcohol component is often local spirits rather than the brands you are used to. You might pick up a seemingly innocent looking bucket with a smirnoff and can of coke but some bucket sellers will just scoop up a bucket full from a barrel under their table when you’re not looking. You have no idea what’s in this or how clean the bucket is. Yuck!

I’ve heard of so many people getting drunk unusually quickly or being sick after just one bucket. This is the last thing you want if you’re at the party with kids. This is where you need to stay alert. By all means buy one to help the locals, they’re pretty cheap and make for a good photo op.

If you do fancy a drink then you can buy cans from one of the many shops and stalls or just pop into a bar or restaurant for a cooling beer. Many places will do smoothies or cans of pop for the kids. And of course, this being Thailand make sure you always have a bottle of water with you – dehydration sucks for kids and adults.

What to wear to the Full Moon party

Anything goes at the full moon party. We saw everything from basic shorts and T shirts to bright fluorescent full body suits. I recommend whatever feels comfortable with a bit of added sparkle to get you in the part mood. Wearable glowsticks and lightup glasses make for fun, low cost accessories. The main thing is closed toed shoes. Sandals or old trainers are perfect. There can be broken glass and goodness knows what else on the sand and in the streets.

The shops lining the alleys down to the beach sell all sorts of Full Moon appropriate outfits so you can easily pick up a fluorescent T shirt or pot of UV face-paint when you’re there.

Staying safe at the Full Moon Party with kids

We felt completely safe at the full moon party (apart from on the boat back) but whenever large crowds and kids are involved I think its best to take some basic safety precautions.

Whilst I know you’ll keep a tight grip on your kids incase the very worst happens, write your phone number on their arm. Use something waterproof to avoid it sweating off. This will make reuniting so much easier.

As soon as they’re old enough to understand it’s a good idea to agree a meeting point. Choose somewhere well lit, preferably close to officials and easy to remember. Hopefully it will never be needed but the ticket entrance to the party is a good one on Koh Phangan.

Make sure you know what they’re wearing if you do lose each other. Better still, have a photo of them in their outfit for the night on your phone.

Don’t let them wander off. Make sure inquisitive little ones don’t get too close to the fire shows or get swept along by the crowds.

Don’t go in the sea in the dark, stay where it’s well lit and trust your gut – you’ll know where feels unsafe.

Wear a money belt or pouch to keep your valuables in. It’s easy to pick pocket a backpack when you’re distracted. Keep your water bottle, changes of clothes for the kids and maybe a small towel in your pack instead. Don’t bring too much cash or your valuables. A photocopy of everyones passport is also a good idea, this goes for everywhere you go in Thailand – just in case.

If you fancy street food opt for something well cooked and clean looking. You don’t want to get sick.

There are sleeping areas along the sand although I would not use it for a child unless it was early on in the night. It seems that these are mostly use for people too inebriated to stand up. Friends dump their buddies on the mats and continue partying, safe in the knowledge they aren’t going to get trampled on. It’s a good idea, just not for kids.

What age should I take my kids to a full moon party

This is a hard one as all kids and parents are different. Our girls were 8 and 9 during our visit and they absolutely loved it. But they are used to crowds and load music from the festivals we attend each year. This is not the place to bring a baby or toddler. It’s also probably not the place to bring any kids who tend to wander off or get scared of loud noises.

Remember, if the kids have a melt down or get upset at all just head back to your accommodation or to the pier to get the next boat back to Koh Samui. Or just take a break in a quiet restaurant.

Where to stay to visit the full moon party in Ko Phangan

We stayed off island in Koh Samui for our visit to the full moon party. Koh Samui with kids is absolutely magical but it did make it harder getting to the party and back to a comfy bed once the kids were tired. If we go again I’ll definitely book a few nights on Koh Phangan over the full moon.

The drawbacks of staying off island were mainly around how hard it was to get back to Koh Samui, how few boats there are between 11pm and 5am and the rough waves in the dark. It was lovely to get back to our gorgeous pool villa near Bophut and crash in a comfy bed. Hotels on Ko Phangan can be very expensive over the full moon days, you often have a to book at least three nights and you must do it in advance. DO NOT just turn up on Koh Phangan on the morning of the party expecting to be able to find a room – you wont.

Hotels and rentals

There are lots of hotels to choose from on Koh Phangan. Just have a look at Agoda for the best prices for your trip to the Full Moon Party. Or if you would rather your own space, VRBO have plenty of rental options. Just remember, if you want to be able to walk to the party you’ll need to be staying close to the Haad Rin area of the island. Otherwise you’ll need to get a taxi which can be expensive and hard to get on the night of the full moon.

Toilets at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan

Some public toilets in Thailand are amazing, some not so much. I imagine the public toilets in Koh Phangan are normally fine but there definitely aren’t enough to cope with the thousands of people who attend once a month. They cost around 10 – 20 baht to use. You pass them on most of the sidestreets heading away from the beach – they’re not great and the kids may struggle. It’s probably best to pop into a bar or restaurant, buy a drink and use theirs. Make sure you bring toilet paper and hand sanitiser, not everywhere has this.

Upcoming Koh Phangan Full Moon Party dates

There is always a huge party on New Years Eve plus some smaller parties for half moons, quarter moons, colourful moons, jungle parties, waterfall parties, pretty much every day can be party day on Koh Phangan. The upcoming dates for the official full moon parties are:

25th January 2024

25th February 2024

24th March 2024

23rd April 2024

23rd May 2024

21st June 2024

22nd July 2024

19th August 2024

17th September 2024

18th October 2024

15th November 2024

15th December 2024

31st December 2024

So have I convinced you? Would you go to the Full moon party in Koh Phangan with kids? Let me know in the comments below.

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