Haad Rin is the name of a small town on the south east peninsula of the Thai island called Koh Phangan. It is here the world famous Full Moon Party is held every month. Haad Rin is home to the original and still the best full moon party.
Cultures around the world hold the full moon as an important symbol. It represents the feminine, inconstancy, imagination and a time of change – changing tides, changing months and psychological change. The later is graphically exemplified in the story of the werewolf.
In 1987 a bar in Haad Rin decided to hold a birthday party for a friend on the beach. The party was attended by about 200 people. The party happened to fall on the night of the full moon. It was considered a success and those involved decided to do the same again the following full moon. Within ten years the Full Moon Party had become the main economic activity of Haad Rin. All the cheap resorts on the main party beach of Haad Rin Nok (AKA the Sunrise Beach) were replaced with bars and the number of rooms in the town increased dramatically to meet demand. What was once a sleepy town patronized by hippies and backpackers changed into a busy town frequented by party goers.
Haad Rin is a town hemmed in by the sea and mountains. This has prevented it from spreading out like other urban beach areas in Thailand. The advantage of this is that it is easy to walk everywhere in Haad Rin. The disadvantage is that the accommodation is packed close together.
Most of the resorts, hotels and guest houses in Haad Rin are found in and around Haad Rin town and on the smaller and west facing Haad Rin Nai (AKA the Sunset Beach). The only beachfront resorts on the party beach are Palita Lodge and Moon Paradise Resort. The later has some of the cheapest bungalows in Haad Rin.
The beachfront resorts on Haad Rin Nai enjoy great sunsets but the beach itself is not great for swimming. It only takes 5 minutes to walk between the two Haad Rin beaches.
South of Haad Rin Nai is the beach of Haad Sarikantang. It is a white sand beach suitable for swimming. It is a quiet beach even during the night of the full moon.
The full moon party could be described as the full moon parties as each bar on the beach has a sound system that a crowd gathers around to drink and dance. Music at the Full Moon Party varies from psy trance to house to drum and bass to chart music. The party is a well organized and peaceful event.
For anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to go to a beach party attended by 30,000 people the Full Moon Party in Haad Rin is the party to check out.