Hat Rin travel guide

Hat Rin is home to the world-famous Full Moon Parties when thundering bass-lines rock the beach and the streets are awash with alcohol . There are also Half Moon Parties, Black Moon Parties, Pre-Full Moon Parties – in fact any excuse for a party – on the beach so it has become famous for the almighty blow outs.

Hat Rin is at the southeastern tip of Koh Phangan and has the best and most popular beach on the island with some good snorkelling. It also has the greatest concentration of bungalows which are packed close together (except on the hillsides). The ‘east’ beach, Hat Rin Nok, is more attractive and is cleaned every morning. During the day it is packed with sunbathers, coloured blow-up lilos, a small number of hawkers, volleyball nets and the water is crammed with long-tailed boats. The ‘west’ beach, Hat Rin Nai, is smaller and almost non-existent at high tide; accommodation is slightly cheaper here. The two beaches, less than 10 minutes’ walk apart, are both wonderfully quiet until about 1300, as most people are sleeping off the night’s excesses. At night the noise from generators and the bars can be overpowering on Hat Rin Nok but a few minutes’ walk away from the action towards Hat Rin Nai, the music, incredibly, is inaudible – this applies on full moon nights too. Theft has become a real problem in the area, use safety deposit boxes for valuables and secure bungalows with extra locks wherever possible – especially when sleeping.