Party in Thailand: Where to Go!
Key Takeaways
To party in Thailand: Bangkok for rooftops and Khao San, Koh Phangan for the Full Moon, Koh Samui for beach clubs, Phuket for Patong. Each area has its own vibe, choose according to your style (clubbing, beach party, ladyboy show).
When we go on vacation, we’re here to have fun! In this article, I will give you the 4 places I enjoyed to party in Thailand or have fun in the simplest way possible!
Most of the time when we are on vacation, we are here to have fun and so are the other tourists! Most of the time partying rhymes with alcohol! That’s true and false, you can have fun without drinking or drink without excess!
One of the bad images that foreign tourists give is that they are always drunk or that they drink a lot of alcohol! Well, I can tell you that it’s true because I have experienced it!
The places I will mention below are among the places where I had some of my best moments in Thailand!
I will give you the 4 places I liked to have fun and party in Thailand:
Did you know?
The Full Moon Party of Koh Phangan attracts up to 30,000 people per night during the high season months (December to February). It has been held on Haad Rin Nok beach since 1985, originally for a small group of backpackers.
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Koh Phangan, the island of the Full Moon Party,
Not mentioning this island which hosts the famous Full Moon Party would be a mistake, I talk about this island and its parties in another article: the full moon party in Thailand.
Why I liked partying here is because you come back with an unforgettable memory of Thailand and you no longer see life the same way, you are changed! The atmosphere is designed so that you have fun! Every night there are several bars (I especially think of the cactus bar) where there are juggling demonstrations with fire props or also fire jump rope! It’s very funny until you get burned because it hurts a lot!
You can also find pool parties, very nice!
My experience
My best party memory in Thailand: a Half Moon Party in Koh Phangan, more intimate than the Full Moon. 3,000 people, jungle, techno DJ, fluorescent everywhere. More authentic than the “instagrammable” version of the full moon.
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Koh Phi Phi, the best island to party
Place Type Peak period Khao San (Bangkok) Backpackers All year round Sukhumvit (Bangkok) Chic clubbing All year round Koh Phangan Full Moon Party December-March Patong (Phuket) Beach clubs November-April Chaweng (Koh Samui) Beach bars November-April
Koh phi phi is a small island but on its main beach, there are many bars where you can party. The advantage on this island is that the music stops at 2 a.m. for most bars, so you have the possibility to sleep unless you are next to the only bar on the beach that stops its music at 3 a.m., which is the bar called ‘le stone’ (Bars in Koh phangan close at sunrise, there are two in particular)!
The other alternative before 11 p.m. is to go to the bar where you find the challenge of eating a super multi-layered sandwich in 30 minutes! It seems impossible but I have seen people succeed! In this bar, there are also foreigners who do Muay Thai fights; they are people like you and me who have a match for fun! There are as many fights with boys as with girls!
I remember a girl knocked out another girl but they did not know each other! They are ruthless, indeed a memory of Thailand.
Advantages
- Legendary parties (Full Moon, beach clubs)
- Very cheap beers and cocktails
- Variety of atmospheres
- Open air all year round
- Overall safety in tourist areas
Weak points
- Lots of tourist traps (Khao San)
- Drugs to avoid (very heavy penalties)
- Excessive noise some nights
- Pollution on party beaches
- Risk of accidents on scooters
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Koh Tao, the diving island
Better known as the diving island, one of my best places in Thailand, Koh Tao holds a charm with its very beautiful beaches. The most popular beach, Sairee Beach, where more than twenty diving centers are located, also has many bars, the most famous being the “lotus bar”. People who arrive there are less party-goers than on the neighboring island (Koh Phangan) but parties happen quite often, at least once every two days! They are there to enjoy and have a good time in Thailand!
The classic trap to avoid
Never touch drugs in Thailand, even if they are offered to you by other travelers. The penalty can go up to life imprisonment or the death penalty for trafficking. Checks at the exit of parties are frequent.
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Ko San Road in Bangkok,
The backpacker district of Bangkok is a very lively place all evening until at least 2 a.m.! You will find many bars and also many street vendors selling food and souvenirs! It was here that I tried fried insects for the first time! By the way, fried worms are delicious, but not the cockroaches! There are also street performers or musicians!
Every night there are live shows in the bars to attract tourists!
Some additional resources if the topic interests you: best-of 10 best to lay the foundations, conseil voyageur celebrates for practical aspects, and party in Tokyo to go further.
Find other articles on Southeast Asia here
Where to party in Thailand?
Bangkok for rooftops, Koh Phangan for the Full Moon, Phuket (Patong) for beach clubs, Pattaya for the ladyboy atmosphere.
When is the Full Moon Party?
Every full moon night on the island of Koh Phangan, Haad Rin Nok beach. Calendar available on fullmoonpartythailand.com.
Is alcohol expensive in Thailand?
Local beer (Singha, Chang) at 1-2€. Cocktails at 5-8€ in bars. Bottled alcohol taxed in supermarkets (often 30-50% more expensive than in France).
