Haad Rin is a small town that stretches along a narrow peninsula. It is the only area in Koh Phangan with both a sunrise and a sunset beach. Not only is it the place to be to celebrate the full moon, it is the best place to be to catch spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Most of the accommodations in Haad Rin are in the town, near Haad Rin Nok and on Haad Rin Nai. Just south of Haad Rin Nai is another beach called Haad Sarikantang (also called Haad Seekantang and Haad Leela). This also has a few places to stay.

 

Minimum Stay Requirement

 

Nearly all the resorts, hotels, guest houses and bungalow operations in Haad Rin have a minimum stay requirement during the Full Moon Party period. At present we haven't been able to find out exactly how many nights it is in several instances. You can obviously find out when booking. Expect between 3 and 7 nights. All prices mentioned to the right include tax. Several resorts have promotions that involve staying 4 or 5 nights and getting one night free. During the full moon many resorts etc. have a promotion black out meaning these promotions do not apply.

 

Breakfast

 

Many places in Koh Phangan, and especially Haad Rin have a compulsory breakfast policy. If you see 'W/BF' on the booking page it means the price of breakfast is included in the room price. Breakfast is usually a buffet with bacon, eggs, toast, fruit, coffee and tea.

 

Haad Rin Nok

 

The only place on Haad Rin Nok that is completely on the beach is Palita Lodge. Drop in Club Sunrise is just off the beach. Moon Paradise Resort and Paradise Bungalows are just on the edge of the southern end of the beach. Haad Rin Nok is unusual in having very little beachfront accommodation. This is because the beachfront is devoted to clubs, bars and bucket stands. It truly is a party beach. Even when there isn't a Full Moon Party it is a loud and happening place that is great for those who want to enjoy nightlife but not suitable for those seeking a quiet night's sleep. Don't worry about not being on Haad Rin Nok, Haad Rin is a small place and it is easy to walk everywhere on the map opposite.

 

Haad Rin Nok is the best beach on the peninsula for sunbathing and swimming - the sand is fine white and the water gets deep not too quickly or too slowly. There is also only a small tidal variation.

 

Haad Rin Nai

 

Haad Rin Nai is the sunset beach. Here you will find plenty of beachfront places to stay. During the Full Moon Party this beach also has sound systems. However, outside of the Full Moon Party dates it is a much quieter beach and preferred by many as the place to stay.

 

There is a ferry pier in Haad Rin Nai with regular boats to Maenam in Koh Samui. The main boat to do this journey is the Haad Rin Queen. It is a medium sized boat that gets very full around party times. People arriving from Koh Samui on the day of the party are charged 100 Thai Baht FMP surcharge. For the Haad Rin Queen timetable click here.

 

Altough Haad Rin Nai beach is a quieter and less crowded beach, it is not ideal for either swimming or sunbathing as the bay is used for boat traffic. Most people prefer to spend their time on Haad Rin Nok.

 

Haad Sarikantang

 

'Haad' or 'Ao' means 'beach' in Thai. As mentioned before this beach is also spelt 'Seekantang'. It is reached by going up the main Haad Rin road and turning right up a hill. A path suitable for bikes and cars goes over the hill and down to the beach.

 

Haad Sarikantang is a long narrow beach that has fine, white sand and is suitable for swimming. It is one of the few places in Koh Phangan where mangroves can be seen.

 

It is a popular beach, but doesn't have bars with big sound systems. The noise of the Full Moon Party does not carry to Haad Sarikantang . There are a few mid-range places to stay on Haad Sarikantang. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from Haad Sarikantang to the Full Moon Party.

 

Cheaper Options

 

For those on a budget, all the places in Haad Rin with their full moon tarifs might seem a bit expensive. Although shared taxis are expensive on the night of the party, it is often cheaper to stay outside of Haad Rin and just travel in for the party. The neighboring beach of Ban Tai has some cheap places to stay. Also Haad Yuan which you can reach by walking or longtail boat from Haad Rin Nok also has basic bungalows. Haad Yuan is without mains electricity and uses generators which are turned off at night. Farther up the east coast is Than Sadet. It is a beautiful and secluded beach with cheap fan bungalows.

 

To find out more about the other beaches in Koh Phangan check out the Koh Phangan rooms page that has prices for accommodations on Koh Phangan and also links to various beach guides.