Going to the Full Moon Party solo is not weird.
If anything, Koh Phangan on Full Moon week might be one of the least weird places on earth to arrive alone.
People are coming in from everywhere.
The harder part is getting yourself there without somehow ending up at the wrong pier with a ferry ticket for tomorrow.
So we'll start with that.
The Full Moon Party is held on Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan.
Koh Phangan doesn't have its own airport.
That means the final part of the journey is by boat.
The easiest airport for most people is Koh Samui.
You fly to Koh Samui, transfer to one of the ferry piers and take a boat across to Koh Phangan.
The other common route is flying into Surat Thani on the mainland, then taking ground transport to a pier and a ferry out to the island.
Surat Thani can be cheaper.
Koh Samui is usually easier.
Around Full Moon dates, I'd book the ferry rather than assuming you can casually sort everything five minutes before departure.
A lot of other people have had the exact same idea.
If the whole reason you're on Koh Phangan is the Full Moon Party, staying around Haad Rin makes life much easier.
The party happens there.
That means you're not trying to negotiate your way across the island at 5am when thousands of other people are also leaving.
AWAKE's current Thailand Full Moon Party tour stays directly around the Full Moon Party area while on Koh Phangan, with the accommodation described as across from the beach.
That is the sort of location I'd personally prioritise for party night.
You can stay elsewhere on the island.
Loads of people do.
Just organise your transport properly.
If you're expecting a tasteful underground rave attended by 400 people, this is not that.
The Full Moon Party is chaos.
Haad Rin becomes a giant beach party with music running out of different bars and venues, fluorescent paint everywhere, fire performers and travellers from around the world.
It is touristy.
Obviously.
That doesn't automatically make it bad.
Sometimes famous things are famous because they're incredibly fun.
Go knowing what it is.
You'll see them everywhere.
Alcohol “buckets” are literally small buckets filled with spirits, mixers and ice.
The important information is not that they exist.
It's that they can be much stronger than you realise.
You are in heat, on a beach, probably dancing for hours.
Pace yourself.
Buy drinks from established bars or stalls, watch them being made and keep hold of your own drink.
Nobody needs to prove anything because they're in Thailand.
Koh Phangan has a whole ecosystem of parties around Full Moon.
One of the best known is Jungle Experience, usually staged separately in a jungle setting and commonly associated with the nights around the Full Moon period.
AWAKE's current NYE Full Moon itinerary includes the option of heading to Jungle Experience before the main Full Moon event.
Check the actual event calendar for your month though.
Do not assume every party happens on exactly the same schedule every time.
Easily.
The party itself is incredibly social.
Hostels, hotels, ferries and bars fill with people going to the same place.
If you're outgoing, you will probably meet people without trying very hard.
The question is really how much solo travel you want around the party.
Do you want to arrange your own hotels and ferries?
Do you want to find people once you arrive?
Or would you rather have the group already there?
That is where an organised tour can make sense.
This is important.
I would not fly all the way to Thailand just to spend one night on Haad Rin and immediately leave.
The islands around it are too good.
AWAKE's current nine-day Full Moon Party and NYE trip starts on Koh Samui, moves to Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party and then continues to Koh Tao. Fast ferries between the islands, accommodation, private transfers and a full-day Koh Tao snorkelling trip are included.
That means the party is the big event.
It isn't the entire holiday.
And Koh Tao after Full Moon is a very good way to finish.
You can.
Loads of women travel the Thai islands independently.
The Full Moon Party itself is still a huge nightlife event, so normal safety matters.
Watch your drink.
Stay aware of how much you're drinking.
Don't go wandering into the sea drunk.
Wear actual footwear. Broken glass and random beach debris do not care about your cute outfit.
Keep your phone charged.
Know how you're getting back.
If you meet somebody, tell your friends or group where you're going.
The nice thing about doing the party with a tour group is that you've got a base.
People know you.
People know which hotel you're in.
And you have familiar faces in a crowd that can get very big.
Thailand makes scooter hire look extremely casual.
That does not mean you magically know how to ride one.
Koh Phangan has hills, narrow roads and plenty of travellers who have had a drink.
If you're not an experienced rider, you do not need to learn during Full Moon week.
Use transfers, taxis or songthaews.
Your skin will thank you.
I would give yourself more than the night of the party.
Arrive before Full Moon.
Get settled.
See the island.
Then either stay on Koh Phangan or continue through the Gulf islands afterwards.
Koh Samui gives you a much bigger resort and nightlife scene.
Koh Tao is smaller and famous for diving, snorkelling and that backpacker-island energy.
Putting them together makes far more sense than treating Koh Phangan like a nightclub with a ferry terminal.
If the Full Moon Party has been on your bucket list forever and nobody at home wants to come, you can absolutely do it alone.
Or come with AWAKE and let us deal with the ferries.
That is also a very good option.
