• Thailand Guide

  • Introduction to Thailand
  • Weather
  • Things Not to Miss
  • Getting around
  • Money
  • Public holidays
  • Entry requirements

• Explore Thailand

  • The central plains
  • The north
  • The east coast
  • The northeast: Isaan
  • Southern Thailand: the Gulf coast
  • Southern Thailand: the Andaman coast
  • The deep south

• Cities

  • Bangkok
    
  • Chiang Mai
    
  • Chiang Rai
    
  • Chumphon
    
  • Hat Yai
    
  • Kamphaeng Phet
    
  • Nakhon Si Thammarat
    
  • Pattaya
    
  • Phitsanulok
    
  • Surat Thani
    

Thailand Guide

Southern Thailand: the Gulf coast

Hat Rin

• Accommodation
• Eating
• Nightlife

HAT RIN is as the major party venue in Southeast Asia, with thousands of people flocking in for the monthly full moon party – even more so in the peak seasons of August, December and January. The resort occupies the flat neck of Pha Ngan's southeast headland, which is so narrow that it comprises two back-to-back beaches. The eastern beach, usually referred to as Sunrise, is a classic curve of fine white sand between two rocky slopes and is the centre of Hat Rin's action, with a solid line of bars, restaurants and bungalows tucked under the palm trees.

Sunset beach, which for much of the year is littered with flotsam, has plenty of quieter accommodation. Unfortunately, development between the beaches is ugly, cramped and chaotic. Businesses here, concentrated around what's known as Chicken Corner, include supermarkets, internet outlets and ATMs. Many visitors choose to stay on prettier and more peaceful Leela Beach, a twenty-minute walk from Chicken Corner.

The atmosphere created by some ten thousand folk mashing it up on a beautiful, moon-bathed beach, lit up by fireworks and fire-jugglers, ought to be enough of a buzz in itself, but unfortunately drug-related horror stories are common currency at the full moon parties (www.fullmoon.phangan.info): dodgy Ecstasy, ya baa (Burmese-manufactured methamphetamines) and the rest put an average of two tourists a month into hospital for psychiatric treatment. The local authorities now run regular roadblocks and bungalow searches on full moon nights, draft in scores of police (both uniformed and plain-clothes), and pay bungalow and restaurant owners to inform on travellers whom they've sold drugs to. On the night, leave your valuables in your resort's safe – it's a bad night for bungalow break-ins – and don't take a bag out with you; keep an eye on your drink to make sure it's not spiked; and do not go swimming while under the influence – there have been several deaths by drowning at full moon. In 2008, there were also several reports of unprovoked, late-night gang attacks in Hat Rin.