Koh Phangan is one of the most well-known destinations to party in Thailand. Most people visit the island for the famed Full Moon Party. The idea of the Full Moon Party started in the mid-1980s in the Haad Rin district. Since then, it is still the center of the party today. Some bars line the beach, and travelers flock to this place for the alcohol, music, and the seriously intense party scene.

Top 5 Hostels in Koh Phangan:
- 1. Mad Monkey Koh Phangan
- 2. Slumber Party Koh Phangan
- 3. The Nomad House
- 4. Smile Hostel Koh Phangan
- 5. Red Boutique Hostel
The Best Party Hostels in Koh Phangan
Mad Monkey Koh Phangan
Price: $8 to $26

The new Mad Monkey branch in Koh Phangan is a boutique hostel with a relaxed vibe and great location. It’s just a few minutes walks from the harbor, near the beach where the full moon party takes place. It is also not far from a lot of activities, bars, restaurants, and shops
on the island.
As it is a new hostel, the facilities and amenities are fabulous, with a beautiful pool, clean rooms, comfortable beds, and air conditioning. A bar and cafe are also on-site for your entertainment and meals. Also, there are dorms and private rooms available, so this hostel is excellent for solo travelers, couples, and groups.
- Great location and modern amenities
Slumber Party Koh Phangan
Price: $8.44 to $13.50

The Slumber Party hostel in Koh Phangnan is a well-reviewed party hostel with plenty of great comments from guests. They appreciate the terrific dorms, pool, and private rooms, and a very convenient location.
If you want a hostel with a party and a social atmosphere, this is the right place for you. The hostel even tells their guests, “if you’re looking for a bed to rest in, we are not the place for you.” With DJs every evening and a bar and restaurant on-site, this place is very energetic and crowded. Also, that’s part of their appeal because you can make a lot of new friends.
Other standard hostel amenities can be found in the hostel, including lockers, exercise area, Wi-Fi, tours and travel desk, and more.
- Great pool
- On-site bar and restaurant
- Social atmosphere
The Nomad House
Price: $16.39

Another cool hostel in Koh Phangan, The Nomad House has an energetic vibe that comes alive during the Full Moon Party. The hostel is situated in the island’s best party areas, and it’s well-known among the party-goers. If you’re not visiting the island to drink and party, you shouldn’t stay here. People gather almost every night, and you can be assured of an enjoyable time. If you want to sleep, the hostel is fairly large, and it is still possible for some quiet areas.
The hostel is situated in Ban Tai, about four kilometers from Thongsala Pier. In the surrounding area, there is no lack of parties, including Loi Lay Boat Party, Maya Party, the Half Moon Festival, the Black Moon Party, the Jungle Experience, and many other jungle parties. If you want to experience some of the activities, you can try elephant trekking, jungle trekking, yoga, kite surfing, and scuba diving.
The hostel has private three-bedrooms and a range of dorms that you can pick. Dorms can accommodate four to eighteen people. Read more..
- Cool vibe
- Lots of parties
- Can accommodate large groups
Smile Hostel Koh Phangan
Price: $8.44

Smile Hostel is a perfectly normal hostel that is not far from the more famous party hostels. Still, it has a slightly more relaxing atmosphere itself. The dorms can feel a bit crowded and small, but the price is reasonable, and the atmosphere is pleasant. The hostel is situated in Baan Tai, and it’s about a ten-minute drive from Thongsala Pier. It’s also about a fifteen-minute journey from Haad Rin.
The staff is accommodating and friendly. There’s a common area where you can chill out with other guests. Also, the hostel has a bar and a tour desk that can help you arrange any activities.
- Relaxing vibe
- Great location
- Friendly staff
Red Boutique Hostel
Price: $5.75

Red Boutique Hostel is a fairly small hostel close to the ferry port in Thongsala. The hostel offers convenient access to the town and the markets, and it’s also very close to the site of the Full Moon Party. It’s an excellent place to stay if you hope to join the pre-party before leaving the town. During regular days, it has a very chill and mellow vibe where it’s enjoyable to interact with other guests.
The staff here are friendly and helpful, and they can help you organize activities or tours around the island. You can also rent motorbikes through the hostel’s front desk.
- Near the ferry port
- Mellow atmosphere
- Friendly staff
How is Koh Phangan’s Nightlife?
Koh Phangan nightlife provides a wide range of moods that can satisfy almost everyone. If you’re planning to visit Koh Phangan purely for nightlife, make sure that you stay in Haad Rin. The area has the largest and most concentrated number of bars and clubs in the whole Gulf of Thailand. Still, the rest of the island is a haven of peace. Sure, the bimonthly (twice a month) Half Moon parties in Ban Tai are epic and worth the short taxi ride from Haad Rin, while Thongsala has some pubs that draw more expatriates than tourists.
Thailand’s omnipresent Reggae Bars are scattered around at Chaloklum and the sleepy area of Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi. Aside from that, only isolated bars including in Thong Nai Pan has dance sessions. The Full Moon parties on the island are its most famous events and are the main cause of accommodations being fully booked for days before and after the party.
The Most Famous Bars and Clubs in Koh Phangan
Loi Lay Floating Bar & Lounge
Loi Lay mat only be open once a week, but it’s worth the wait because it’s one of the top bars in the island. On Sunday nights, the bar (which is out floating on the sea) welcomes a crowd of hardy party-goers wanting to take advantage of the cheap beer, beautiful surroundings, and excellent ambiance. Often with international DJs coming to play a set, there’s a mix of techno, house, and electronic music played through the night, while those partying can taste of the cold beers and sumptuous cocktails. However, we need to warn you that after climbing into one of their hammocks, you should leave immediately (or you might not be able to).
Pirates Bar
Much like tourists, pirates left their homes to sail around the world to search for treasures, and that’s what you’ll discover at Pirates Bar. In a convenient location by the beach with a gorgeous rocky view, Pirates Bar is your archetypal beach bar, dilapidated, and rustic by design, but you can still make memories that you can treasure. Cocktails are shockingly cheap, making it a great combination to the breathtaking sunsets. The bar also attracts a large backpacker crowd as the night turns into dawn. Speaking of which — it’s also one of the best spots to catch a fire show.
Rasta Baby
Southern Thailand is filled with rasta bars, and Rasta Baby is among the best on the island. Aside from serving tasty Thai food, Rasta Baby is famous for its laid-back, chill-out vibe that goes together with the island’s slow pace. As is typical with these types of bars, it has a very welcoming vibe, and the staff, locals, and travelers bond and exchange stories over a beer or cocktail. The bar is also comfy, cozy, and in a quiet spot near the beach, so it ticks all the boxes making it a must-visit.
The Jam
Located on the island’s western coast is The Jam. It a bar whose stage has long been showcasing both budding and well-known musicians from the island. With live sets making a great atmosphere to enjoy a few beers, it’s a little more chill compared to other bars that are more party-orientated. Do you know a few chords or can hold a note? You’re more than welcome to perform here, as guests are encouraged to share their talents with the happy crowd. There’s a wide selection of spirits, beers, and cocktails to get you through the performance if you’re suffering from stage fright.
The Mason’s Arms
Stepping into at The Mason’s Arms is a disorientating experience for a lot of people. For one, it looks very weird. It is a British pub in the middle of a tropical island! Then there’s the food; they offer guests scotch eggs instead of som tam. But it still works. British pubs are one of the places where people join together. So it fits perfectly with island life on Koh Phangan, where everyone comes along to talk about and plan adventures. Although in this bar, they can do it in a British atmosphere. Sure, it’s quirky and unusual, but it’s a great pub that offers a wide range of food and drinks. So, it’s worth checking out.
About Koh Phangan
World-famous due to its Full Moon, Half Moon, and many other hedonistic parties, Koh Phangan, ‘Samui’s Little Sister’ only has about 10,000 fulltime inhabitants yet up to 30,000 visitors head to the island for the New Year’s Eve Full Moon Party. The island is very similar to Koh Samui some 20 years back, and its beaches are nothing short of blissful. Also, getting around the island can be a pain as some roads are hazardous. Although some beaches can only be reached by using a boat, this works in their favor because overdevelopment has not yet invaded on nature’s beauty on Koh Phangan.

Koh Phangan is located 100km northeast of Suratthani and 12km away from Koh Samui. Some boats dock and leave from Haad Rin, but most ferries dock to the island’s main town, Thongsala. The area has modern conveniences so you won’t have to worry about anything. From the town, a 10km coastal road runs southeast, which takes you to Haad Rin. Before branching off this road, a dirt road (soon to be tarmac) will take you to the island’s spine to isolated beaches such as Noi and Thong Nai Paan Yai. A northward way leads to Ao Chaloklum while another road runs west along the coast, which traverses Haad Yao, Haad Salad, and Ao Mae Haad.
If you’re not done partying after Koh Phangan, we recommend you to continue your trip to some other Asian cities. For example Bangkok, Hanoi, Bali or Hong Kong (which is a great place to party!).

Lizzy
Traveler & Blogger
Hi, I’m Lizzy! In the past 10 years I’ve travelled 60 countries and I’m still counting. While I was backpacking I could not find a website that provides valuable information about hostels. After months of thinking, doubting and brainstorming, hostelstobook.com was born.
I hope to make your trip easier, so you’d only stay in the best hostels around the globe. Do you have any questions? Don’t hesitate to send me a message.
Frequently Asked Questions
Koh Phangan is the perfect place to stay for party people, yogis, and digital nomads. Also, the island is out of this world beautiful, cleaner, and quieter, and generally, even though things are more expensive, the quality is much better.
Koh Phangan Full Moon Party has become a world-famous institution, but its ancestral home remains the crescent cove of Haad Rin Beach on the southernmost tip of Phangan Island in Thailand.
You will see a lot of board shorts, bikinis, swimsuits, and other beach attire. Since there is no dress code in the Full Moon Party, you can wear whatever you want.
Bangkok has two airports with flights to Koh Phangan. However, both of them don’t offer direct flights, as the Koh Phangan airport is still being constructed. As of the moment, the closest airport to the island is located in Koh Samui. You can reach Koh Samui from BKK Bangkok International airport with Bangkok Airways.
The Koh Phangan Koh Samui ferry route connects Koh Phangan Island with Koh Samui Island. Currently, there is just the one ferry company operating this ferry service, Songserm. The crossing operates up to 14 times each week with sailing durations from around 45 minutes.