Full moon party in Phangan Island

Suratthani province | Samui Island (Koh Samui) | Tao Island (Koh Tao)

The Full Moon is far more than a party; it is Had Rin's dance music festival, with everything from drum and bass to full-on psy-trance. Paradise Bungalows, the site of the original Full Moon Party, consistently puts on the biggest show with inspired decor and a combination of superb resident and guest international DJs.

Worth looking out for is DJ A, who also holds residency at the Backyard, possibly the most famous after party venue in the world, starting at 11am as Had Rin's beach shuts shop, licks its wounds and counts the casualties. The Backyard also puts on three cracking nights per week, each catering for the full spectrum of dance music heads in a totally refurbished, two floor club with mind bending fluoro sculptures.

The Drop In plays a more commercial set with a few classics thrown in, and still pulls in big crowds from when it launched way back in 1989, as does the Cactus with a similar policy. The Vinyl Club pumps out hard techno and psy-trance, also putting on pre Full Moon Party parties in Ban Tai, with an Israeli DJ massive keeping it banging.

The Big Boom Bar is a daytime favourite, especially with their volley ball contest a few days before the Full Moon Party. Their commitment to leaning away from trance, by playing progressive to hard house with a fair few anthems thrown in means that resident DJs Simon (UK) and locals Tony and Dai have the beach going ballistic every Full Moon Party.

Harmony, located inland, is a great find with an intelligent music policy, resident Djs Jao and Orin plus guests play house to progressive trance three nights a week. If you want to rinse it out true DnB stylee, the Orchid headed by resident DJ Kay puts a smile on many a trance-tired face. For a real refuge, head out to the Outback Bar to enjoy superb Thai and European tucker, pool and live sports in a bar that looks as good as the paintings it sells!

EXPECTED FULL MOON PARTY DATES:

YEAR 20011

• MARCH 19TH

• APRIL 18TH

• MAY 18TH

• JUNE 16TH

• JULY 17TH

• AUGUST 14TH

• SEPTEMBER 12TH

• OCTOBER 12TH

• NOVEMBER 10TH

• DECEMBER 10TH

• DECEMBER, 25TH--CHRISTMAS PARTY

• DECEMBER, 31ST--NEW YEAR COUNT DOWNPARTY

YEAR 2012

• JANUARY 08TH

• FEBRUARY 08TH

• MARCH 07TH

• APRIL 06TH

• MAY 06TH

• JUNE 04TH

• JULY 03RD

• AUGUST 04TH

• SEPTEMBER 01ST

• SEPTEMBER 30TH

• OCTOBER 30TH

• NOVEMBER 28TH

• DECEMBER, 25TH--CHRISTMAS PARTY

• DECEMBER 28TH

• DECEMBER, 31ST--NEW YEAR COUNT DOWNPARTY