FULL MOON PARTY
Haad Rin Beach will play host to anything between 20,000 and 30,000 revellers, all intent on drinking themselves to the very edges of oblivion with the aid of buckets of Thai moonshine. The all-night beach party is a must-do for travellers, but we’re going to be a bit of a mum and advise you watch out for the nasty types that tend to prey on tourists here nowadays.
WHY: It all started in the Eighties, when Haad Rin Beach was a secret hippy hangout. The party began as a select gathering of 30-odd travellers; word got around and today, it is possibly the world’s most famous party, with DJs playing until dawn and tourists puking until long after that.
DO IT BECAUSE: Missing out on this is like missing out on Machu Picchu. It’s less of a cultural experience, obviously, but you need to do it just once to retain your right to backpack. Pop a South-East Asian Red Bull (read: rocket fuel) to make it to the end.
