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Half Moon Party Koh Phangan

Although Koh Phangan is better known for the monthly Full Moon Party, which has been entertaining partygoers for over a decade and a half, the newer Half Moon Party is fast becoming an event to rival the more well-known Full Moon Party.

The Half Moon Party is held in a custom-built party arena, which can be found a few kilometres inland from the coastal region of Ban Tai. Due to the fact that the Half Moon Party is housed within this specially constructed venue, it lacks the chaos and confusion of the Full Moon Party, and instead provides an exceptionally well organised event, housed within what is in effect is an open-air nightclub.

What the Half Moon Party lacks in size compared to the Full Moon Party it makes up with style and quality. Internationally famed DJs often play at the event, the sound system is first rate, and the visual stimulation provided by the light show is the best on the island. The Half Moon Party also breaks from the usual Koh Phangan tradition of playing predominantly trance music, by mixing it with more modern and mainstream dance music styles, creating a vibrant atmosphere that is similar to a large nightclub in the Western Hemisphere.

There is a small cover charge levied when entering the Half Moon Party, and although the cost is tiny, visitors need to be aware that queues can form as people wait to pay the entrance fee and enter the venue, for this reason it is best to arrive early and avoid having to wait outside as you queue to pay. Once inside your ticket can be redeemed for a free drink, which makes the entry fee itself pretty much a token gesture.

Because the Half Moon Party is held in a custom-built venue the facilities are excellent, there are plenty of toilets, and there is enough bar space to ensure that queues of people waiting to purchase drinks are almost non-existent. The venue itself is split into two levels; the larger lower-level incorporates the dance floor and two large bars, along with several smaller bars around the edges. The upstairs area offers a large balcony with integral bar which offers excellent views across the dance floor and up into the DJ booth.

Travel to the Half Moon Party is fairly straightforward, simply jump in a shared taxi from either Thongsala or Ban Tai, and when you are ready to leave just walk outside and hop into one of the waiting taxis, which will take you to your resort once enough people are on board.

Please note that the organisers of the Half Moon Party enforce a very strict no drugs policy, each month many tourists find themselves facing criminal charges and heavy fines for ignoring this. Koh Phangan is home to several dance parties each month, and the Half Moon Party is the best of these in many ways, far more organised and safe then the Full Moon Party, and offering an experience that is more akin to a night out clubbing at home.