It’s not all about the full moon parties at Haad Rin. The area is what a jaded travel writer would call ‘vibrant’ and is easily the best place in this part of Thailand for an extended evening out, taking in a good meal, bar-hopping and dancing till late.
If you’re looking for a wild night out then head down the small sois leading to the beach and wander around until you find a hopping place – the later the better. Central Haad Rin is quieter in terms of volume but is still a busy place to be.
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Fronting Sunrise (Nok) beach with an entrance in the soi leading down to the beach, Cactus has an impressive entrance with a pretty bare interior and upstairs. But it’s not designed to please aesthetes; it’s a party bar and on Full Moon nights you’ll get a thumping earful here as you slosh through your buckets. Spilling out onto the beach, you can choose to dance inside or out on the sand or on the terrace. Cactus is one of the Big Players in the Haad Rin party scene.
Fubar is a guesthouse, lounge and party place situated right on Haad Rin Beach East, the exact place where the Full Moon Party is held every month. Boasting a 6,000-watt sound system, you certainly can hear Fubar before to get there. With quality house, techno and progressive music played here on a daily basis, Fubar is often mentioned as the best party hostel in Koh Phangan (in fact, it’s the only one). Run by a team of passionate party-goers, it’s a good venue to visit if you like to shake your booty. Italian food and drinks are available in the lounge.
Infinity Beach Club Hostel is one of those places where the party never seems to end. Located on the serene Baan Tai beachfront, between Thong Sala and Haad Rin, Infinity is a modern beach club that occupies no less than 1,000 sqm of land. It features three bars, two restaurants, a rooftop terrace and a giant swimming pool. The food served in the restaurants ranges from fresh seafood to Asian and western fusion cuisine. Get there for the happy hour between 17:00 and 18:00 for great discounts on sundowners. DJs rock the Infinity Beach Club from sunset until 01:00.
Beachside, built on granite rocks at the north end of Haad Rin, Kangaroo Bar is large and colourful – an experience in itself. Climb up the stairs and chill while watching the beach life below or escape the madness of the Full Moon party here.
Owner John from Exeter has been running Lazy House since 1998 and his hands-on approach pays off in that the food here is good, portions generous and the bar successfully emulates a Khao San Road setup with several TVs showing a scheduled list of movies daily.
Extensive and relaxed with Burmese English-speaking staff, Lazy House is one of Haad Rin’s better establishments. Lazy House is a long way from being a pulsating club but all the same it’s worth a visit.
Located on a private beach at the entrance of Haad Rin, right next to Blue Hill Resort, Merkaba is a modern beach club offering a great place to chill out and party both inside and outside. You’ll find a DJ booth shaped like the head of a tiger, a swimming pool, a comfortable lounge area, a patch of sand on which you can relax between dancing sessions, and what is considered the best sound system on the island. Top local and international DJs perform here, the management is professional and friendly and drink prices are affordable.
The main feature that distinguishes Outback from its competitors is its façade, made up of vines and lush greenery. Oz-themed, you can get an ice-cold brew and food here from midday onwards and the Outback offers a less frenetic vibe than the noisy beach bars.
Just down the road from the police station stands the Reggae House. With its ethnic music, shelves of secondhand books, hammocks, Thai cushions on raised wooden platforms it’s the archetypal Phangan bar.
Perhaps what helps Reggae House to stand out, apart from the outside concrete hand-painted statue of Bob Marley lookalike smoking a you-know-what is that it offers free consultation if you are thinking of getting a traditional freehand bamboo tattoo.
Sandcastle Club is another popular venue for partiers. Located right on Haad Rin Beach East, it features plenty of indoor and outdoor space to dance and relax. Each day seems to be a new event at Sandcastle Club, which works with local and international DJs mostly specialised in Deep House and Techno music. Dining in the lounge area is very pleasant, and the long list of cocktails available at fair rates will certainly allow you to quench your thirst in style.
Part of the next-door Tommy Resort, Tommy Bar is a boat-themed affair. Upstairs offers dining under the stars while downstairs is a chilled-out scene, ideal for cocktails while people watching. None of this applies, however, on Full Moon nights when all the jams are kicked out and musical mayhem ensues.
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