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HAT RIN

Hat Rin is the beating heart of the legendary Full Moon fun, and the area can get pretty wound up even without the influence of lunar phases. The following party venues flank Hat Rin’s infamous Sunrise Beach from south to north:

Rock ( Map; 0 7737 5244) Great views of the party.

Club Paradise ( Map;0 7737 5244) Paradise basks in its celebrity status as the genesis of the lunar loco-motion.

Drop-In Bar ( Map; 0 7737 5374) This dance shack blasts the chart toppers that we all secretly love. The other nights of the year are equally as boisterous.

Zoom ( Map) An ear-popping trance venue.

Vinyl ( Map) Bigger than Zoom, Vinyl cranks up the beat on its epic sound system.

Cactus Bar ( Map; 0 7737 5308) Smack in the centre of Hat Rin Nok, Cactus pumps out a healthy mix of old-school tunes, hip hop and R&B.

Da Club ( Map) A newer spot on the sand where trance beats shake the graffitied walls.

Orchid Club ( Map) Features drum & bass sounds rather than the usual trance.

Tommy ( Map;0 7737 5215) One of Hat Rin’s largest venues lures the masses with black lights and trance music blaring on the sound system. Drinks are dispensed from a large ark-like bar.

Mellow Mountain ( Map;0 7737 5347) Also called ‘Mushy Mountain’ (you’ll know why when you get there), this trippy hang-out sits at the northern edge of Hat Rin Nok delivering stellar views of the shenanigans below.

These haunts are located elsewhere in Hat Rin:

Coral Bungalows Bar ( Map; 0 7737 5023) Back on Hat Rin Nai (Sunset Beach), Coral’s pool-centric powwows are so raucous, they might just eclipse the Full Moon parties.

Backyard Club ( Map) The Backyard Club separates the strong from the weak – only the most hardcore make it to their Full Moon after-parties. When Hat Rin Nok shuts down mid-morning, surviving ‘Mooners’ stumble over for a second round of slippery beats. And we all know there’s nothing better than a beer to cure a hangover.

Warm Up Bar ( Map; 08 9652 1778) Groove to DJed beats or shoot some pool – this sit-down joint, in the heart of Hat Rin town, is the perfect place to (yup, you guessed it) warm up for wild night out.

OTHER BEACHES

Eagle Pub (08 4839 7143; Hat Yao) At the southern end of Hat Yao, this drink-dealing shack, built right into the rock face, is tattooed with the neon graffiti of virtually every person that’s passed out on the lime-green patio furniture after too many caiparinhas.

Amsterdam (0 7723 8447; Ao Plaay Laem) Near Hat Chaophao on the west coast, Amsterdam attracts tourists and locals from all over the island who are looking for a chill spot to watch the sunset.

Pirates Bar (08 4728 6064; Hat Chaophao) This popular and wacky drinkery is a replica of a pirate ship built into the cliffs. When you’re sitting on the deck and the tide is high (and you’ve had a couple of drinks), you can almost believe you’re out at sea. These guys host the well-attended Moon Set parties, three days before Hat Rin gets pumpin’ for the Full Moon fun.

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BUCKIN’ FUCKETS

Like getting drunk but hate wasting time drinking? Ko Pha-Ngan has invented the mother-of-all booze bombs: the Red Bull bucket, which contains Coke, Red Bull (a product of Thailand), and a pint of vodka or Saeng Som (local whisky). The concoction is mixed unceremoniously in a plastic pale, and festooned with straws so that your mooching buddies can share in the attack. The mixture goes down easy, real easy, and catapults drinkers from slightly tipsy to…well…put it this way: after a night of bucket bingeing, you’ll be slurring words and mixing up your syllables…

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Sheesha Bar (0 7737 4161; Chalok Lam) The antithesis of grungy Hat Rin, Sheesha Bar swaps buckets of Samsung for designer drinks. The enticing patchwork of beige sandstone and horizontal slats of mahogany wood fit right in with the arabesque Mandalai Hotel across the street (and owned by the same family).

Mason’s Arms (08 5884 7271; Thong Sala; 10.30am-11.30pm) Suddenly, a clunky structure emerges from the swaying palms; it’s a Tudor-style