Haad Rin is a peninsula at the southern tip of Koh Phangan with a beach on each side — the east-facing Haad Rin Nok (Sunrise Beach) and the more sheltered Haad Rin Nai (Sunset Beach). Sunrise Beach is where the Full Moon Party takes place: a strip of bars, fire dancers, and tens of thousands of revellers starting at sundown and running to dawn. The party happens every month around the full moon and has made Koh Phangan one of the most recognisable names in backpacker travel.
Outside party nights, Haad Rin is a reasonably pleasant beach town with guesthouses, restaurants, and tattoo parlours. It is busiest in the days before and after the full moon when the crowd rolls in and accommodation prices spike sharply. If you are not there for the party, the island's other beaches are quieter and more attractive.