- Full Moon Party body paint is UV-reactive neon paint that glows under the black lights of the beach bars after dark.
- Paint stalls set up along Haad Rin beach and in the village from the afternoon, and prices vary from stall to stall.
- Keep paint away from your eyes and lips, and do a small test on your arm first if you have sensitive skin.
- Neon paint can stain clothes, especially white cotton, so wear something you do not mind ruining.
- Most paint comes off with warm water, soap and a little oil, ideally in your own shower before you touch the hotel towels.
Full Moon Party body paint is bright neon paint that glows under UV light, and you get it at small stalls on Haad Rin beach and in the village, where artists paint you by hand or you buy pots and paint each other. It washes off with warm water, soap and a bit of oil. The best moment comes just after dark, when the black lights switch on and your friends suddenly have glowing stripes, stars and slightly wonky lightning bolts all over them.
It costs little, takes ten minutes and instantly makes you part of the scene. Here is how to do it well, and how to avoid going home with green sheets.
Where do you get body paint at the Full Moon Party?
You will not have to look hard: paint stalls set up along the beach and in Haad Rin village from the afternoon, usually with a few stools, a row of neon pots and a painter with a brush. Some stalls paint designs for you, others sell pots so you can paint yourself and your group.
Prices vary from stall to stall, depending on the size and detail of the design. Ask before the brush touches your skin, and agree the price for the whole group if several of you are being painted. Stalls closer to the busiest part of the beach tend to be the most crowded, so getting painted early in the village is often quicker.
My advice: get painted before dark. In the afternoon and early evening the painters have time, the light is good and the queues are short. Later, everyone wants the same thing at the same moment.
Which full moon party body paint designs work best?
Simple, bold designs work best, because UV light picks up strong lines and big shapes much better than fine detail. A painter can do clever work, but from two metres away on a dark dance floor, bright and simple wins.
Popular choices you will see all night:
- Face dots and stripes: lines of dots along the cheekbones and a stripe across the nose. Fast and very photogenic.
- Tribal lines and patterns on arms, legs and shoulders.
- Suns, moons and stars, fitting for a full moon night.
- Words and names on backs, handy if you want your friends to find you in the crowd.
- Handprints on shirts and backs, the classic group joke.
Avoid big solid areas of paint on your face and neck. They feel stiff and itchy as they dry, crack when you sweat and make washing off much harder.
Getting painted as a group
Getting painted together is half the fun, and it is also practical. Matching colours or a matching design make it easier to spot your friends in a crowd of around 20,000 people.
A few ideas that work well for groups:
- Pick one colour as the group colour, for example everyone wears the same pink stripe.
- Buy a few pots and paint each other at your bungalow or in the village before going onto the beach.
- Write the group's name or a running joke across everyone's backs.
- Take a group photo in daylight too, so you have a picture where everyone is recognisable.
Painting each other is cheaper, sillier and usually more memorable than any professional design. Just keep someone sober enough to hold the brush steady near faces.
How to keep body paint safe for your skin and eyes
The most important rule is keep paint away from your eyes, lips and any cuts. Paint near the eyes runs as you sweat, and a sting in the eye in the middle of a crowd is no fun.
Simple ways to stay comfortable:
- Do a small test first. Paint a small spot on the inside of your arm in the afternoon and wait. If it itches or turns red, skip the paint or keep it to your clothes.
- Use paint made for skin. Ask the painter. If you bring your own, choose face and body paint, not craft or fabric paint.
- Keep it off broken or sunburnt skin. Sunburn is common after an afternoon on the beach, and paint on top of it feels worse.
- Do not paint inside the eye area. Keep designs on the cheekbones and forehead, not on the eyelids.
- Wash it off the same night or next morning. Sleeping in thick paint is a reliable way to wake up with spots.
If you have very sensitive skin or a skin condition, the honest answer is to paint your clothes instead. A neon T-shirt or a painted cap glows just as brightly under UV light.
Will neon paint stain your clothes?
It can, so wear clothes you do not mind losing. White and light cotton stains most easily, and paint that gets rubbed in on a crowded dance floor may never fully come out.
Here is a rough guide to how different things cope:
| Item | Risk of staining | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| White cotton T-shirt | High | Wear an old one or buy a cheap neon top in the village |
| Dark synthetic shorts | Low to medium | Rinse with cold water soon after the party |
| Swimwear | Medium | Rinse quickly, do not leave paint to dry for days |
| Canvas shoes | High | Strapped sandals are easier to rinse |
| Hotel towels and sheets | High | Shower first, use your own old towel |
The cheap neon tank tops sold everywhere in Haad Rin are the easiest answer: they are meant to be painted and nobody cares if they are ruined. More outfit tips are in the guide on what to wear and bring to the Full Moon Party.
How to wash body paint off after the party
Most neon body paint comes off with warm water, soap and a little oil. Shower first, let the warm water soften the paint, then wash with soap and rub gently with your hands or a soft cloth.
What helps with stubborn paint:
- Oil: coconut oil, baby oil or a little cooking oil on a cotton pad loosens dried paint, especially on the face.
- Make-up remover or cleansing wipes: good for the face and around the hairline.
- Shampoo twice: paint in hair often needs two washes.
- Patience: a faint glow on your skin may stay until the next day. Do not scrub hard, especially on sunburnt skin.
Be kind to the hotel: shower before you sit on the bed or use the white towels, and rinse the shower afterwards. Housekeeping on Koh Samui sees a lot of neon the morning after a party, and stains on sheets are not their favourite surprise.
A small trick for the morning after: pack a cheap dark towel and a travel bottle of oil in your day bag before you leave for the party. When you get back to the hotel at sunrise, you will be glad not to have to think. Paint on clothes is best rinsed in cold water as soon as possible, before it dries in and sets.
Paint, party and the way back to Koh Samui
If you are staying on Koh Samui, arrive with time to get painted before dark. Regular ferries stop in the early evening, so guests on Koh Samui take a night speedboat from Bangrak pier to Haad Rin, a ride of 20 to 30 minutes depending on the sea.
Who should skip the paint? Honestly, only people with very sensitive skin, and even they can join in with a painted T-shirt. For everyone else, it is one of the cheapest and silliest parts of the night, and the photos are worth it. If it is your first party, the first-timer's guide to the Full Moon Party explains how the rest of the night works, from the entrance to the fire shows.
A pickup slot between 4:00 - 4:30 PM and 6:00 - 6:30 PM gives you daylight for painting in the village, time to eat and a walk onto the beach as the main party starts at about 7 pm. Bring 200 THB in cash for the entrance and some small notes for the paint stalls.
The transfer from Koh Samui costs ฿890 one way or ฿1290 round trip, with hotel pickup, the speedboat and life jackets included, and it is booked online for free and paid in cash at the pier.
Staying on Koh Samui? Hotel pickup, speedboat from Bangrak pier to Haad Rin and boats back every hour from 0:00 to 6:00. One way ฿890, round trip ฿1290, free booking, pay cash at the pier.
Book your transferReturn boats leave Haad Rin pier every hour from 0:00 to 6:00, so you go back when you are ready, paint and all. How the boats back work is explained in the guide on getting back to Koh Samui after the party, and the dates of the next parties are on the Full Moon Party schedule.
Questions and answers
Does Full Moon Party body paint glow without UV light?
Neon paint is bright in daylight, but the real glow only appears under UV or black light. The bars on Haad Rin use UV lights after dark, which is when the paint looks its best. In photos with a flash, the glow often disappears.
Can I bring my own body paint to the Full Moon Party?
Yes, many people buy UV paint before the trip and paint each other. Choose paint made for skin and test it on a small area first. Fabric or craft paint is not meant for skin.
How long does neon body paint last on the skin?
It usually lasts the whole night, although sweat and dancing will smudge it. Most of it washes off in one shower, with a faint trace sometimes staying until the next day.
Is body paint safe for children or people with allergies?
People with allergies or sensitive skin should test a small spot first, or paint their clothes instead. The Full Moon Party is an adult night out, so it is not a place for children in any case.
Can I swim with body paint on?
Paint will start to come off in water, and the sea at night after drinking is dangerous anyway. Stay out of the water during the party and wash the paint off in the shower afterwards.
Will paint come off on the speedboat seats or in the minivan?
Wet or fresh paint can rub off on seats and other people. Let it dry for a while before you sit down, and carry a light layer to put on for the trip back.
Does body paint work on dark skin?
Yes, neon paint glows under UV light on any skin tone. Bright colours like yellow, green and pink stand out most, and a white base layer under small designs can make them even stronger.
Transfer facts checked on 2 November 2026. Prices and party dates can change: the booking form always shows the current ones.
