Songkran 2027

Songkran is Thailand’s New Year water festival and Koh Tao takes it seriously. Goodtime takes it more seriously than most. Every year the team assembles at the beach club from 10:00am — Goodtime bandanas handed out, sausage sizzle on the grill, cold drinks at the bar — before heading out as a group to take on Mae Haad beach first and then push through to Sairee.

If you’ve never done Songkran on a Thai island, the short version is this: everyone is armed with water guns and buckets, nobody stays dry, and the usual social rules of the island are temporarily suspended in the best possible way. Going as part of the Goodtime crew means you’re not wandering into it alone — you’re going in as a team, which is both more fun and considerably wetter.

The restaurant is closed for the day — this is not a day for sitting down. The bar is open from 10:00am until noon to get everyone sorted before the chaos begins. Wear something you don’t mind getting soaked, bring a waterproof bag for your phone, and get to the beach club early enough to grab a sausage and a bandana before the march begins.