EDC Thailand is one of those festivals that doesn’t really feel like a list of sets. It feels more like stepping into a world that’s been built around electronic music. Over three nights in Phuket, music, light, art, and people all blend together in a way that feels immersive without taking itself too seriously. Set inside Rhythm Park, the festival brings Insomniac’s “All Are Welcome Here” ethos to Thailand, with warm nights, high-impact production, and plenty of room to wander, explore, and get a little lost along the way.
When is the next EDC Thailand? 16 – 18 January, 2026
What can you expect to hear at EDC Thailand? A broad mix of electronic music across multiple stages. Expect everything from big-room and trance to house, tech house, bass, drum & bass, and harder styles, with music running well into the night.
Where? Rhythm Park, Phuket, Thailand — a large, open festival site designed for immersive stages, roaming art, and late-night wandering.
What’s the local currency? Thai Baht (THB). Cash is still handy for small things, but cards are widely accepted in Phuket, especially around the festival.
What’s the local language? Thai. That said, Phuket is very used to international visitors, so English is easy enough to get by with — particularly at the festival, hotels, and nearby restaurants.
With the basics out of the way, you can start thinking about the fun part. Some people come to EDC Thailand for the big headline moments, others end up spending just as much time wandering into art installations or stumbling across stages they didn’t plan on visiting. Either way, it’s the kind of festival where you don’t need to over-plan — following the music and seeing where the night takes you is kind of the point.
EDC Thailand returns in January 2026 for its second edition, following its debut in 2025. The 2026 edition expands into a three-day festival and takes place at Rhythm Park in Phuket.
EDC Thailand is part of the wider Electric Daisy Carnival series, which runs editions across multiple countries worldwide. If you’ve been to other EDC events, the overall structure will feel familiar, even though the setting here is very different.
The festival site at Rhythm Park allows for multiple large stages and open areas across the grounds. One thing that stood out during the first edition was how easy it was to move between stages without feeling boxed in, even during peak hours.
Alongside the music, EDC Thailand includes art installations and themed areas spread across the site, adding to the overall festival environment rather than focusing everything on the main stages.
With its expanded format and growing international audience, EDC Thailand continues to develop its place within the regional electronic music festival calendar.
Whether you’re planning to go all in for the full weekend or just dip into one day of the festival, EDC Thailand offers several ticket options depending on how you want to experience it.
Festival Tickets
- 3-Day General Admission (GA): Access to all three days of the festival, including all stages and experience areas. This is the standard option if you want the freedom to explore the site at your own pace across the entire weekend.
- 3-Day VIP: Includes full three-day festival access, plus entry to VIP viewing areas, upgraded facilities, and added comfort throughout the weekend.
- Single-Day General Admission (GA): One-day access to the festival grounds and stages. A good option if you’re short on time or only planning to attend a specific day.
- Single-Day VIP: Single-day access with VIP benefits, including dedicated viewing areas and enhanced amenities.
Hotel & Festival Packages
For those travelling to Phuket, Hotel EDC Thailand and partner hotel packages are available. These bundle festival tickets with accommodation and include access to official pre- and post-festival events, making them a convenient option if you want everything organised in one place.
Shuttle Bus Passes
Official shuttle bus passes can be purchased separately and run between key locations across Phuket and the festival site. These are worth considering if you’re not planning to drive or use taxis late at night.
Arriving in PHUKET
If you’re travelling internationally, you’ll be flying into Phuket International Airport (HKT). January is peak season, so expect it to be busy, but the airport is well organised and easy enough to navigate.
If you’re arriving via Bangkok, I’d recommend taking a domestic flight down to Phuket rather than travelling overland. Flights run frequently, take just over an hour, and save a lot of time and energy — which you’ll appreciate once festival days start stacking up.
Getting around PHUKET
Phuket works very differently from Bangkok. There’s no BTS, no MRT, and no real public transport network for getting around easily. Most movement on the island happens by road.
In practice, festival-goers tend to rely on:
- official EDC shuttle buses
- taxis or ride-hailing apps like Grab
- hotel transfers
- private drivers
Scooters are everywhere, but unless you’re genuinely confident riding in traffic, I’d think twice — especially late at night.
GETTING TO THIS FESTIVAL
EDC Thailand takes place at Rhythm Park, which sits outside the main beach and nightlife areas. Because of that, transport planning matters more than it might at a city-based festival.
Official EDC shuttle buses are available to everyone, not just Hotel EDC guests. Shuttle passes can be purchased separately and run from several locations across Phuket, including the airport and popular accommodation areas. They drop you close to the festival entrance and run return services at night, which takes a lot of stress out of getting home.
If you’re staying at Hotel EDC Thailand, shuttle transport is included in your package. For everyone else, buying a shuttle pass is still one of the easiest and most reliable options, especially after a long night.
TAXIS & RIDE-HAILING
Taxis are easy to find in Phuket, but prices are higher than in Bangkok and can fluctuate depending on demand. Grab is widely used and often the safer option if you want clear pricing and fewer surprises.
A few things worth keeping in mind:
- always confirm the price before setting off
- traffic builds up quickly in the early evening
- leaving slightly earlier can save a lot of time
If a fare feels unreasonable, don’t feel awkward about saying no and trying another option.
SCOOTERS, CARS & PRIVATE TRANSFERS
Scooters can be convenient during the day, but at night — after hours of dancing and with heavier traffic around the festival — they’re much less appealing. If you do rent one, make sure you’re properly insured and confident riding.
For groups, renting a car or booking a private driver can make sense, but parking near the festival will be limited. This is another reason why shuttles tend to be the least stressful choice overall.
ONE MORE TIP
Phuket runs at its own pace, and travel times can be unpredictable. Build in extra buffer, don’t cut it fine, and you’ll arrive at the festival in a much better headspace. A calm journey in makes a noticeable difference once you’re inside.
EDC Thailand doesn’t offer camping, but Phuket gives you plenty of accommodation options — from full resort stays to budget hotels and apartments. Where you stay will shape your festival experience more than you might expect, mainly because the island is spread out and transport takes planning.
Hotel EDC Thailand (official option)
EDC Thailand offers an official Hotel EDC Thailand experience at Angsana Laguna Phuket. This is a full resort takeover designed specifically around the festival.
Hotel EDC packages include:
- accommodation for the festival weekend
- a GA or VIP festival pass
- official pre- and post-festival events
- on-site daytime activities and wellness sessions
- shuttle transport to and from the festival
It’s the most seamless option if you want everything handled in one place and don’t want to think too much about logistics.
Partner hotels & festival packages
In addition to Hotel EDC, EDC Thailand works with a selection of partner hotels across Phuket. These packages bundle accommodation with festival tickets and are aimed at making transport and planning easier, especially for international visitors.
These hotels are spread across different areas of the island, so it’s worth checking proximity to shuttle pick-up points when choosing.
Hotels & resorts (booking independently)
If you’re booking your own accommodation, Phuket has no shortage of hotels — from large beachfront resorts to smaller boutique options.
Popular areas for EDC Thailand include:
- Laguna / Bang Tao – close to Hotel EDC and generally well connected by shuttles
- Patong – lots of hotel options, nightlife, and transport, but busier and noisier
- Phuket Town – more local feel, often cheaper, but further from beaches
If comfort and recovery matter to you, resort-style hotels tend to be a better fit than party-heavy areas.
Apartments & Airbnb
Apartments and Airbnb-style stays are widely available in Phuket and can work well for groups or longer stays. Just keep in mind that transport will be more DIY, so check how far you are from shuttle routes or main roads before booking.
Booking tips (worth knowing)
- Book early: January is peak season in Phuket, even without a major festival.
- Check your location: Distances can look short on a map but take time in traffic.
- Think about transport: Being near a shuttle pick-up point can make festival days much easier.
- Read recent reviews: Especially for noise, road access, and late-night check-ins.
Choosing the right place to stay can make your EDC Thailand experience far more relaxed. A comfortable base, reasonable travel time, and a bit of breathing space go a long way when you’re doing three festival days in a row.
STAGES & SITEMAP
At EDC Thailand, the site itself is part of the experience. Rhythm Park is transformed into a vast, immersive world where music, art, and movement blend together across multiple stages and themed zones. Rather than feeling like one central field, the festival unfolds as a journey — each area offering a different sound, atmosphere, and pace.
Stages
EDC Thailand 2026 features several signature stages, each with its own identity and musical focus.
- kineticFIELD
The heart of EDC. This is the main stage and the visual centrepiece of the festival — a constantly evolving structure built around light, sound, and large-scale production. This is where many of the headline moments take place and where the crowd gathers for those big, shared moments. - circuitGROUNDS
Known for its massive LED walls and fire effects, circuitGROUNDS delivers a high-energy environment designed to feel intense and immersive. The scale here is impressive, with production that’s meant to be felt as much as seen. - stereoBLOOM
A more genre-diverse space that moves across different shades of electronic music, from house and tech house to bass-driven sounds. It’s a good stage to drift into when you want something different from the main spectacle. - bionicJUNGLE
A house-focused stage set within a lush, natural environment. As the name suggests, this area leans into greenery and a more intimate atmosphere, offering a contrast to the heavier production elsewhere on the site. - boombox Art Car
A roaming sound system that moves around the festival grounds, spotlighting local and regional artists. These moments tend to feel spontaneous and are often stumbled upon rather than planned.
Experience Zones & Layout
Beyond the stages, EDC Thailand expands into several themed areas designed to break up the night and encourage exploration.
- Downtown EDC acts as a central cultural hub, filled with interactive experiences and playful side quests. This area includes spaces like the Wedding Chapel, Kandi Casino, Diva Show, Karaoke Battle, and the Center Tower landmark — all designed to add moments of surprise and interaction away from the dancefloor.
- Binary Beach offers a slower, more reflective pace. Inspired by the sea anemone, this zone blends Thai-influenced soundscapes with spaces focused on rhythm, individuality, and flow. It’s also where you’ll find the Mini Tropical Stage, Ya-Dong Bar, workshops, and a dedicated wellness area.
Art & Installations
Art is woven throughout the entire site, not just around the stages. Large-scale installations and visual environments appear across areas like Daisy Fields, Bamboo Village, Pixel Forest, Rainbow Road, and more, creating distinct pockets that shift the mood as you move through them.
These installations aren’t just decorative — they’re designed to be interacted with, walked through, and used as landmarks when navigating the site. They also create natural pauses in the night, places where you stop, look around, and take in where you are.
Vibe & Flow
EDC Thailand is built for movement. Wide walkways, open areas, and clearly defined zones make it easy to roam between high-energy stages and calmer spaces without feeling rushed. The result is a festival that encourages wandering, curiosity, and those unplanned moments that end up being just as memorable as the sets you came for.
EDC Thailand 2026 presents a large-scale international lineup that reflects the full scope of the Electric Daisy Carnival brand. The festival brings together globally recognised electronic music artists alongside regional and local talent, creating a programme that spans multiple styles and scenes across the three days.
The lineup is led by international headliners such as Tiësto, Zedd, Armin van Buuren, Axwell b2b Sebastian Ingrosso, Fisher, deadmau5, Afrojack, Alok, and Chase & Status, supported by a broad selection of artists from across the global electronic music landscape. Alongside these names, the festival also features a strong presence of Asian and Thai artists, reinforcing EDC Thailand’s role as both a global event and a regional platform.
Musically, the lineup is spread across the festival’s different stages, allowing space for a wide range of electronic sounds to coexist within the same weekend. This approach gives the programme variety and flexibility, encouraging movement between stages rather than focusing attention on a single sound or area.
Rather than presenting the lineup as a single narrative, EDC Thailand structures its bookings to support discovery. Headline sets sit alongside emerging artists, regional acts, and genre-specific programming, giving the weekend a sense of scale while still leaving room for unexpected moments.
In keeping with the wider EDC philosophy, the lineup is designed to be experienced as part of the broader festival world — woven into the stages, art, and environments of Rhythm Park, rather than existing in isolation.
THE ATMOSPHERE
The first thing that stood out at EDC Thailand in 2025 was the mix of people it brought together. The crowd was genuinely international, with people travelling in from across Asia, Europe, Australia, and beyond, and that diversity shaped the atmosphere throughout the weekend.
For a festival of this scale, the pace felt natural. Moving between stages was straightforward, the dancefloors had room, and people were generally patient with each other. It never felt frantic or rushed, even during peak moments.
One of the nicest things to witness was how openly PLUR showed up across the festival. In the VIP area, there was a Kandi station, and it became a real meeting point rather than a gimmick. People from different countries were exchanging Kandi, explaining what it meant to them, and taking part in the ritual together. It felt genuine, not forced.
That same ease came through in how people dressed. Ravewear was everywhere, embraced across cultures, with a clear sense that self-expression was welcomed rather than judged.
The setting reinforced all of this. Warm nights, open-air stages, and space between areas gave the weekend a steady rhythm. People wandered, paused, and rejoined the crowd when it felt right.
Those quieter moments stayed with me just as much as the bigger ones. Conversations with strangers, groups sitting off to the side watching a stage come alive, small pockets of calm between sets. Online afterwards, a lot of people described similar feelings.
EDC Thailand didn’t feel like a festival people were trying to “get through”. It felt like one people were present in — and that’s what defined the atmosphere for me.
FOOD & DRINK
Food is a big part of the festival experience in Thailand, and EDC Thailand leans into that rather than treating it as an afterthought. Across the site, food and drink stalls are spread out so you’re never far from something to eat, whether you’re deep in the crowd or taking a break between stages.
One thing that tends to come up a lot with international ravers at Thai festivals is how approachable the food feels. Portions are practical, flavours are bold, and eating doesn’t feel like a chore you need to plan around. You grab something, sit for a bit, then head back in. That rhythm fits naturally into the flow of the night.
EDC Thailand also reflects the local setting through its food and drink offerings. Alongside familiar festival staples, you’ll find Thai-inspired options and specialty bars integrated into different areas of the site — particularly around spaces like Binary Beach, where food, drink, and downtime blend together more organically.
Vegetarian-friendly options are generally easy to find at festivals in Thailand, and EDC Thailand follows that pattern. Whether you’re avoiding meat entirely or just want something lighter in the heat, there are choices that don’t feel like an afterthought. The focus tends to be on flavour and balance rather than novelty.
Drinks are spread across the site as well, with bars located near stages and in quieter zones. This makes it easier to pace yourself across long evenings, especially in warm conditions where hydration matters more than you might expect.
More than anything, food and drink at EDC Thailand support the overall experience rather than pulling you out of it. Eating becomes part of the night — a pause, a reset, a moment to take things in — before heading back toward the music.
EDC Thailand is built as more than a sequence of stages. Across Rhythm Park, there are dedicated areas designed for interaction, downtime, and curiosity — things you naturally drift into between sets rather than plan around.
One of the main hubs is Downtown EDC, which brings together several interactive experiences in one central area. Here you’ll find the Wedding Chapel, where couples can take part in symbolic ceremonies, alongside the Kandi Casino, which uses kandi bracelets as part of interactive games. The Diva Show introduces drag performances into the festival space, while Karaoke Battle features Thai-style karaoke truck pods that people can step into throughout the night. The Center Tower sits at the heart of this area and acts as a visual anchor when navigating the site.
For a different pace, Binary Beach offers a more grounded space within the festival. Inspired by Thai soundscapes and design, this area includes the Mini Tropical Stage, which presents traditional Thai music styles reworked in a contemporary setting. Nearby, the Workshop Zone hosts hands-on activities connected to Thai culture, while the Wellness Area provides options such as ice baths and massage sessions for those looking to reset during the weekend.
Beyond these zones, art installations are woven throughout the site rather than kept in one place. Areas such as Daisy Fields, Bamboo Village, Pixel Forest, Rainbow Road, and Daisy Lane act as visual environments you move through, doubling as landmarks that help orient you as you explore.
Taken together, these activities shape how the festival flows. They create natural pauses between sets, give structure to wandering, and make the site feel layered rather than linear — all without pulling focus away from the music itself.
COST & BUDGET
EDC Thailand is a destination festival, so budgeting goes beyond the ticket itself. Planning a few things in advance can make the weekend feel far more manageable, especially in a place like Phuket during peak season.
Book flights and accommodation early
January is one of the busiest times of year in Phuket, even without a major festival. Flights and hotels tend to fill up quickly, so locking these in early gives you more choice and avoids last-minute price jumps.
Choose your ticket and stay combination carefully
EDC Thailand offers several ways to attend, from standalone festival tickets to hotel and festival packages. For some people, bundling accommodation and transport through official packages simplifies costs and planning. Others prefer booking independently and keeping more flexibility. There’s no single “best” option — it depends on how hands-on you want to be with logistics.
Factor transport into your budget
The festival site sits outside the main beach areas, so daily transport is something to account for. Official shuttle passes, taxis, or private transfers will likely be part of your overall spend. Choosing accommodation near shuttle pick-up points can help keep this predictable.
Plan for food, drinks, and long days
With multiple days on site, it helps to set a loose daily budget for food, drinks, and anything extra like merchandise. Having an idea of what you’re comfortable spending each day makes it easier to relax once you’re there.
Make use of what’s included on site
Many of EDC Thailand’s experiences — from art installations to interactive zones — are part of the festival itself. Exploring these spaces doesn’t require additional spend and can fill out your days without constantly reaching for your wallet.
A bit of forward planning goes a long way at a destination festival. With the basics covered, you can focus less on logistics and more on enjoying the weekend as it unfolds.
EDC Thailand provides a range of on-site amenities designed to make the festival weekend more comfortable and easy to navigate, especially across multiple days.
- Lockers – available on site, with VIP lockers included as part of the VIP experience. These are useful for storing personal items, extra layers, or anything you don’t want to carry around all night. If you’re using a locker, it’s worth keeping your locker details saved on your phone for easy access.
- Restrooms – The festival site includes restrooms spread across different areas of Rhythm Park, with air-conditioned restroom access available for VIP ticket holders. Having facilities distributed around the site helps reduce congestion during peak hours.
- Merchandise – Official EDC Thailand merchandise is available on the festival grounds. These stands sell branded items and limited-edition pieces tied to the Thailand edition of the festival.
- Beauty Bar (VIP) – VIP areas include access to a Beauty Bar, offering a space to refresh during the night. This is positioned as part of the upgraded VIP amenities rather than a general-access feature.
A little preparation goes a long way at a destination festival like EDC Thailand. These practical points will help you settle in and focus on the experience once you’re on site.
- Bring your ID and ticket
You’ll need a valid photo ID and your ticket (digital or printed) to enter the festival. EDC Thailand is a 20+ event, so age checks are part of the entry process. - Check accessibility in advance
If you require accessibility support, it’s best to contact the organiser ahead of time to understand what arrangements are available on site and plan your visit accordingly. - Protect your hearing
With multiple stages and high-volume sound systems, earplugs are worth bringing. Even short exposure over several days can add up. - Plan for the climate
January in Phuket is warm and humid, especially in the evenings. Lightweight clothing, comfortable footwear, and pacing yourself across long nights make a noticeable difference. - Hydration and breaks matter
With the heat and the scale of the festival, taking regular breaks and staying hydrated should be part of your plan, not an afterthought. - Know the site layout
With multiple stages, experience zones, and art installations, having a look at the festival map and schedule before you arrive helps you move around more easily. Official channels release maps, set times, and updates closer to the event. - Be mindful of local laws and security checks
As with any large event in Thailand, security checks are in place at entry, and local laws apply throughout the festival. It’s worth familiarising yourself with the rules ahead of time to avoid any issues on arrival. - Think about your journey home
Late-night transport in Phuket can take time. Whether you’re using official shuttles, taxis, or a private transfer, having a rough plan for getting back makes the end of the night much smoother.
Taking a bit of time to prepare before you arrive means you can spend less energy on logistics and more on enjoying everything EDC Thailand has to offer.
