Phuket night life: nightlife guide
Phuket has a thriving night life and it’s one of the main attractions of the island. There are plenty of places to party after a day at the beach, including lively Thai style nightclubs with live bands, Western discos thumping with dance music, small beachside bars, sedate pubs and go-go clubs full of friendly ‘company’. In general the nightlife in Phuket is concentrated around the tourist beaches of Patong, Kata/Karon and Rawai, as well as Phuket City.
Patong nightlife
The heart of Phuket night life is Patong beach, with Bangla Road being the main strip. There are dozens of arcades of tiny bars packed right next to one another, as well as several large western style nightclubs. The discos charge up to 400 baht for admission but this includes two drinks. Soi Seadragon is home to the majority of the go-go bars, while Soi Eric, Soi Tiger and Soi Crocodile are among the most popular strips. Safari Bar on the outskirts of Patong is the main after-hours venue. A rock-climbing wall, food stands, and indoor and outdoor dancing areas are some of the attractions there.
Kata and Karon nightlife
The Kata/Karon area is a smaller, quieter, version of Patong and caters more to Scandinavian visitors. There are a few bar lanes located there, but no large discos. Rawai, on the southern tip of the island, is a sleepy beach town during the day, but has plenty going on after dark. Rawai beach is lined with dozens of small and medium sized bars and many of them tend to bend the rules regarding closing times.
Phuket night life also offers a number of more family oriented activities. Central Festival Walk and Jung Ceylon feature English language cinemas showing major western films. There are two mini-golf courses on the island, three bowling alleys, a go-karting track and a shooting range. The Green Man British Pub near Kata and Rawai hosts a Thursday night pub quiz and there are live jazz jams every Wednesday night at Music Matter - a little jazz joint found in Phuket Town .
Phuket Town nightlife
The night life in Phuket Town is predominantly made up of Thai style nightclubs scattered all over the maze of one-way streets that make up old town Phuket. These joints are lively affairs, packed with a crowd of Thais and resident foreigners. They usually feature live bands playing a mix of western covers and traditional and contemporary Thai music. If you’re partying Thai style, pick up a bottle of whiskey at a bottle shop and bring it with you. Corkage fees are almost never charged, although it is expected that you will buy ice and mixers from the bar. Grab a table and start clinking glasses with everyone within arm’s reach. Most Thai discos have no common dance floor, preferring to pack everyone around ‘standing tables’.
Karaoke is highly popular in Thailand and there is a wide range of establishments where you can live out your pop-star fantasies. These range from hole-in-the-wall places with Thai music and friendly hostesses to large restaurants that rent out private booths by the hour. Some hotels offer VIP Karaoke in a private hotel room complete with an attendant to fill your drinks. Many of these karaoke places provide a selection of beautiful hostesses who charge by the hour to sit with you, though not all of them will willingly leave with you.
Girlie bars: for those hoping to find some company for the evening there is no shortage of places with friendly girls or gay boys. This aspect of Thailand is very much acceptable and is carried out in a relaxed and open way that isn’t entirely sleazy and is recognised by some as one of the country’s attractions! Many of the bars in specifically designated areas operate for this very purpose, though the atmosphere is by no means intimidating and you’re welcome to sit and enjoy a drink and watch the TV or people in these bars without being hassled. On a slow night some of the girls will happily sit and chat with you (and ask for drinks) even if you have no intention of taking them home. They are only trying to make a living and can be genuine and fun company.
The staff members at most of the bars in Patong are more than happy to accompany customers for the evening, although you will have to pay a 300-500 baht ‘bar fine’ if you wish to take them elsewhere. In the smaller areas, such as Rawai, you will find ladies who are willing to overlook the bar fee, especially if they think a more long-term arrangement is a possibility. Other places, especially if they have discreet entrances and dancers, will be a little pushier.
Can you bring girls back to your hotel?
Some hotels don't mind you bringing bar girls back to your room as long as you are discreet, while other forbid it or will try to charge you extra. To save you the embarrassment we've enquired with all of them and listed those that are suitable for bachelors, see the list, rates and booking here (opens in a new window)
Phuket city Discos
Timber Hut: another popular nightclub celebrating its 20th year, Timber Hut has a good house band and serves good food, although service can be a little slow. Popular with local and young expat crowd. 118/1 Yaowarat Rd., (076) 211 839
Blue Marina: located at the basement of the Phuket Merlin hotel in Phuket Town, usually chock-a-block by 11.00 pm - pumping music from a live band - great atmosphere. 158/1 Yaowaraj Rd., Talad Yai, (076) 212866-70
KorTorMor: Music pub popular with well-to-do young Thais with a loud (but excellent) band and margaritas served by the bottle. Or try the seua sip-et tua, an outrageous mixture of different alcohols that comes in a bowl with straws. 41/5 Chanacharoen Rd, near the roundabout, 08 1370 5114.
Patong Discos
Discos in Patong stay open until 2 a.m. blasting out techno and dance music. Admission fees can be up to 400 THB which includes 2 drinks.
FBI: located at the end of Bangla, this claims to be the finest bar in Thailand and is certainly popular for its friendly staff - free entry.
Banana: - this nightclub draws the crowd with great music, great drinks and a slightly less rowdy clientele. entrance: 200 baht with free 1 drink. 124 Thaweewong Rd., Patong, (076) 340 306
Tiger: right in the heart of Bangla upstairs from the girlie lanes - great music, large drunken crowd inside with lots of loose girls - the place kicks off only after 1.00 am. 49 Bangla Rd., Patong Beach, (076) 345 112, tigerdiscotheque@yahoo.com
Seduction: big dance floor, free entry before midnight, lots of space for good dancing - drinks are quite pricey at 200 THB a hit. 39/1 Bangla Rd., Patong Beach, (076) 340 215, seduction.discotheque@gmail.com
Baya Beach: next to FBI, this bar kicks off only after 2.00 am - one of the best pick-up joints on the island - free entry. End of Bangla Road
Safari: the only after- place to go - an outdoor nightclub with two areas and an array of entertainment like rock-climbing and other games - located en route to Karon - open from 12.00 am and closes in the morning. 28 Sirirat Rd., Patong,
Clublime: located along the Patong Beach Road, this trendy opened establishment is frequented by residents and is known to be sleaze-free. Thaweewong Rd., Patong Beach, (076) 341 613, mail@clublime.info, open: 21.00 until late.
Other discos
White Box: Chic beachside place on Kalim Beach, just north of Patong. Two floors of restaurant with a dining area jutting out over the rocks, and a rooftop lounge bar (with sliding roof for when it rains). Frequent deejay nights and other chic events. Not cheap, but the pace to go to mix with the smart Thai set, (076) 346271.
Phuket city and Patong are the two party centres on the island but you’ll find plenty of evening fun in other resort areas. However, they tend to limit themselves to bars and restaurants that retain a relaxed character and you’re likely to find a few bars that have a dance floor and good tunes rather than a proper disco. These are invariably found in the vicinity of the busy centres. Our Thailand forum provides travellers' advice on the naughtiest nightlife.
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