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’.
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