Phuket Nightlife

Patong is the undisputed nightlife centre of Phuket. From nine o’clock onwards nightly the town is buzzing and doesn’t stop until the wee hours (and longer depending where you look). Bangla Road in Patong is the epicentre of the action and where you will find the biggest clubs, the craziest ‘bar beers’ and the fruitiest shows. However other areas such as Rat-U-Thit Road and Beach Road have lively night venues with good bands.

Soi Bangla:-Bangla Road really comes to life once the sun sets. The road is closed to vehicle traffic and becomes a 400 metre festival of neon lights, loud music and cheap beer. Jammed most nights of the year, it is quite a friendly and lively place to walk around as bars and clubs compete with each other for customers. If you’re looking for a fun night out in Phuket, Bangla Road should be your first (and, often, only) stop. Almost all of the bars are outdoors or open-fronted, so the music from each one blends into a mess of mixed beats. Beer bars occupy most of the street's length, with several go-go bars and a few pubs, restaurants, discos and shops rounding out the attractions, both on Soi Bangla and down its side streets. Street performances are also common most nights, which can make dodging around the tailor shop salesmen, leaflet distributors, street vendors and ping pong show touts more difficult, but it is all part of the fun.

Night Clubs:-Patong is the notorious nightlife heart of Phuket, with Bangla Road at the middle of an ever-growing collection of discos and dance clubs. Perhaps they do not compare favourably to their counterparts in Ibiza or even in Bangkok, but the atmosphere is much more relaxed. The fashion police are noticeably absent and, so long as you’re enjoying yourself, no one really cares what you’re wearing or how you’re dancing. The range of venues is, as you will see below, quite impressive, going from laid-back beach bars to VIP clubs. Even in the short length of Bangla Road, there are several new and eclectic concepts. Some of the old, well-established names have achieved global acclaim while newer clubs are always coming in with something different and special to try. You’ll certainly never be bored on any night of the week in Patong.

Beach Clubs:-With more than 30 beaches available around the island, it is no surprise that beach clubs are a popular choice in Phuket. There's quite a varied selection available, from grand seaside pool venues to places which, while modest in size, pack a punch where it counts. All of them share the same qualities of fun and sophistication and are fantastic places to enjoy a chilled-out day. Phuket’s beach club formula includes: setting up a stylish modern restaurant/bar made from natural elements as near to the sea and sand as possible, organising the occasional party with internationally recognised DJs/artists, mixing it up with some capable barmen who know how to fix cocktails, adding a talented chef who can create delicious tapas and classy snacks to accompany the drinks... the final touch... a beautiful sunset to ensure everyone has the perfect evening at the beach club.

Sunset Bars:-You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out the equation; sunset + cocktail + good company = magic. Thankfully, Phuket's west coast is riddled with places to try out this combination in many shapes and forms. From the all-white sophistication of Joe's Downstairs to the elevated viewpoint of Diavolo in Paresa, there's a lot to choose from. The only unbreakable condition is that you have to be on time.

Simon Cabaret:-Walking into the Simon Cabaret show theatre in Patong is just like entering a movie house. There's the same Kenny G saxophone music, the same plush seats and the same dimmed lights. It's only when a basso profundo voice announces the show and the curtain rises on live performers glistening with sequins and shimmering with feathers that things are different. Yes, this is real live showtime and the flash and flesh are pure Vegas except for one thing – the 'girls' on stage are actually men. Since 1991 Simon Cabaret has been entertaining visitors with its mélange of camp, glitter and cornball and it still is one of the island's biggest draws.

Phuket FantaSea:-Phuket Fantasea is the island's biggest show. With trapeze artists, a cast of hundreds, performing elephants and other animals and an exotic storyline that blends tradition with fantasy you'll have a wonderful evening out here. But the extravaganza doesn't stop there as FantaSea also hosts one of the biggest buffets in Asia and is set in a theme park that offers carnival-like games, lots of shopping opportunities, a Palace of the Elephants, a Similan Adventure Centre and several other food outlets. It's spectacular, it's extravagent, it's impressive and great entertainment value for all.

Live Music:-Patong, being the centre of nightlife on the island and indeed the south of Thailand, is the place to go for live and live-mix DJ music. For a town of this size there are a surprising amount of choices when it comes down to opting for folk, heavy rock, house or hip-hop. From simple pub groups giving you something to enjoy with your pint to rocking bars where the music is the main event, there’s no shortage of options. On this page, we have listed most of the bars around the city which prominently feature live music. In the majority of cases, the genre of choice is classic and contemporary rock, with a little bit of heavy metal thrown in for fun. If you love the unique atmosphere created by talented musicians practising their craft, check these places out on your next night out.

Gay Phuket:-Colourful, eccentric, outrageous and full of fun, Phuket’s annual Gay Festival held in Patong is a riot of floats and parades and the colourful demonstrations of supreme confidence in what might be called 'alternative' sexualities. The Gay Festival attracts revelers from the world over and is a week of fun and well-organised activities, parties, competitions, quizzes, parades and over-the-top costumes and characters. Based around Soi Paradise and gay-friendly hotels, the festival certainly leaves its mark on Patong Beach.

Thai Boxing:-One of the most popular spectator sports in Thailand, and now gaining world renown, is the martial art of Muay Thai. Exciting enough on TV - the furious punches, crushing elbow strikes, lethal kicks and artful feints are even more riveting when seen live.Witness the passion and drama of Thailand's national sport amidst crowds of onlookers whose cheers blend with the strains of high-pitched Javanese clarinets, drums and finger cymbals that accompany the fights from beginning to end. For tourists in the Patong Beach area, nightly displays of Thai Boxing are carried out in specially built stadiums on Soi Sai Namyen. If you don't mind the violence, a Thai boxing match is worth attending for the pure spectacle and the wild musical accompaniment, the ceremonial beginning of each match, and the frenzied betting around the stadium.

Dino Park Mini Golf:-Dino Park Mini Golf is a fun and funky mini-golf course and restaurant located right in between Karon and Kata beaches, on the Beach Road. With a full 18-hole course in a dramatic pre-historic setting - as well as a Flintstones-themed restaurant - it is a great place to enjoy a day out with the family. As the name suggests, the course runs through a Jurrasic Park-like setting, with large and life-like dinosaurs around each hole, as though ready to snap up any errant ball (or golfer). The dense forestry and an erupting volcano competes the Land that Time Forgot feeling, providing a great escape from the sun and from any thoughts of taking life too seriously.

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