Chaweng Beach Nightlife

- Chaweng Beach Nightlife
- Lamai Beach Nightlife
- Bophut & Menam Beach
- Big Buddha Beach Nightlife
- Koh Phangan At Night
- Full Moon Party


From chilled out beach bars serving cocktails at Sunset to dinner cabaret shows, from banging clubs to happening pubs & regular Thai boxing competitions including female mud-wrestling Koh Samui has much to offer in the way of nightlife. The main centres for nightlife on Samui are Chaweng and Lamai beach whilst Bophut is a more relaxed affair with a fine selection of restaurants, pubs and live music - a haven away from Chaweng's packed venues & pumping beats. Choengmoen has a few chilled bars mostly in the centre of the village though a couple of beach bars have managed to survive rising land prices.

The villages of Maenam and Nathon are quieter still once the local businesses have pulled their shutters down for the day but still offer some great choices of restaurant for your evening meal (at very reasonable prices) and a few relaxed bars in the main village and along the seafront.

Chaweng is indisputably the main hub for nightlife on Koh Samui. A proliferation of “girlie” or go-go bars are popping up everywhere you look - along the lines of Patong in Phuket with the heaviest concentration in Soi Green Mango but more appearing along the high street and just down from Starbucks towards Bar Solo. Unavoidable & probably more of a bother (or an attraction) for male visitors to Chaweng some of the lovely ladies can be very welcoming and often persistent - so if it’s not your bag just avoid direct eye contact and plough on through to your bar of choice because there’s plenty of variety and something to suit all tastes.

If you are not put off by their constant entreaties to “come in” then hostess bars can be a lot of fun and often attract regulars not interested in “Thai desserts”. The mamasans often speak good English and have very entertaining tales to tell - especially on quiet nights. They employ girls to play counter top games with the customers, serve drinks, and for those customers who would like an escort or companion for the evening (or the week or even the duration of your stay) they will go out on the town and more... These bars make much of their income from the bar fines they charge to take their girls out. Fines vary from bar to bar according to the season and do not include extra curricular activities. One word of caution - not all the girls are ladies …

Sports enthusiasts needn’t worry about missing important events. Most major sports events/tournaments enjoy live coverage on satellite TV and are widely shown at various sports bars around Chaweng and across Samui in general. To name just two, The Quarterdeck right in the middle of Chaweng has a huge screen as does the Sportsman's (?) Club opposite the parade of shops fronting the Central Beach Resort in mid-Chaweng whilst the well known and landmark Islander Pub has multiple TVs around the restaurant and enjoys a faithful following.

Most nightclubs get going around 11.00-12.00 despite the new early closing regulation that bars must stop serving at 14.00. A few places still stay open after the curfew though round the back of Soi Green Mango if you’re not ready to go home and there are late night parties at the end of the lane behind Starbucks on selected nights for the hardcore party people.

Perennial favourites still seem to be the open-air Sweet Soul Cafe and Green Mango both at the end of the Soi Green Mango. The DJs play a mix of modern house, old dance classics, hip hop and chart tunes which can appeal to different ages. In high season Sweet Soul, often full to capacity spills out on to the street while the larger Green Mango has plenty of space for party-goers to spread out. The relatively new and air-conditioned Mint Bar just opposite Sweet Soul is slowly building up a faithful gathering due mainly to the headlining DJ’s they manage to secure for their regular parties. Some of the bigger names may involve an entry fee - but nothing like the prices you would pay in Europe to hear them do their magic!!

Then there’s the famous Reggae Pub - mentioned in a least two novels that come to mind - set on the lake in downtown Chaweng. Having survived 2 renovations since it burnt down a few years ago this world famous disco still enjoys a faithful crowd. The latest renovation kept in tact the cavernous dome with its traditional wooden structure whilst the new decor and the fittings have been brought into the new millennium.

It’s beautiful approach at night with the lights all reflected in the lake. For previous visitors to Chaweng who haven’t visited Koh Samui for a few years – the old rickety wooden bridge has long gone replaced by a concrete road - but the Reggae Pub still retains its beach bar tropical nightclub feel. A live band plays nightly interspersed by selections from the in-house DJ.

There are many warm up joints, the previously mentioned Islander Pub is busy most nights whilst Tropical Murphy's further south on the main road opposite MacDonald's, is ever popular and attracts a good crowd with great food, ambience and some terrific bands brought in for special occasions. Ark Bar on Chaweng has parties on the beach every Wednesday at their beach bar & restaurant starting in the daytime playing up to date house tunes. Good place to grab a bite to eat as well with large portions and a chilled out beach vibe just a short walk away from the nightlife.

Thai boxing events are held at stadium near the Reggae Pub that has been purpose built for twice weekly events. There’s another one been built just down the road in Laem Din Market as well.

Typically fights are held on Tuesdays and Fridays but if f you somehow manage to avoid being handed one of their flyers while you stroll around Chaweng - not to worry, their roaming sound truck or longtail boat spewing unusual and distinctive Thai music will soon advise you of the upcoming dates - at least twice... at least twice.

Popular with Thais as well as foreigners, a live rock band performs late at the Sound Bar right round the back of Soi Green Mango and.... They have their own parking lot down the small street and a swimming pool.

Last but not least there are a few cabaret venues performed by female impersonators such as the reknowned Christie's Cabaret. You can't miss their colourful carnival - like outfits as the ladies flit around Chaweng Highstreet near the Islander Pub enticing customers in with broad smiles and slender limbs peeking out from beneath their colourful skirts. The shows can be naughty - definitely for an adult crowd.

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