Phuket is one of the most renowned nightlife destinations in Thailand. It has a buzzing party scene, with most of its bars and nightclubs concentrated on the 1-km long street of Bangla (or Walking Street), in the beach town of Patong.
Here is the concise guide of Phuket (Patong) nightlife:
Best Hotels Near Patong Nightlife
Booking.com has a great list of hotels located within a short distance from Bangla Road. Among them, the following are the best in terms of value for money, rating and location:
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Note: Some hotels in Patong may ask for a "joiner" fee (around 300 THB) if you bring someone to your room who wasn't part of your initial booking.
Phuket Nightlife Tips
What to expect
Type of crowd
With its gogo bars, its naughty massage parlors, and its sleazy clubs, nightlife in Patong is rather male-oriented. It is a (paid) sex destination that draws mostly guys, older and younger, from all over the world.
While Russians are the main nationality in Phuket, you also have hordes of Northern Europeans (British, Germans, Scandinavians), Asians, Australians, Americans, Indians and Arabs. There are also thousands of foreigners who retired in Phuket or started their own businesses (restaurants, bars, tours, etc), many of whom are married to or dating a Thai girl.
Patong, and Phuket in general, also attracts "normal" tourists, including families, couples and backpackers. They come mostly for the beach, but at night, some will come to Bangla street out of curiosity. They are not particularly interested in the sex trade so they contribute to make Patong nightlife less creepy.
Dress code:
There isn't a very strict dress code in most of the bars and nightclubs in Phuket. You can wear shorts, torn jeans, t-shirts, and even sandals.
Cost of partying
Patong is more expensive than the average for Thailand, but it is still reasonable compared to other countries.
In a typical gogo bar or nightclub, you will pay about USD 2-4 for a beer, USD 5-6 for a glass of spirits, and USD 6-8 for a cocktail. The cheapest bottles of imported alcohol, like Red Label, usually cost around USD 100.
Almost all the nightclubs in Phuket have a free entrance, except White Room and Illuzion (they will charge USD 10-15 depending on the event or DJ). If you are a small group, you should consider purchasing a bottle of alcohol as it will give you access to a table and you'll save money on drinks.
Many nightclubs run an all-you-can-drink promo for about 800 THB. It usually lasts from 10pm to 1am. Beware because if the club is full, you may struggle to get your drinks at the bar.
Music
DJs will usually alternate between commercial EDM (Electronic Dance Music), Hip-Hop, Rn'B and Top 40. The only places where I listened to more original playlists were in the VIP rooms of Illuzion and Seduction.
Dating/Meeting people
You shouldn't be too naive about the dating scene in Patong/Phuket, especially if you are a guy. On a dating site like Tinder, the majority of users are prostitutes or ladyboys. In nightclubs, even those with a good reputation, you can pretty much assume that most of the girls you will talk to make a living from dating guys or having sex with them.
The rest of the year, and particularly in July or August, you will have considerably fewer people visiting Phuket. In Patong, the occupancy during the low season may not even reach 50%.
While you will get cheaper deals on hotels, you can't expect that all bars and nightclubs will be crowded.
Travel Insurance
Before or during your trip, check that you have proper travel insurance. It costs a few dollars per day and it can save you a lot of trouble if something happens to you.
→ Illuzion is my favorite party place in Patong. Ranked 93rd best nightclub in the world by DJ Mag, it is brand-new and modern, with a huge stage where sexy dancers, acrobats, DJs and singers perform all night long. You have fewer prostitutes than elsewhere and most of the customers are young Westerners. It also has a smaller room called Empire specializing in urban music.
→ Tai Pan is an old nightclub popular with long-term Phuket residents. It is just one low-ceiling room with plenty of tables and dancing poles. There is always a show on stage: Dancers, live bands, DJs. At least 90% of the girls are prostitutes.
Gogo Bars and Erotic Clubs in Phuket
Girlie bars are everywhere in Patong and they make take several forms:
→ The cheapest are the ubiquitous beer bars that can be found every 20 meters (and especially in Soi Freedom or Soi Tiger). They can accommodate around 15-20 customers with a staff of 10 bar girls.
Most of the famous Patong gogo bars are located in Soi Sea Dragon. The group Suzie Wong manages at least four gogo bars there (Suzie Wong I & II, Harem, Exotica) and another one on Bangla (Rock Hard). They are the best ones (prettiest girls, great atmosphere, good music, first drink for 99 THB).
You can also try the new Upstairs Gogo Bar (nude and topless girls, first beer 99 THB then 200 THB), No1 A Gogo, Diablo A Gogo and Club Lover.
Honestly, it is pretty gross. With my own two eyes, I've seen a girl removing an actual frog from her V, then throwing it on a customer. The staff looked depressed and tourists were rather uncomfortable.
Note: Many tourists get scammed in ping pong shows. They get inside because they are promised a 99 THB beer, but they ignore that it only applies to the first drink. After that, they get charged between 500 THB and 1,000 THB per drink.
→ There are a few Russian strip joints in Patong. More luxurious than Thai ones, they also cost more and have a bad reputation for scamming customers.