Destination guide
Koh Samui Nightlife
Chaweng for the big night, the north coast for a quiet one
Koh Samui's nightlife is mostly in one place, Chaweng on the east coast. Its beach clubs run from the afternoon pool party into fire shows on the sand, and the bars along Chaweng Beach Road and the two party lanes behind it, Soi Green Mango and Soi Reggae, keep going until 03:00 or 04:00. Lamai, 25 minutes south, has a smaller and cheaper version. The north coast is the quiet alternative, with the fire show at Coco Tam's in Bophut and cocktail bars in Fisherman's Village that close around midnight.
Samui is a resort island rather than a party island, and for a wilder night the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is a speedboat ride away. Below is each area, the venues worth knowing with their hours from our records, how a night runs hour by hour and how to get back to your hotel.
Arriving in Koh Samui
Where to stay in Koh Samui
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Key Facts
Chaweng is the center
Most of the island's clubs and late bars are in central Chaweng, on the beach and along Chaweng Beach Road, close enough to walk between. Lamai is the second strip, and Bophut is for dinner and drinks.
Late bars to 03:00, clubs to 04:00 and later
Soi Reggae runs to 03:00 and the Green Mango to 04:00, while Sound Club stays open to 06:00. The north-coast bars mostly close around midnight.
Fire shows start the night
Coco Tam's in Bophut has a fire show at 19:15 and a second at about 21:30. ARKbar's on Chaweng Beach starts at about 20:00.
Plan the ride home
Grab and Bolt work in Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut but cost more than on the mainland. Chaweng to Lamai takes about 25 minutes. Don't ride a scooter after drinking on the ring road.
You must be 20 to drink
Thailand's drinking age is 20, and clubs can ask for ID, so carry a copy of your passport. On Buddhist holy days, ordinary bars and shops can't sell alcohol.
December to March is the busiest
High season fills the beach clubs and the late bars every night. From May to October midweek nights are quieter, but weekends still draw a crowd.
Chaweng, the Main Strip
Chaweng has three layers. On the sand, the beach clubs run from the afternoon. ARKbar has its pool party from the afternoon and a fire show from about 20:00, and CLUB SEEN at the north end of the strip is the place for international DJs, but it closes at 23:00. Behind them, Chaweng Beach Road is lined with bars, restaurants, live music, the cabaret and the cocktail lounges.
The late night happens in the lanes off the road. Soi Green Mango is the loudest, with the Green Mango club, hip hop at Hush Bar, beer bars and the go-go bars that give it its reputation. Soi Reggae is the easier-going one, a strip of open bars with free pool tables that runs until 03:00 and is home to the Phetchbuncha boxing stadium. Chaweng also hosts Black Moon and Half Moon parties, Phangan-style outdoor parties held once a month at a location that changes each time, so ask in the bars or at a travel desk.
The Best Nights Out on Koh Samui
Ranked by how well each one does its kind of night, from our records and reviewers rather than my own visits. Hours change with the season, so check the venue's page before you plan around one.
1. ARKbar Beach Club, Chaweng Beach
The classic Samui nightThe loud exception on a mostly calm island, a beach club and resort on Chaweng Beach with a pool party through the afternoon, DJs, and a fire show on the sand from about 20:00. Entry is free. It's open from 10:00 to 02:00, but it doesn't really get going until the evening, and it suits groups, birthdays and anyone who wants Samui to feel like a party island. For a quiet drink with a sea view, pick somewhere else.
- When to go
- From sunset, open until 02:00
2. The Green Mango, Soi Green Mango, Chaweng
The big clubThe island's biggest club, an open-air space with a packed dance floor, raised platforms and DJs playing mainstream, electronic and throwback hits. It opens at 21:00 and runs to 04:00 every night, but it's nearly empty before midnight and fills at about 01:00, when the beach-club crowd arrives. Saturday is the biggest night. Expect it to be very loud and the staff to keep offering you another drink.
- When to go
- After 01:00, Saturday above all
3. Coco Tam's, Bophut Beach, Fisherman's Village
A fire show with dinnerThe north coast's beach bar, with beanbags and low tables on the sand, swing seats at the bar, wood-fired pizza and the island's best-known fire show at 19:15, with a second show at about 21:30. Arrive by about 17:30 for a good spot, and sit a row or two back, because the front row gets the smell of the kerosene. It's open from noon to midnight and is busiest on Friday, when the Walking Street fills Fisherman's Village.
- When to go
- 17:30 onward, Friday for the Walking Street too
4. CLUB SEEN, North Chaweng
Day-to-evening beach clubSamui's beach club for serious DJ line-ups, with sunbeds, cabanas, cocktails and sharing plates. It runs from 11:00 to 23:00 every day, so it's a long afternoon that builds into an early-evening party, and then you move on. Prices are above ordinary Thai bars. Book sunbeds and cabanas on its website in high season and on event days.
- When to go
- Afternoon to 23:00
5. Soi Reggae, Chaweng
Pool tables and a mixed crowdA lane of open-fronted bars where several have pool tables you can use for free, which makes it a more sociable night than shouting over a sound system. The bars open at 16:00 and run until 03:00 every night, filling up late. Prices are mid-range, and the boxing stadium is on the same street.
- When to go
- After dark, until 03:00
6. Sound Club Samui, Chaweng
Techno until sunriseThe club for people who come for the music, with techno and electronic sets on a sound system reviewers single out. It's open from 22:00 to 06:00 every night, and it really starts after the Green Mango crowd moves on. Carry ID, because door checks have been inconsistent.
- When to go
- After 02:00
7. The Palms Bar & Grill, Near Soi Green Mango, Chaweng
Live rockA bar and grill with a resident band that covers rock and pop through to heavy rock, which is why people come back. It's open from 17:00 to 03:00, with a happy hour from 19:00 to 21:00, and its mid-range prices and mixed crowd make it a good first stop before the clubs.
8. Phetchbuncha Boxing Stadium, Soi Reggae, Chaweng
Muay Thai fight nightSamui's main Muay Thai stadium, where young Thai fighters share the card with foreigners from the island's training camps. A night is about eight bouts over three hours, with the pre-fight dance, live music and full-rules fights. Its listing shows Wednesday and Saturday from 21:00, and fights run weekly and more often in high season, so check the banners around Chaweng and buy at the box office.
- When to go
- From 21:00 on fight nights
9. Cabaret Paris Follies, Chaweng Beach Road
The cabaret showA cabaret with elaborate costumes and a rotating cast, where you get in by buying a drink rather than a ticket. Shows last about an hour and run from 19:00 to midnight, and it sits between the bars and the beach, so it fits easily into a night.
- When to go
- 19:00 to midnight
10. Garnish, Fisherman's Village, Bophut
Serious cocktailsA small cocktail bar on the second floor of a Fisherman's Village shophouse, where the owner walks you through an experimental, ingredient-led menu. It's open from 16:00 to midnight and suits a slow evening rather than a big night.
11. The Gin Run, Centara, Chaweng Beach
A quiet drink in ChawengA hotel gin bar with house-infused gins and a calm, grown-up feel in the middle of Chaweng. It's open from 13:00 to midnight, with a one-for-one happy hour, and the Tea Thyme cocktail is the one people come back for.
12. Meeting Bar Samui, Between Bophut and Maenam
Live music with localsA roadside bar and Thai restaurant where the owner, Pan, plays guitar and sings most nights, and the evening often turns into an open jam. There's a pool table, the food is cooked to order and cheap, and it's open from 11:00 to 23:00.
Meeting Bar Samui – Live Music & Thai Food4.9(321)$$$$Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00, Sun 09:00–23:30
A Night Out on Samui, Hour by Hour
| Time | Where | What's on |
|---|---|---|
| 17:00–19:00 | Beach clubs and Bophut | Sunset at CLUB SEEN or ARKbar in Chaweng, or a table on the sand at Coco Tam's |
| 19:15 | Coco Tam's, Bophut | The first fire show, with a second at about 21:30 |
| From about 20:00 | ARKbar, Chaweng Beach | The fire show on the sand |
| 19:00–21:00 | The Palms, Chaweng | Happy hour and the band |
| From 21:00 | Phetchbuncha stadium | Muay Thai on fight nights |
| 22:00–01:00 | Chaweng Beach Road, Soi Reggae | Bars, live music and pool |
| 01:00–04:00 | Soi Green Mango | The Green Mango club at its busiest |
| 02:00–06:00 | Sound Club | Techno until sunrise |
Times from the venues' listings in our records and ARKbar's own schedule. The beach clubs and bars run every night, but fight nights and party events don't, so check before you go.
Lamai, the Smaller Strip
Lamai, about 25 minutes south of Chaweng, has the same mix at a lower volume, with beer bars along the beach road, cocktail bars and a scene that's a little rougher around the edges. The evening usually starts at Lamai Night Market, open every night from 17:00 to midnight, with grilled seafood and Thai food and a bar with a stage for live music most nights. On Sunday the Lamai walking street adds crafts and clothes from 17:00 to 22:00.
For drinks, Lamai Cocktails is open from 15:00 to 01:00 and puts real care into its cocktails, House of Suzy is the stylish lounge with DJs and live music, and Cocktails By Pik in Maret, just north, has a happy hour from 13:00 to 18:00 with cocktails from about ฿75. Lamai works as a base if you want nightlife without Chaweng's intensity, or as one night out from Chaweng for a change of scene.
Bophut, Fisherman's Village and the Quiet Coast
The north coast does evenings rather than nights. In Fisherman's Village the plan is dinner on the old seafront, the fire show at Coco Tam's and a cocktail at Garnish, and most places close around midnight. Friday is the night to go, when the Walking Street market fills the beach road from about 17:00. Along the coast, the Bophut and Bangrak bars are good for an early drink, and the Meeting Bar between Bophut and Maenam has live music with a local crowd. For a resort cocktail with a view, Woobar at the W in Maenam is open from noon to midnight.
If you're staying on this side and want a big night, Chaweng is a short Grab ride away. Book the ride back before your phone battery runs out.
Arriving in Koh Samui
Top-Ranked Hotels in Koh Samui
The top of my ranked list of the 10 best hotels in Koh Samui. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com with your dates filled in.
#3Banyan Tree Samui4.8 (1,745 reviews)
Banyan Tree Samui cascades down a private headland bay south of Lamai — an all-pool-villa resort where every villa terrace holds its own infinity edge aimed at
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#4Conrad Koh Samui4.8 (1,698 reviews)
Conrad Koh Samui claims the island's southwestern corner — a hillside of contemporary pool villas built for one thing above all: the sunset.
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#5SALA Samui Choengmon Beach Resort4.8 (1,614 reviews)
SALA Samui Choengmon Beach Resort put pool villas within reach on Samui's calm northeast cove — the majority of its whitewashed, courtyard-style villas hide pri
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The Full Moon Party From Samui
Samui's biggest night out is on the next island. The Full Moon Party on Haad Rin, at the southern tip of Koh Phangan, happens once a month, and on party nights speedboats run from Samui's Big Buddha pier to Haad Rin and back through the night, so you can go for the party and sleep in your own bed. Book the boat early, because they sell out. If you'd rather avoid the crowds, Chaweng's Black Moon and Half Moon parties are smaller versions on Samui itself.
Getting Home and Staying Safe
Samui's taxis quote fixed fares above mainland prices, so agree the fare before you get in, or use Grab or Bolt, which work in Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut. Songthaews cost ฿50–100 by day. Don't ride a scooter home after drinking, because Samui's ring road has one of the worst accident rates in Thailand.
In the bars, pay per round rather than running a tab, carry small notes, keep your phone and wallet zipped in the crowds on Soi Green Mango, and watch your drink. In the beer bars and go-go bars, hostesses may ask you to buy them a drink, which costs more than yours. Dress is casual almost everywhere, though the cocktail lounges lean smart casual.
Where to Stay for Nightlife
Stay in Chaweng if nightlife is the point, so you can walk home. Central Chaweng is closest to the clubs, and north or south Chaweng is quieter while staying a short ride away. Lamai is the choice for a calmer stay with its own bars, and Bophut suits couples who want dinner and a fire show, with Chaweng a short ride away for the odd big night. The Where to Stay in Koh Samui guide compares every beach.
Plan the rest of Samui.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Koh Samui Nightlife.
Yes, in Chaweng. Its beach clubs, fire shows, live-music bars and clubs like the Green Mango run until 04:00, and Sound Club until 06:00. The rest of the island is calmer, with Lamai a smaller strip and Bophut mostly closing around midnight. For a bigger party, the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is a speedboat ride away.
Central Chaweng, on the east coast. The beach clubs are on the sand, the bars along Chaweng Beach Road, and the late night in Soi Green Mango and Soi Reggae, all within walking distance.
Most hotel bars and the north-coast bars close around midnight to 01:00. In Chaweng, Soi Reggae runs to 03:00, the Green Mango to 04:00 and Sound Club to 06:00.
Chaweng is the best area for meeting people, at the ARKbar pool party and fire show, the Soi Reggae pool tables and the Green Mango after 01:00. Lamai's bars are smaller and more relaxed.
Yes, especially on the north coast. Dinner in Fisherman's Village, the fire show at Coco Tam's, cocktails at Garnish or The Gin Run, and a beach club at sunset make a good night without the clubs.
Chaweng for clubs, beach parties and the most choice. Lamai for a smaller, cheaper strip with a night market and cocktail bars, about 25 minutes south.
Yes. On party nights speedboats run from the Big Buddha pier to Haad Rin on Koh Phangan and back through the night. Book early, because they sell out.
At the Phetchbuncha Boxing Stadium on Soi Reggae in Chaweng. Fight nights run weekly and more often in high season, from 21:00, with about eight bouts. Buy at the box office.
Yes, Cabaret Paris Follies on Chaweng Beach Road, with shows of about an hour from 19:00 to midnight. You get in by buying a drink.
20, as everywhere in Thailand. Clubs can ask for ID, and on Buddhist holy days ordinary bars and shops can't sell alcohol.
Where to stay in Koh Samui
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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