13 Best Bars in Phuket and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

This Old Town shophouse is the spot for exciting complex cocktails by one of Thailand’s leading mixologists. The thematic menu changes regularly, so ask the expert bartenders to guide you through their latest creations that might include local spirits, sous-vide vegetables, or unexpected herbs.

Designed to look like a science laboratory and serving cocktails with names like Parallel Universe that look like gorgeous science experiments but turn out to be serious drinks, Z1mplex is surely one of Thailand’s coolest cocktail bars. Homemade tinctures, decoctions, and shrubs are combined with eye-catching skill by Tom, the owner. It's located on the quiet end of Phang Nga Road.

Is this spot named after the owner, or Bob Marley? We might never know but the music is great, the beer is cold, and the atmosphere is friendly.  

Designed to look like the inside of a jungle, this roadside bar-club is the venue for live gigs that get locals, expats, and tourists dancing together until the late hours. Outside, benches offer respite from blaring music and a place to snack from nearby street food stalls. It's not as lively on nights when there isn't a live performance.

If you're looking for a large-scale party, this massive club has it all, including international DJs playing a wide variety music, with a capacity to hold a crowd of over 5,000. A state-of-the-art sound system and lively atmosphere ensure a high energy night out in Patong. 

At the end of Ao Nang Beach, this beachfront bar with outdoor seating is the perfect spot for a sundowner beverage, though it's open for lunch and dinner, too, serving surf-and-turf, salads, desserts, and other comfort foods.

There are several bars dotted around this complex but it's the boxing ring that tends to draw the crowds, eager for some Muay Thai action.

This is Patong's most famous drag show, with beautiful costumes and fabulous choreography presented in the original cabaret-style tableaux. It's crowd-pleasing---and the crowds come by the busload---rather than risqué, but that's not a bad thing at all. There are three shows nightly.

If you're young, restless, and like to party all night, Slinky is the place for you. They regularly host theme parties and fire shows, and it does tend to get pretty rowdy.

On the eastern end of Loh Dalam Beach, Sunflower is a laid-back beach bar next to the Tsunami Memorial Park. It's built almost entirely out of driftwood and old wooden bungalows, with scenic sea views and local reggae bands jamming beneath the stars.

Patong has a reputation for its happening nightlife, and the seedy side of it is easily avoidable. Some of the more tasteful nightlife venues are found along Thawewong Road, including shopping, live music bars, expat pubs, and folks picking up a to-go drink from 7-Eleven and sitting on the beach.

Let's face it, in Patong it can be difficult to come by a sophisticated spot to enjoy a drink. Whitebox, designed in a white, contemporary, minimalist style, is a restaurant serving fusion Thai-European food that generally looks better than it tastes, but its rooftop bar, offering creative cocktails and tapas paired with open sea views, fits the bill. The rooftop bar opens from August to May.

In the heart of the action, this bar-café is a fun hangout spot, with a menu of Thai classics and Tex-Mex favorites. There's live music most nights---and don't be surprised to find spontaneous dancing.