Koh Samui nightlife is vibrant. Especially in Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut / Big Buddha Beach you can spend your evening strolling along cafes, bars, cocktail bars, English pubs, Irish pubs, clubs, discotheques, and and bars with live performances.
Koh samui nightlife is centred on the two main beach areas of Chaweng and Lamai, with Lamai offering a quieter, more friendly and slightly cheaper scene. Chaweng, which changes daily, is more upbeat with new places popping-up all the time. Chaweng also has its own beach party scene.
Quite a few restaurants and hotels present Thai dancing performances which you can enjoy during your diner. Thai bands play golden hits from American and English music history in several bars and cafes in Chaweng, Lamai, Meanam and Bophut. Or try a “cabaret” where transvestites entertain the crowd in their exuberant costumes.
Koh Samui nightlife has hundreds of bars, beer bars with loud techno music, sports pubs with big screen TV’s showing major sports events, English pubs and Irish pubs and laid back beach bars.
The open-bars beckon for some lazy talks; for pepping up for the big party later, which most all travelers here revel into. The Jazz Junction pub which is at Chaweng Beach Road provides you an ideal place to simply chat and dawdle on. It’s quiet elegance is boosted by divine cocktails, cool, jazz, smooth grooves and sunshine soul. The Thai-house-inspired bar is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The popular Reggae Pub in Chaweng, noted for its logo which shows the face of Bob Marley. Reggae music (what else) is the fixture here and a live band leads you to wild dancing.
You can also head off to The Club where a different atmosphere greets you: warm candlelight’s and electric music acid jazz, soul, funk, mellow grooves and a rare feeling of one ness with the crowd. How about some light entertainment? Then come to the Christy Cabaret, Samui’s own brand of cabaret. After that slow but sure gearing up, you are then ready for Samui’s frenetic body ventures.
One of the most popular discos is the Green Mango. Dancing starts 10 p.m. and lasts until the wee hours of the morning. The big dance floor throbs with a crowd sweating it out to the latest disco tunes. But you can also have an open space with tables just a little farther from the main dance floor.
The Sweet ‘n Soul Bar has no dance area but is open on to the street, close to the Green Mango. Cosy, intimate, dark, popular and crowded! More laid-back music, (Dire Straits, Chris Rea, Dido etc) A great place to chill out (if you can find a seat) after the Green Mango
And at Lamai beach, you have the main party place – Bauhaus. Screens showing live sport events capture some people but it is because Bauhaus is for everyone’s enjoyment. The place sets a different theme on certain days and there is also a night for your dancing shoes to be polished since true-blue underground music will charm you.
Mario’s Austin Powers Dance Bar, loud ‘n funky music with a beach party atmosphere which often attracts as big as crowd as the Green Mango. Have your way through! Close to the Green Mango.
Secret Garden on Big Buddha Beach is probably the oldest still existing beach party on Koh Samui. Every Sunday from 16.00 hrs local and international musicians add to the relaxed atmosphere that attracts tourists as well as many residents. The internationally renowned Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is easy to reach – tickets can be bought everywhere on Koh Samui. Other beach parties, such as the Ritual Beach Party in Choengmon Beach, advertise their events on bill boards around the island.