Chaweng Beach Nightlife and Bars

Slap bang in the centre of Chaweng, the name literally refers to a cavernous nightclub at the end of a busy soi of bars. In practice though, the whole street and surrounding area is known as Green Mango. The club itself mainly attracts 18-30 holidaymakers looking to party and meet members of the opposite sex, and plays cheesy euro-house all night long. The bars surrounding it are all more or less the same musically speaking and most have a phalanx of bar girls to entice customers. There are also a couple of go go bars, a kathoey show, food stalls, OK restaurants, a traditional English pub and lots of sport shown on dozens of TV's.
Central Chaweng.

Since the social order crackdown began, the more risqué aspects of the shows at Samui's two pre-eminent go-go bars, a short stroll apart on Soi Green Mango have been toned down considerably and patrons now enjoy the spectacle of bored-looking girls gyrating listlessly in bikinis to the latest house hits.

Drinks are reasonably priced and punters also have the option of throwing ping-pong balls at the girls for 100 Baht - why you might want to do this isn't entirely clear. Of the two, the split level Dream Girls is considered the classier version, due to its revolving stage and glass ceiling.
Soi Green Mango, Chaweng.
Open 6pm -2am.

The latest innovation by the owner of Full Circle Club, Sounds currently lays claim to being the only stand alone bar on Samui with its own swimming pool.  Punters with their swimming costumes are invited to take a dip when the mood fancies them. Anyone without a costume is likely to join them as the night wears on and the effects of the happy hour cocktails take hold.

Given that it's in the heart of Soi Green Mango it's no surprise that the music is mostly party house, but it is at least provided by experienced DJ's who know how to work a crowd. The current resident is David Sambor, a veteran of the New York club scene.
Soi Green Mango
Open 8pm til very late

Leading the way in establishing Samui as a serious venue for international DJ's, The Mint Bar has managed to attract the likes of Brandon Block, Lisa Loud, Kenny Hawkes and BT to play there, but still manages to keep admission costs down to around 200 Baht and regularly offers two for one drinks. In terms of décor and design, it stands head and shoulders above the competition on Soi Green Mango and is spilt over two fully air conditioned levels - the floor to ceiling windows and lots comfortable seating make it a great spot for people watching, when there isn't a big name playing.
Soi Green  Mango, Central Chaweng.
Open 6pm - 2am.

Sweet Soul Cafe is an institution on Samui and is located in the epicentre of Soi Green Mango. It's popular with both locals and tourists alike and is probably the liveliest place in town. A full range of cocktails, shooters and beers are available and the staff are all very friendly. Music tends to be mostly a mixture of top 40 dance, r 'n' b, and hip hop tunes played at maximum volume. It's a great place to go if you want a rowdy night out on the town, but not somewhere to go if you want to chill. Check out the Jagermiester machine at the back of the bar that dispenses ice cold shots to liven you up.
Soi Green Mango, Central Chaweng.
Open 6pm - 2am

Gigantic fun pub that has grown from humble beer shack beginnings into one of the biggest and often busiest nightspots on the island. Expect to hear more Euro house, party tunes and techno rather than actual reggae and you won't be disappointed. Still, not many of the punters come for the music - the opportunity to get drunk on cheap Thai whiskey and meet members of the opposite sex proves a more enticing draw for the 18-30 crowd.
Chaweng Lake
Open 7pm - 2am.

An almost surreal tribute to one man's love for his football club, The PFC Bar is dedicated to all things Portsmouth. The Premier League team may not be overly familiar to fans in Asia, but owner Nick May aims to change that. A diehard Pompey fanatic, Nick has decorated the bar in Portsmouth blue and ensures that all the staff are appropriately attired in club shirts. Given the location, in amongst the mediocre girly bars that line the road to the Reggae Pub, he deserves top marks for trying something different.  Another plus is the fact that it's one of the few bars in the vicinity where female customers can enjoy a completely relaxed night out.
Reggae Pub Road, Chaweng.
Open 6pm - 2am nightly.

Part of the Amari Palm Reef Resort, Bar @ C has obviously had no expense spared in its creation and has a fashionable appeal more readily associated with Bangkok bars than any other hotel bars on Samui. There's a variety of seating areas including large day beds and giant sofas.

In the evening discreet spot lighting is to the fore and a long wall shelf light slowly pulsates different hues, to add to the lounge-style ambience. As the name suggests, the bar is also only a few metres from the sea.
Amari Hotel, Chaweng Beach Road
Open 8am - 1am

Red Snapper is part of the Chaweng Regent Beach Resort and has recently been completely renovated with a Latin theme. The cocktail list is pretty standard but there is a decent selection of wines. A live Latino band is on hand to entertain with poppy standards like the Macarena throughout the evening.
Chaweng Regent Beach Resort, North Chaweng.
Open 6pm - 2am

This beach bar and restaurant, located in Family Bungalows at the north end of Chaweng beach, has been completely renovated and given a slightly modern Asian twist with stunning results. It's a good place to hang out in the day and chill with the latest r 'n'b, soul and hip hop tunes. There's a large range of cocktails, beers, wines and a daily happy hour from 3-6pm. The restaurant is well worth checking out for excellent Thai and Western fare.
Family Bungalow, North end of Chaweng beach.
Open 6pm - 2am

China Club (previously Pandora Club) has been staging late night sessions and post Full Moon parties since opening at the end of 2004. The music is mostly funky house that goes on until the wee small hours. The club also has a pool, sauna and jazuzzi, so come prepared to get wet. The design is comfortable with pastel hues that give the place a Mediterranean feel. There's also lots of little cubbyholes and private areas to lounge and chill out in.
Northern end of Chaweng Beach, opposite Corto Maltese Resort.
Open 6pm - 2am

Patrons at the Oriental Gallery and Cafe can kill two birds with one stone: the cafe has seating for 20 on the outside terrace and stools at the bar where you can check the cocktail list or sip a coffee whilst browsing the gallery.  The gallery is air-conditioned and has Samui's largest range of Asian art and paintings with an emphasis on exquisite Burmese lacquer pieces.

There is also a small selection of tasty bar snacks available, including Bangkok favourite Miang Cum (betel nut leaf filled with ginger, shallots, lime, chilli coated with a honey sauce). The cafe is a great place to people watch and while away some time before hitting the town.
Chaweng Beach Road
Open 3pm - 1am

Small, comfy theme bar that specialises in playing catchy pop tunes from the 60's, 70's and 80's.  If that's your thing, you'll love it, since it's all done very well - right down to the waitresses' flared and sequinned costumes. For a real blast from the past, try one of their signature Pina Colada cocktails, which come served in fresh pineapple or coconuts. Many nearby tailors will be happy to make you a flared white suit.
Central Chaweng, Behind Swensens ice-cream parlour.
Open 11am - 2am.

Samui's first international standard pool hall is located in an authentically cavernous warehouse just off the Beach Road in Chaweng. Shooter's is split into several rooms: the huge main room is dominated by one of the largest TV's in town, which is permanently on a sports channel, the backroom boasts eight competition standard Brunswick tables and is specially soundproofed to ensure that serious players have no trouble concentrating and there's a separate Playstation and table football room for the kids. If that's not enough, they even throw in a few magazines for the wife to read and a reasonably priced Thai and International menu.
Central Chaweng, opposite Central Samui Beach Resort.
Open 9am - 2am daily.

Located directly opposite the entrance to Soi Green Mango, the Quarterdeck is one of the best people watching spots in town.  This long, open air, street side bar is a popular hang out for visitors needing a break from the ear splitting base lines of the Mango bars and one of the most family friendly venues in the area. It's also a good pick for watching the sport, as an unobstructed view of its big screen is possible from most of its seats. Also serves food from sister restaurant The Deck across the street.
Central Chaweng.
Open 11am - 2am.

Samui's premier ladyboy entertainment venue offers good clean fun in the form of an exceedingly camp Vegas style revue every night at 11pm. If you have a taste for show tunes, big hair, sequins and elaborate dance routines to go with pretty accurate miming, then Christy's is the place for you. The venue is fully air-conditioned and entrance is free - there are several other similar shows around town, but Christy's is probably the friendliest of the lot.
Christy's Cabaret, Central Chaweng, near Soi Green Mango.

Another newcomer on what is fast becoming Chaweng's chicest street - Soi Coliburi. Opened by the owners of the ultra-hip Long Island Resort in Lamai and designed by the team behind Bed Supperclub in Bangkok, Pod is refreshingly modern in its approach. Dominated by a long curved white concrete bar, Pod's small size enhances its homely atmosphere.

The music selections are impressively eclectic and lean towards electronica, soul and rap. The tunes mainly stay in the background to encourage conversation, except when a DJ's playing. Given that Gilles Peterson dropped by to do a set on opening night, it's always worth keeping an ear to the ground to see who's on the decks.
Soi Coliburi, Central Chaweng
Open 6pm - 2am.

Bar Solo has a casual, funky style with a chilled atmosphere. Every night resident DJ Ben Burgess and DJ Rung play funky house and US garage, upping the pace as the night progresses. Well-established Friday night parties pull a large, lively crowd and usually go on until late.  The tropical garden has an outside bar with a cosy cushioned area. There's also a free pool table and large outside screen that shows football and other sporting events. Happy hour is every night from 8-12.
Behind Starbucks, Central Chaweng.
Open 6pm - 2am

Busy every day and packed every night, Murphy's is clearly doing something right. Apart from the natural allure that Irish pubs seem to have the world over, Murphy's succeeds by keeping all its bases covered. There's the cheapest draught larger in town (95 baht a pint for Carlsberg) as well as Guinness and Kilkenny on tap, a good selection of pub grub, pool, multiple TV's, live music, Karaoke and quiz nights.
South Chaweng, opposite McDonalds.
Open 8am - 2am daily.

Offering a level of sophistication that's hard to find in other bars in Chaweng, Guapa has one of the best cocktail lists and most comprehensive selections of liquor in town. It also serves fantastic 'tropical tapas' devised by the chef from one of the local 5 star resorts, who's also a partner in the bar. The side street setting helps create a relaxing ambience well away from the anarchy that exemplifies Chaweng nightlife. The lychee martinis are a must.
South Chaweng, Same Soi as Classic Gems.
Open 6pm - 2am.

A small roadside bar that's great for an authentically mixed and very strong cocktail, or a pint of beer or two. The owner/bartender Chad is very friendly and more than happy to chew the fat over the bar with customers throughout the evening. The mostly sixties music is also reliably listenable.
Beach Road, South Chaweng.
Open 5pm - 2am.

Once legendary bar amongst young European tourists, who would set up camp there for their entire holiday, the Ark has since closed and changed hands several times before its current incarnation opened in 2002. It's still very popular with a younger crowd and makes the most of its beachside location with lots of sun-loungers and mats to relax on. Ambient and chill out tunes are on the sound system throughout the day and night, which help make the Ark one of the island's more attractive options for a daytime drink. There's also accommodation available at the attached bungalows.
Beach Road, Central Chaweng, Tel. 077 422 047.
Open 8am - 2am.