10 Best Nightlife in Phuket Town

Siam Niramit is a large entertainment complex located on the Bypass Road in the northwestern area of Phuket Town. It features a large theatre on which 100 performers play a 3-act cultural show every night at 8.30pm. Thai History, Thai mythology, and Thai traditions are presented in a colourful and lively show using some of the latest effects.

The gates of the complex open at 5.30pm allowing visitors to look around the reconstituted typical villages of the 4 main regions of Thailand as well as a floating market, some outdoor performances (traditional music and dances), and souvenir shops. Before the show, a Thai/international buffet is available at Siam Niramit’s restaurant. The entire complex is wheelchair-friendly.

Aphrodite is a seductive ladyboy cabaret show performed in an original building featuring a large wooden junk above its main entrance. The show is played in a 900-seater theatre and is similar to the famous Simon Cabaret show in Patong, but on a larger scale. Featuring splendid stage decor, hi-tech sound and light systems, dancers and ‘lip-synch singers’ in brightly coloured costumes, this 60-minute show is professionally choreographed and very entertaining.

Besides the show, Aphrodite has 2 restaurants (Japanese and Chinese) and a brewery at which you can sample different beers. Find Aphrodite located diagonally opposite Tesco Lotus on the Bypass Road in the western area of Phuket Town.

Quip Sky Bar, Phuket Town’s first-ever rooftop bar, brings a distinctly artistic touch to the old city, as well as some cool views and a rather unusual line-up of lobster dishes. Located upstairs at Quip Bed & Breakfast, the 5th-floor alfresco space continues the hotel’s quirky and flamboyant style while providing a great spot to enjoy breezy evenings.

Don’t be put off by the 5 flights of stairs up to Quip Sky Bar; one glance at the grinning pink rhino that greets you, not to mention the impressive views of the old city rooftops below, and you’ll soon realise the extra effort was well worth it.

Simon Star in Phuket Town is the little sister of Simon Cabaret in Patong. Located near Samkong, in the northern area of the city, this ladyboy show is performed in a modern 600-seater theatre featuring top-of-the-range sound and lighting systems. Professionally choreographed and performed, Simon Star is a fun, colourful and lively cabaret show that can be seen by the whole family. With superb stage design, outstanding costumes and all-time favourites tunes (‘It’s raining men’ and ‘I will survive’ to name just a few), Simon Star Cabaret is a show that has to be seen to be believed.

Ka Jok See Restaurant is rather inconspicuous from the outside (there’s no sign whatsoever) and you’ll probably never see any advertising for it in any newspaper, magazine or tourism-related publication. Nevertheless, it's packed every night and offers certainly one of the most unusual dining options in Phuket. Located on Takua Pa Road, Ka Jok See is set in a Sino-colonial shophouse featuring a beautiful and colourful vintage decor.

The food served here is Thai and comes in large portions. Be prepared for the owner – Khun Lek, a born entertainer – to get the party started. The cool atmosphere evolves along with the dinner to become a frantic party with dancers on the tables, limbo contest, conga lines and more. It's incredible how contagious the crazy mood can be, with even the shyest of diners eventually joining in with the fun.

Timber Hut is a long-established venue in Phuket Town. It opened in 1990 and went through the years without changing much of its decor and atmosphere, which may contribute to its constant success. Mostly frequented by Phuket’s hi-so youngsters, it also attracts many foreigners curious to get a glimpse of the local after-dark entertainment scene.

Set in a 2-storey, red-brick building on Yaowarat Road, at the northern end of Phuket Old Town, Timber Hut hosts a daily live music shows in which international and Thai classics are performed by talented and skilled musicians. Food and drinks are sold at affordable rates, and from time to time, you might be even able to spot Thai and international celebrities on holiday enjoying a drink there.

Kor Tor Mor is a fashionable night club located near Nimit Circle (the seahorse circle), 500 metres east from Robinson Department Store in Phuket Town. Kor Tor Mor stands for Krung Thep Mahanakhon, the first 3 words of Bangkok's full name in Thai (Bangkok’s Thai name counts 21 words). This stylish club attracts all the hi-so and hip youngsters of Phuket, and there’s even a formal dress code (no shorts or sandals allowed). Punters can bring their own liquor or spirits and will be just charged for ice and mixers.

Thai bands and DJs share the musical entertainment role throughout the evening, and a professional security service assures that things run smoothly for all customers. Kor Tor Mor is a great place if you’d like to mingle and have fun with the local wealthy youth of Phuket.

Rockin’ Angels Blues Café is a cool bar located on Yaowarat Road in Phuket Old Town. Live music rules here, but not any music – specifically, the Blues.

Every night, the skilful band entertains punters, revisiting Blues classics. Any musician in the audience is welcome to join the band for a jam; additional guitars and basses hang on the wall for this purpose. With its vintage decor and its laidback yet rocking ambience, Rockin’ Angels Blues Café is a cool place to spend the evening with friends.

Music Matter is the temple of jazz music in Phuket Town. This long-established, unpretentious bar is the ‘baby’ of a passionate talented musician, Jeffrey Sevilla, who opened it in 2000 as a way to offer Phuket Island its first and only venue entirely dedicated to jazz music. In association with UNESCO, Music Matter has been in charge of organising the yearly International Jazz Day in Phuket since 2012.

Z1MPLEX Mixology Laboratory Phuket specialises in serving shots, and the owners have elevated this humble tipple to a fine art. You are given an iPad from which you can order your drinks and they are crafted in front of your eyes. The concept behind the bar is to celebrate the art of mixology, or the blending of different drinks to make colourful final results. You'll find a huge amount of thought and technical prowess has gone into the design of each of the shots.