Thailand Islands - Nightlife

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In cities such as Bangkok, there is a vibrant nightlife scene with a wide range of clubs, bars, restaurants as well as districts dominated by beer bars and go go dancing such as Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza.

On the islands, the nightlife is less intense but there is still a wide variety of things to do. Larger islands such as Phuket and Ko Samui have a thriving nightlife scene in many of their major resorts. For instance in Ko Samui's Chaweng Beach area, there are a variety of bars, beer bars and restaurants near the Green Mango nightclub in the middle of Chaweng. A short drive away is the Reggae Bar which offers an alternative dance scene and is highly popular amongst tourists. In Phuket, most of the nightlife is centered around the Patong but other areas such as Karon Beach & Kata Beach have a smaller nightlife scene.

On the smaller islands or islands which are not as developed as Phuket or Ko Samui, the nightlife available is on a much smaller scale with a few bars, restaurants and possibly the odd club.

Beach parties or full moon parties are famous throughout the world and many islands hold their own beach parties at regular intervals. The most infamous full moon beach party is held on the island of Koh Phangan near Ko Samui. Each month, anything from ten thousand to twenty thousand party goers will descend on Koh Phangan where they will dance the night away to a mixture of hip hop, trance, techno and other music. Most of the activity is centered on Haad Rin beach.

If full moon parties are not your scene, many islands also offer Thai boxing evenings with both male and female boxers. Some of the fighting can be very intense. Alternatively there is always the option to lie back on a lounge chair and have drinks and food with friends on the beach while looking up at the stars.