Patong for the serious clubber

Everybody knows about Patong. It’s like a world of temptation, where you can party until all hours with the most vibrant bunch of people imaginable. But how do you choose which clubs to spend your hard-eared holiday money at? You want something a bit special; something a bit different.

A little off the tourist radar is Club Lime, located along the beach road, next to Rock City and Club Andaman Resort. This is where the cool kids go to party, not to be part of any scene, but for the music. You’d be forgiven for thinking that Phuket has no vibrant clubbing scene, but there are a number of local DJs spinning fresh, clubland sounds that you won’t hear anywhere else on the island.

We’re talking phat electro beats, real house music, tech house, breaks, tribal, and even drum ‘n’ bass a couple of times a month. Club Lime is great for a night out because of the wide array of sweet-tasting drinks on offer. The modern lighting system gives the whole club a psychedelic twist, and the rooftop location throws the the venue into an open-air kind of ambiance.

A cocktail will set you back about 200 baht and the club is open from 6 pm for dinner in the restaurant side, with the real party kicking off about 10 pm. The place doesn’t get busy until about midnight, but before that, Lime is the ideal spot for kicking back and relaxing with friends. Entrance is free and you won’t find any attitude inside. The club stays open until about 2 am, and sometimes later. Saturday night is the best night to get your tang on at Lime.

Phuket Town for the rough ’n’ ready

If a dose of international clubbing tunes isn’t high on your list of priorities, why not go for something a bit more local? If you want to get a real feel for Thailand, party where the Thais go; you’ll be surprised what you can find. The locals are a friendly bunch, always happy to clink glasses with a new faces and dance themselves silly until exhaustion.

The best place to get your introduction to Thai clubbing is at the popular Marina Disco, in the basement of the Phuket Merlin Hotel on Yaowarat road, Phuket Town. When it comes to real Thai clubbing, you should expect two things: ridiculously loud pop tunes and cover bands.

The nights begin tamely, with people sat at their tables knocking back glasses of Red Label or whatever their chosen poison may be. A familiar medley of hip hop, pop and rock songs is the order of the night before the band struts on stage and starts running through covers of popular Thai songs and almost-forgotten Western numbers. It’s at this point that the fun usually begins, as the Thais start to get drunk and lose their inhibitions.

That girl you thought was quiet and timid suddenly becomes a party animal like you’ve never seen before. If you haven’t danced around a table, now is your chance to pick up a few tricks. Marina isn’t a large club, but for what it lacks in size it makes up for with character; it’s a riot.

Take your ID card or passport along just in case, as the doormen can be a little fussy about this sort of thing. Entrance is free and you’ll be sure to leave with many priceless memories.

Phuket Boat Lagoon for the active socialite

If serious clubbing or local flavor isn’t your style, you might want to spice things up a bit at one of the hippest party spots in town: The Watermark. This stylish venue has elegance written all over it, and it’s where the local movers, shakers and general socialites go to hang out. The crowd is friendly and the atmosphere is similar to a bar you might find in Sydney or London.

Down at Phuket Boat Lagoon, this restaurant-cum-bar boasts a 100-seat dining area, complete with cocktail bar. Getting there is easy enough, as the venue is just 10 minutes from Phuket Town and about half an hour from Patong Beach

The restaurant serves great food from 10 in the morning, with highlights from the menu including some nifty Vietnamese and Japanese dishes. The food is top notch, meaning that you can start and end your evening’s entertainment at Watermark. Fresh combination of food are thrown together with tantalizing results. But we didn’t come here to eat; we came to party.

The drinks are inexpensive and the night’s entertainment comes in the form of live bands and music. A top wine list will keep the connoisseurs happy, while party animals will be able to enjoy the seductive selection of cocktails on the menu all priced at about 200 baht, with a range of shooters to boot. Friday night’s infamous happy hour is what gets most islanders excited. Expect two-for-one cocktails and 50-baht beers from 5 pm until 7 pm.