7 Best Nightlife in Rawai Beach

Rawai officially begins at Chalong Circle and halfway between Rawai and the circle, on a soi leading down to the sea, is Friendship Beach. A long-established location for live music, Friendship underwent a radical transformation some years back when it morphed from a rundown hippy gathering place to a pleasant bungalow complex with a more-than-competent restaurant, a swimming pool and a snug and friendly open-sided bar with a view out across Chalong Bay.

Jasmin Bar is one of the best bars in Rawai because it has happy hours lasting all afternoon. It’s cheap enough to drink there for quite a while and has a pool table to keep things entertaining. Curry nights and occasional live music are regularly held.

Coconut is a sports bar that you can find at the end of Rawai Beach that serves good food (both Thai and international) with a relaxed expat scene that’s easy to fit into. Take in the sea views of this working beach from the upper floor during the day and the sports by night. Coconut is also a great go-to in the morning thanks to its breakfast offerings.

Nikita's is the only bar that's right on Rawai Beach. Yachties, professionals, and people of a certain vintage make up this atmospheric joint's clientele. Nikita's is somewhat of a Rawai establishment and it's not for nothing that it's usually busy. It features discreet lighting and a delicious right-on-the-water feel.

Freedom Bar is a large, orange fronted indoor/outdoor watering hole in Rawai. It's a sometimes raucous sports bar with 2 pool tables, occasional live music and football on the TVs.

The owner is a real card who loves to keep the place animated with his earthy humour. If big, loud and basic is what you're after, Freedom is the place to go.

Sunshine Bar is among the most consistently packed bars in Rawai. The owners are a great laugh and they're always encouraging patrons to join them behind the bar for their impromptu cabarets. The stiff shots they pour ensure that a few people are usually willing to take them up on that offer.

The biggest, noisiest, most rocking and labyrinth-like night venue in the south of the island, The Laguna Night Club consists of a warren of beer bars with a common sound system and one nightclub that everyone heads to after the bars close at around 2am.

The collection of bars – Laguna Plaza – are friendly enough for those who enjoy a little dance, pretty good snacks and socialising. Loud enough to drive the neighbours crazy, the place is surrounded by satellite businesses such as a kebab stand and snack outlets.