Chaweng is the entertainment hub of Koh Samui. There are innumerable restaurants, bars, world-class discos, live music, cabarets and rock pubs. By dusk, these places come alive and you can pub-hop the entire night. Both locals and tourists are found in these places.

In Samui, being a safe place, it is easy to let your hair down and get into the party mood. There are no restrictions on nightlife here. This helps the tourists to enjoy the facilities to the fullest. However, Samui has its share of petty criminals, like any other place in the world. Even though the chances of you being victimized are rare, it is better to be cautious. A little commonsense and caution, is enough to avoid them. They are mostly present during late night parties and try to win you with their warm personalities and friendly smile.

You will find many friendly people present at the bars and discos who are difficult to resist, especially for men. They will be willing to keep you company for the entire night, but will expect payment in return. Most of these people are harmless, but there are a few among them with criminal intentions. If you take them back to your room, be careful about your valuables.

If you walk alone on the road at night, friendly strangers may appear offering you ride. Just refuse to go with them, as it is not a safe proposition. Women tourists should not accept invitations form strangers to walk with them on the beach at night.

Bars, clubs, discos

The bars and discos of Samui are not like the ones at Pattaya and Bangkok. The ambience and facilities of each place here vary so much from others. Though they are different from the bigger cities, these also offer excellent entertainment and excitement to the tourists.

There are open-bars, where people start with idle talk for some time. Later they will have rocking parties, which are immensely enjoyed by the tourists.

The Jazz Junction, located on Chaweng Beach Road, is a nice place to while away your time and to meet new friends. They serve cool cocktails and very good music. The bar is styled like a Thai house and is open from 4pm to 2am.

The Club has a soothing atmosphere with candlelights and excellent music. For some entertainment, visit Christy’s Cabaret, which has local style of cabaret. Green Mango is the most popular discotheque in Samui. They start playing latest disco music from 10 pm and lasts until small hours. The dance floor here is usually crowded, but they also have tables set in the open space a little farther away from the dance floor.

The Reggae Club of Chaweng is popular for reggae music, as the name suggests. They have a live band to entertain the crowds. Bauhaus of Lamai Beach is unique with big screens for showing live sports. On some days, they have dancing parties.

The Beach Pub at Secret Garden is a famous live music venue where both professional musicians and amateurs get the chance to present their music. The musicians among tourists are welcome to perform here. The place provides the equipment, musical instruments and support staff for the emerging musicians. These shows take place on Sundays from 4pm to 8pm. Usually there will be a crowd of 2 or 3 hundred people partying away the evening.

Cabaret shows started only recently in Samui. Yet it is attracting both locals and tourists. The show is a song and dance routine with both American and Chinese songs and Thai dances. To add to the excitement, comedy acts are also included. The success of the show depends on the personality of the dancers, their dazzling costumes and whole presentation. The entire family can enjoy the show.