Seasoned visitors to Phuket move beyond the beach to the City because some of the best action on the island is there. However, it may be a different ball game for the Western S-player as the majority of the in-town entertainment is tailored for locals and Asian visitors to Phuket.
In any case, its always an interesting proposition to experience Thai entertainment like the Thais do rather than something put together for Westerners right?
Thai Cafes
This is where young ladies sing and dance on stage in glorified skimpy swimsuits with one objective. To attract patronage from interested customers with a view to a good income and possibly a long term suitor eventually. Current schemes of the owners is such that they do not receive a single cent of salary and their income is based entirely on the “flowers” you shower them with. This can be an expensive exercise and yet, the beauty and loveliness of some of these ladies keep some people coming back for more. As you buy them flowers, they are obliged to sit with you but, some ability to converse in local Thai language is essential. Otherwise, don’t waste your money in these cafes. The costs of the flowers are in multiple of 100 bahts up to 500 bahts for a large bundle. To get the ladies attention, patrons send at least a huge bundle of 500 bahts but, it could turn out all for nothing too! An hour’s session is enough to experience this local taste for talent.
The older and original Pink Lady Café is at 129 Phang-Nga Road near the old Pearl Cinema which is now Fantasia. Tel: 66 76 214095
The newer Pink Lady JS is at 37/8 Maeluan Road before the Wichit Songkram junction after you pass the Phuket Hill Paradise Hotel. Tel: 66 76 234154.
These are the top Thai Cafes you will find in Phuket Town. These are the two top cafes in Phuket Town. Buddy Café is another joint that you may want to check out if you feel up to courting “singers” and don’t mind throwing away lots of bahts in the process.
Pubs and Informal Clubs
There are numerous pubs cum clubs starting and closing in Phuket town all the time and there are a few that are almost a legend today.
Timber Rock (formerly known as Timber Hut)
At Yaowarat Road, this place has been rocking for more than 15 years and in our opinion, it is still the top place in Phuket Town and on the island for cruising s-players on the hunt. A recent visit confirmed that it is packed every night except Monday. On Fridays and Saturdays, its shoulder to shoulder from 11pm till closing time. The current band plays a mixture of rock, alternative, new wave – punk and many local versions of the best of Thai rock too.
The beauty of Timber as with most of the pub and café outlets in Phuket city is that you can bring in your own bottle of duty free and there is no cover charge. Can anyone fault that? The way they make money is to charge you for mixers and ice and you will notice that the Thai style of serving Whisky is a small capful of Scotch into an ice-filled glass, topped up with your choice of mixer. If you prefer your drink mixed differently, you should inform the service staff or you may be annoyed out of your own ignorance.
The other thing about Timber is that it is the last stop in the city for many of the “working ladies”. If they have not been booked for the night, or on their nights off, you will find them cruising at Timber. Many freelance ladies are also cruising this place.
This is the ultimate action place if you’re an S-player, with an Asian slant for beauties. Please note that Phuket has its own local population of people including non-working ladies in the sense that they are just ordinary citizens out on the town having a good time. Some from wealthy families too. Do take care not to insult the wrong lady by asking her for a price when she may well afford to buy up the joint herself! Also, watch the company the lady is keeping because her boyfriend may well be a few steps away circulating. Go gentle with your efforts to get “hitched”. For umpteen years now, the rich and upper strata of Phuket’s local population have chose to congregate and party at Timber. So long as the management continue to attract this clientele and their “hanger-ons”, Timber will continue to rock as the major party place in Phuket Town. For sure, Khun A the owner runs a tight ship and service is excellent under the most crowded of circumstances, which is, every night except Mondays. Location is at 118/1 Yaowarat Road Tel: (076) 211839
Jammin’s band plays a harder version of music and louder and, attracts a “rougher” clientele. Some say younger but, not much. There seems to be more expats cruising the place and accordingly, the women who cruise Jammin are styled to be of attraction to them. It packs in the crowd nightly too although, a less up-market clientele than Timber rock so far as the locals are concerned. As with Timber, single shots and drinks are priced higher and its best if you arrive with your own bottle especially if you have been smart enough to buy it duty free at the airport.
It is always crowded. If you are going get there, the best place to seat is at the bar. “Single freelance ladies on the prowl” will be crowding the area just in front of the barstools. In their own party style, you’ll see them all smiles, in small groups, and there for the picking unless you are extremely obnoxious.
Jammin' is located at 78/28 Bangkok Road (opposite Yee Teng Complex) just before it meets Chao Fa Road. Tel: 076 22 0189.
Phuket Town is a small town. The same people you see in Jammin you might meet later at Timber and so on.
Walk In is relatively a quieter place with a great band playing cover hits of the 60s and 70s and if that’s what grabs you, its not a bad place to hang out for a few hours. Some small groups of men and women do hang out at this place and you might find something to be lucky about too. However, you need patience in this place as the clientele are sitting around tables as opposed to Timber and Jammin where cruising is easy when people are standing around.
Owned by a foreigner, Seau Saming also at 83-85 Thanon Yaowarat. Phuket town, Phone 09-4722746 just after the circus from Rasda Road has very nice décor and lighting. However, it has been struggling since it opened because of its pricing policy which is different from the rest of what Phuket Town has to offer. You cannot bring your own bottles and the local people about town just don’t subscribe to that. However, in the later hours, you do get the occasional beauty walking in with her small group of friends. Because it is perceived as a “farang” club, you can almost bet that the ladies in this club are “farang friendly” if they come alone or with other women. If they come with men, then unless these are gays (happens sometimes), they are available mostly.
Planet Concert Hall is effectively a live-music hall without a dance floor. Theres a live local Thai rock band and tall tables and chairs fill the entire hall. What has been termed as a “kitchentheque” where, people dance around the tables they are at. The late teen and post teen nite-crowd of Phuket ends up here most days and if this is your game, its another good place to hunt for action. The crowd is very young and some ability to converse in Thai is useful if you want to succeed here.
A relatively new spot 4 pick up local chicks is Sixteen Bar (IVI Pub) on rasada road near the UOB bank opposite the italian restaurant Salvatore. It's cool,mod and hip. The decor is modern, with swimming pool n lounge chairs where u can have drinks. There is a private room upstairs with shower and king bed to be used if you score!
The latest pub restaurant called H20 is on Phangha Road. It is opposite the On On hotel. Here they target a chic and hip crowd. However, it seemed to be pretty quiet when we visited on a late Thursday night.
Kor Tor Mor is on Chanachaoren road in a belt of entertainment joints.
The odd dynamic that exists in Phuket Town for horny punters is more in evidence in Kor Tor Mor than anywhere else. There are very few Farangs hanging out at Kor Tor Mor. As a farang, you will be scrutinized and / or studied carefully as you walk in.
The live band plays Thai music and the current act uses an acoustic guitar accompanied by a drummer. A great performer worth watching for at least one set or two. Between sets, the DJ plays a good mix of hip hop, techno/house and reggae too.
It does pack up every night too with a pretty elegant local crowd of the “haves” as well as the wannabees. Pick your ladies carefully here because there are many boyfriends in the same room as the ladies.
As with Timber and Jammin, never assume that the girl smiling at you is a prostitute. The bar has a great interior, all cement, good music, good food, and Singhas are 60 baht.
Next to it, you have Yarumba where its quieter as they feature acoustic music. X-Zone at the other end of the same stretch is a disco for a young crowd.
Of these 3, Kor Tor Mor is the one enjoying reasonable success right now with the local people who can afford to cruise and party the night away.
Hotel Coffee Shops
This is a thriving business in Thailand where the older men gather to listen to Singers, sit with them and seduce them. You get this at the Metropole, City Hotel, Phuket Merlin, Pearl Hotel and Phuket Royal City. Its not half as exciting the Timber and Jammin kind of places, but, if you want to have nice casual chats with dolled up singers some of whom are highly attractive and quick witted, the Hotel Coffee shop scene is something to check out. However, be careful not to be too “loud” less you step on some local’s shoes when he is courting someone special and you get in the way.
Most of the singers speak Thai only so you need to be able to carry out some conversation in Thai. Hotel Coffee shops are better places for those over 40 years old who still want to be seen and court nice ladies too!
Some Karaoke Clubs with Hostesses
The Pink Chamois
This has been and still is one of the top Karaoke Places where you can book out the ladies. Inside, a main lounge with a live band and private rooms for Karaoke and mini parties of your own. Most of the ladies are from the provinces and working out of Bangkok and the ST charges are between 3000 bahts each while LT would be 5000 bahts. Drinks are more expensive in this kind of place obviously but not as expensive as where you come from. It won’t break the bank but it could hurt a little. If you visit between 7pm and 8pm, you get the best choices of their array of ladies.
Also part of the Pink Group is the Pink Club which is a multi-story club and located at the Shopping and Office block, A.R. Mini Complex. Aside from the live band, theres also private Karaoke rooms and two floors of ladies to choose from. Prices are similar to Pink Chamois, just a little less. The overnight LT booking charges should be between 2,800 to 3,500 bahts.
Where Tisume used to be at near the corner of Phangna Road and Thanon Montri, theres now the Pink 2002 club which is similar to the other two Pinks except that it is cheaper with an older generation of girls. Sometimes, you get newbie up-country ladies new in the profession and that is what brings some local s-players here. Gems have been found by some!
Vision Karaoke is a hostess styled club with hourly charges for the ladies to sit with you. Here, the Karaoke room is 150 bahts per hour and the ladies are 100 bahts per hour plus the drinks it will cost you, Do know that ladies drink are 2 to 3 times the cost of normal drinks and normally a mixture of coloured syrup water of sorts!
There is no booking system so everything is personally negotiated between you and the girl after hours. Not recommended.
RCA is a new hostess style club located at Phoonphon Night Plaza and styled for the Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean type tourist. Expect to be charged too much and end up with expensive ladies if any.
Love karaoke offers young Chiang Mai girls and its owner is a Malaysian who speaks Hokkien and Thai.
Also at Phoonphon Night Plaza are St Emillion, Midas KTV, Orange KTV, Memory KTV mostly Karaoke hostess places which are also designed to earn money from Asian tourists. Many of these places only spring alive when a tour bus comes with their load of bored tourists. There are happier ways to spend your money, get drunk and have a woman on Phuket than going there but some people do like it.
Outstanding for its set up, showgirls (dancers), music and fun concept, Fantasia Club & Karaoke at Phoonpon Nite Plaza locale is expensive and yet to be recommended if you don’t mind paying high prices for women, booze and good fun. The club also at Phoonphon Night Plaza is a relative new comer to Phuket and yet successful because it packs entertainment and a bevy of hyperactive beauties. Expect to pay 2800 bahts (overnight booking fee) for normal hostesses and more for the dancers. They have beautiful DJs who can also sit with you for the cost of drinks and their time.
Fantasia has opened a huge new club at the old Pearl Theatre and this place has as large stage, a second, very high back stage for the band behind, several “Coyote” stands for dancers and a bevy of ladies to be booked for your night’s entertainment. Soft opening prices for the ladies are relatively cheap at 2000 ST and 2800 overnight. We understand that these prices are now promotional. On the 21st of May, about 150 more ladies will be joining the club making it the largest booking joint in Phuket town. The décor is hard and the high ceiling and open concept takes away the intimacy that I personally like in places.
James Café is one of the top cafes in Phuket today and is located next to James Garden in the ‘after hours” zone near the canal (see below). Some very nice ladies in this café.
After hours
By the canal near Phoonphon Road, a clutter of Night Garden Places have been opened in the recent year and most of the partying folks adjourn to these places to continue to drink and socialize in Phuket town after 2am. If you are still single by the time the club closes, you may want to supper at these places to try your luck because there are still many ladies of the night in waiting. S-Players from years gone-by who used to know Lilac which was next to the Metropole Hotel will find the same atmosphere here now.
Fever Corner by Khun A looks like a quiet place when you go at 8 or 9pm. At 2am, it’s the middle of the city because the night crowd decends on Fever and the place buzzes. The food is outstanding with a few unique dishes such as “duck’s nozzle”, fish in yam soup and more. If you do become a friend of Khun A, expect to down tons of Scotch with mixer in huge Beer Jugs, his specialty that makes the place unique too. Incidentally, the young waitresses here are cute too. The trick is to seat not to far away from tables which are occupied primarily by single ladies in small groups and eye them from near. If you can, beckon any lady who pays attention to join your table or you could send a drink to her via the waitress. Alternatively, signal your going to the toilet and see if she follows. The annoying “flower pusher” will also come round with her roses and you could buy one and send to a girl you desire. However, make sure you don’t waste money sending flowers to a girl who is not available.
In the neighborhood, there’s Sure Garden, James Garden and a host of eateries cum drinking places have sprouted to cater for the nitelife people who cannot seem to get to bed early enough. When you consider that these places are all mostly packed, you would believe it that all of Phuket that is still awake is here at this locale.
Lobby Karaoke and Bar used to be a little shack on the main Soi Phoonphon until it was moved into Soi 5. This place is comparatively upmarket when you know and have been to the old place. The prices are reasonable here.
Freelance ladies
Quite a few of the local students in the local university are on the lookout for earning extra cash sometimes and you will find them working the night scene such as Timber Rock and Jammin or some of the discos.
Typically, they are seeking to supplement their meagre allowances that are insufficient for their new-found lifestyle in Phuket which includes their mobile phones, motorcycles and other things they desire. These young and sometimes beautiful ladies circulate in the local night scene and they also know one another. You find one and they will be able to introduce others that they are acquainted. Also, people who are working or managing the local night businesses are often acquainted with these ladies too. However, most of these girls are part timing and may not always provide the best service.
There is also the danger of some of these ladies drugging you when they are with you. Some cases of visitors picking up nice ladies and ending up getting knocked out and waking up to find their valuables stolen are common occurances too.
Soapy Massage Places in Phuket Town
At Patong, there is Christines and in Phuket town, you have a choice of
Grand Plaza and the Pearl Massage at the respective hotel localities. The ladies working at these places are professional service ladies. In our opinion, Grand Plaza Massage Parlor at 23 Tilok-U-Thit Road, Phuket 83000 Tel: +66 76 214 922 has the nicer ladies. While they open in the early afternoon, most of the ladies only start to report for work after 3pm. Group Tour tourists are usually brought here by their guides at the end of the day so expect a minor rush at 7pm onwards.
Some seasoned S-Players make it a point to treat them well and win their “hearts”. Some of these ladies make the best after hours company if you can get them to go out with you after work. This is true both in Bangkok as well as in Phuket and remains one of the nice options you can try out when you are visiting.
Traditional massage ladies are also good possibilities for the same reasons. However, finding beauties from this group are harder as most of them are heavy built and older. However, there are some massage places where these ladies are younger and more attractive and if you work at it, there are some for the taking.
Rome Place Hotel is reputedly the place for finding some young & nice ladies. Go there at around 4pm to the 4th level and the ladies are in the room. Make you presence known to anyone you see there and in no time, the ladies will surface and you can perhaps “buy out” something that you like.
At the Daeng Plaza Hotels, they have a traditional massage place on the 2nd level and sometimes, you can find a nice young lady or two. Here, these young ladies as elsewhere do play if they find you pleasant enough and the trick is to visit them on their last session so that you can then suggest going out after work. You never know what kind of interesting evening will follow.
For a really good traditional massage, we recommend “Madam” at the basement level of the Phuket Merlin Hotel. For 2 solid hours, they charge 240 thai baths and that’s a bargain anowhere in the world.
Food & beverage workers from out of town working in Phuket are another good target if you have the time. If they have not hitched up with a local partner already, these workers are always happy to go out and have a good time with someone they trust and see as worth pursuing. Keep a good look out for such people when you are up and about the island. Do remember that no girl who works in your hotel can go to your hotel room for fear of being sacked. If you want a particular girl from your own hotel, you will need to move to another property. Only move if you have dated the girl and find her a willing partner.
The re-birth of the Metropole locale
At the side of the Metropole Hotel locale, a disco has sprung where the old “ramwong” dance club used to be. Where Lilac was, there is now a rather “noisy” restaurant pub and it appears that other places are opening bringing back people who used to throng the area when Lilac was in its prime. If you have time, and tired of the “canal-side” area of Fever and James, you might want to explore this area after hours.
If you have only 3 days in Phuket, what would you not want to miss out as a visitor outside of the naughty night life?
1) Golfers would want to get in at least one round at the Blue Canyon Golf Course. For more than Thai baths 4,000 per round, it is truly exhorbitant and yet, this writer’s view is that the 13th and 14th holes of the “canyon course” of the club should be challenged at least once in your golfing life while here.
2) A walk to the top of the “hill” on Phi Phi Island. The surrounding shores of the island has been rendered less than beautiful due to overwhelming pollution and visitations and yet, I would recommend a walk up this hill to enjoy the beautiful view from up there. You get the “twin-beach” view first hand and the wonderful exercise on the way up and down. A healthy way to spend a day and if you have a nice “puying” with you, its nice too.
3) One of Chalong Bay’s seafood restaurants. Our recommendation would be ParLai Seafood and perhaps Kan Eang 2 which are reasonably priced and serve a multitude of local favourites. Oyster fans should sample local fresh oysters served in local style (raw with a myriad of garnishings).
4) A walk down Soi Bangla at least once just to savour the “festivities” of Thai-styled Bar Beers and street-side shopping.
5) Kampong-styled herbal sauna and traditional massage. There is one on Khao Rung Hill and others all over the island. We recommend the one with the yellow sign board near Nai Harn Beach area on the approach road to Cape and/or Phuket Yacht Club Resort.
6) A North – South Coastal drive or ride in a jeep or bike depending on your personal preferences. From Patong, you can go towards Karon, Kata right up to Nai Harn, turn around and head to Wat Chalong to visit this famous temple. Get back to Patong northern end and head up towards the airport via the coastal road past steep roads and enjoy the views as you go along. On the drive, there are viewpoints to stop and savour lovely sights, eat a meal or have a light drink. Don’t get drunk cos there are some steep and perhaps dicey sections of road.
7) Along Patong’s northern end, theres Tom’s Baan Rim Pa outlets which are nice dining experiences for those who are seeking a romantic dining location. Good scintillating jazz music too.
Useful Contact Numbers for S-Players
- Tourist Information Tel : 0-7621-2213, 0-7621-1036
- Emergency Tel : 199
- Tourist Police Tel : 0-7621-9878 or 1155
- Marine Police Tel : 0-7621-1883
- Phuket Provincial Office Tel : 0-7621-1366
- Phuket Airport Tel : 0-7632-7230-7
- Immigration Office Tel : 0-7621-2108
- Thai Airways Tel : 0-7621-1195, 0-7621-2946, 0-7621-2499
- Bangkok Airways Tel : 0-7622-5033-5
- Silkair
- Phuket Air Tel: 0-7635-1337
- Phuket Adventist Hospital Tel : 0-7621-2386
- Phuket Ruamphaet Hospital Tel : 0-7621-2950
- Sirirot Hospital Tel : 0-7624-9400, 0-7621-0935
Some pictures to go with above post
