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Koh Chang nightlife comprises serious partying, Thai ladies, cool bars and old school live music.

It’s concentrated around Lonely Beach, White Sand Beach and Kai Bae Beach but other areas also have pockets of action worth exploring.

At A Glance

  • If you want to dance on the sand or lose yourself in a bass speaker, head to Lonely Beach.
  • For Thai female company, your main port of call is the southern end of White Sand Beach but Chai Chet and Kai Bae (Walking Street) has its own clusters of beer bars too.
  • You can find live music all over the island – Filipino bands, Thai musicians and open mic .
  • For the Thai hippie vibe, head all the way south to Hat Sai Noi and Bang Bao Beach.  
  • Assume full scale (huge speakers, fireworks) competing parties in multiple venues on New Year’s Eve. You do get Full Moon parties too but on nothing like the scale of those in Koh Phangnan.
  • Don’t expect any large/mega EDM nightclubs such as Kolour in Phuket – not Koh Chang’s thing.
  • During the season, look out for various one-off festivals – DJs and late nights at different venue, big name Thai singers and bands.

We take you round each area in our snippets below but you can then also dig deeper by following the links to the specific pages for Lonely Beach, White Sand Beach and Kai Bae Beach. 

Lonely Beach – Koh Chang Nightlife

From its humble pot-smoke hazed origins, Lonely Beach has now become the thumping-bass and bone-shaking core for Koh Chang’s good times.

Dj’s from different far flung places throw down familiar tunes each and every night of the week, at a whole host of different venues located either on the beach or up in the village.

There are parties to celebrate pretty much anything, openings, closings, National holidays, phases of the moon that even the moon didn’t know it had, whatever.

The bars meanwhile open up till the wee small hours to draw in any other lost souls wandering the streets.

Love it or loath it, you certainly can’t deny it and all in all, it’s great, good-natured, unwholesome fun.

Recommendations

  • Party: Ting Tong, Himmel (both in the village), Mimo Bar (LB Complex), Nature – on the beach for big holidays and dates in the calendar
  • Bar: Beautiful Bar, Rude Boy, Mimo Tree (all in LB Complex), Gu’s Bay (street),  Nhings (formerly Stone Free) – in the village 
  • Beach Bar: Nature, Lonely Beach Bar, Mimo Beach, Life’s a Beach
  • Live: Dirt Bar (Street by LB Complex), Mask (LB Complex)
  • Sports: Beach Jungle (street), Carpe Diem (village)

White Sand Beach – Koh Chang Nightlife

White Sand Beach has a different feel to Lonely Beach in keeping with its more touristy development.

A loud and very proud mini-Pattaya sits up at the southern end. It’s not a walking street as such but a few rows of tightly packed bars, a handful of girls in each. Lady drinks are 100bt to 150bt, bar fines at  around 500bt. There’s also a small nightclub now as well, Babylon. Further up the hill too, you’ll find other establishments in a similar vein, with the standout the long running Zap Bar (next door to Keeree-Ele Hotel).

For live music, Oodies attracts a more senior crowd to its nightly jams, with steaks the house speciality. You’ll also find house bands at Sabay Bar (and a fireshow) and at Rock Bar (loud!). Some Mao, next door to Oodies, gives you another option at the northern end.

Roadside at the far southern end as you leave town, Wine Fans stocks a huge selection of bottles from around the world for retail or to compliment its extensive bistro menu.

Beach Bars

As for beach bars, the long established 15 Palms occupies a prime location on the sand at the northern end – sports, good food and a great place to hang-out.

Head on down the sand and you’ll find Mac Bar at Mac Resort and the Lonely Beach crew from Himmel at White Sand Princess. They both lay on nightly fireshows to accompany their extensive bar choices, decent tunes and bean bag seating.

For something much smaller, our favourite is the tiny Tapas Bar, which you’ll find a couple of hundred metres further along from the main three above. Lion Bar is its near neighbour.

Pubs and Sports

White Elephant, at the other end of town, is the sole pub in White Sand Beach now that Paddy’s Palms has downsized to 15 Palms. 

Recommendations

  • Party/Club:  Sabay Bar, Babylon
  • Live:  Oodies, Rock Bar, Sabay Bar
  • Beach Bars/Bars: 15 Palms, Himmel, Mac Bar, Tapas Bar, Some Mao, Lion Bar
  • Beer Bars:  Mini Pattaya, Monkeys, Zap
  • Pubs and Sports: White Elephant, 15 Palms
  • Retail: Wine Fans

Kai Bae Beach – Koh Chang Nightlife

Nightlife in Kai Bae Beach combines some of Koh Chang’s best places to have a drink with a small concentration of beer bars.

Starting with those beers bars, Walking Street at the northern end is the place to head. It’s relatively low key in comparison to White Sand Beach’s mini-Pattaya but the handful of establishments still lay on all the usual requirements for venues like this  – beer, pool, games, loud music and girls. Ones to try include Maipai, @ Marks and Yak Yak.

Away from that style of bar, at the northern end of the main street, the smartly decked out a/c Indie Social combines cocktail bar with live music and food.

Wine Gallery, meanwhile, serves up terrific wine, imported beers and food in the centre of town, with the relaxed lounge bars, Jellyfish and Green Bar, near neighbours.

Further near the bridge, Tom’s Bar is a snug little establishment with a friendly German host or you can catch all the sports on the big screen at the pub style Morgan. Fin – cocktail bar and bistro, happy hours, theme nights and live music – is a few doors down

Beach Bars

For sunsets or lazy afternoons, nothing beats a beach bar and Kai Bae now has a few options.

At the northern end,Cabana is relocating from its old spot at Coral Resort to take over at The White Knot. Assume the same hip vibe of bistro menu, good tunes and great cocktails. Next door, the backpacker bungalows of Patoo, have their own cute beachside venue, Sun View to wile away the hours.

Or you could head to the wooden old style restaurant/bar at the long established Porn Bungalows. It’s on the sand at the far southern end, a lovely part of Kai Bae.

Live Music

Lighthouse, a Thai style club, offers live music on the corner of Walking Street, whilst further along, Caan, which opened in 2023 on the old Ploy site, has its own in-house band as well as a full Brazilian tapas restaurant and bar.

Roadside down at the southern end, Sea Breeze’s own band belts out the old standards most nights of the week or you might catch some live music too at  Fin and Indie Social (acoustic).

Recommendations

  • Bar: Jellyfish, Green, Wine Gallery, Tom’s Fin, Indie Social
  • Sports: Morgan
  • Beach Bars: Cabana, Seaweed @ The White Knot, Sun View  @ Patoo
  • Live: Sea Breeze, Lighthouse, Caan
  • Beer Bars: Maipai, Yak Yak, @ Marks

Other Beaches – Koh Chang Nightlife

Beyond the three beaches above , Koh Chang nightlife is much more low-key, but we summarise what’s on offer below.

Wherever you stay, you’ll still be able to get a drink, and maybe listen to some music without having to search too hard.

Cheers or as the Thais would say, Chok Dee!

North to South

Pearl Beach

Between White Sand Beach and Chai Chet, the area of Pearl Beach is certainly not somewhere you go for nightlife but there are a couple of spots to hang out.

The beer bar, Crazy Mojitos, meawhile, has reappeared in its latest incarnation  up on the hill at the northern end by the turning to TP Huts and Alisa.  Expect plenty of  beer, cocktails, girls and some pool.

Down by the sea within Hat Kai Mook Camping (next door to Lotus’s), there are now three places sit on the rocks by the sea – Sunset Club (beach bar), Tastory (Insta Bangkok style coffee shop come bistro which makes great cocktails) and PJ’s (beach bar, more reggae infused),

The pick of the bunch in Pearl Beach, though, is Saffron on the Sea, which has a lovely terrace by the ocean for both bistro style food and drinks –  a little known spot well worth a visit.

Chai Chet

Nightlife in Chai Chet is either a couple of good bars or Thai female company – that’s your lot.

  • Opened in 2024 at the newly revamped Neighbor (the old VJ Plaza), Daddy’s Craft Beer has at least 7 beers and cider on tap including pale ales, IPAs and Hoegaarden  – by the glass or jugs and towers too, Bangkok beer garden style.
  • Tucked away at the back of Coconut Plaza next door, the reggae themed Malibu has been a quiet under the radar choice for many years.
  • At the start of the village up on the slope, Summer Breeze too has a relaxed atmosphere – pool table and vintage clothing too.
  • Down by the sea at the southern end , the resort Flora I Talay offers a beachside bar with plenty of chilled out seating areas and decent music – great for sunsets and it also throws DJ parties on the big occasions.
  • For the Thai female company, you need to head to the northern end and its long row of beer bars offering you know what. Opening from lunchtime onwards, choices include Nanas, Trust Me, Apollo, Honey Bunnies, Cat and Get Lucky, though they come and go with a fair frequency. As to which is the best for entertainment and female company, that’s outside our scope, so maybe just head on down there, suck it and see…
  • New in 2024, Third is a large Thai open fronted bar with live music – another 500 metres or so after the beer bars.

Klong Prao Beach Nightlife

Perhaps because of its spread-out nature, the large Klong Prao Beach area actually has very little nightlife.

  • At the northern end, Vanilla Sky, a chic Insta friendly beach bar (with food), popped up in 2024 at the mouth of the northern canal – coming from White Sand Beach, look for the little seaward lane near Zhong Zhi Pad Pad.
  • Actually on the canal, Sapparot Bar has been around for many years, a lovely waterside location, relaxed and definitely worth a look – turn in at Annika and follow the lane right to the bottom and round the corner.
  • Up by Klong Plu Waterfall, Rasta Chilli Bar looks down on the river from its terrace – drinks, food and obvious vibes.
  • At the southern end, down the sand from Dewa and Vayna Boutique, Family, Mandalay and Pilot give you three perfect beach bar come restaurants – ideal for sunset. Further down near Magic Resort’s stilted seafood restaurant, Summer SUP too offers snacks, cold beers, cocktails, shakes as well as kayaks or SUPs for rental.
  • For female  company, there’s a few spots with welcoming Thai smiles in the cluster of beer bars such You and Me and Lion Bar across the road from Choc Dee and Magic Resort at the far southern end.

Bailan Beach – Koh Chang Nightlife

Even though the near neighbour to Lonely Beach, nightlife in Bailan Beach is almost negligible.

  • In the centre of the village, Bailan Bar is the only real bar in the area but its opening is erratic at best.
  • At the northern end, the two French owned resorts Lazy Republique and Cocoon are definitely worth hunting out. Lazy boasts a seaview roof terrace for cocktails and sunsets, whilst literally next door, Cocoon, is more Gallic bar/bistro in feel, complete with a pool table and a Pétanque court.
  • Down on the sand at the southern end, the Italian run Lisca Beach (closed in rainy season) is perhaps the pick of the bunch, great to wile away an afternoon on this tiny stretch of sand and of course, a perfect location for a sundowner.
  • For sports, the English owned 3 Trees Guesthouse shows all of the Premiership games – that’s by the bridge at the northern end.

Bang Bao Nightlife

Like Bailan, you don’t head to Bang Bao to party but there are still a couple of spots worth exploring.

  • For sundowners, the resort Cliff Cottage offers a laid back two floor terrace looking out over a cove behind the northern side of the bay. Nearby and newly opened in May 2024, Padel Lodge too is home to a terrific cliff side deck and bar at its tiny chic resort.
  • Rasta View, just past Tranquillity Bay at the far southern end, occupies a prime location with views down onto Bang Bao bay – cold beers, shakes, mellow music and all round louche vibe. Pipin Cafe on the other end of the condo block makes for a more understated alternative.
  • On the pier at the far end, Jerpordee has a lovely seating area on stilts out over the water, with selected areas of flooring  open to the sea beneath – full bar and menu.
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  • Perched on the hillside on the way to Bang Bao, Hippy Hill is a slowly growing bar from one of Lonely Beach’s Thai veterans – live music on offer from time to time.

Bang Bao Beach

Hat Sai Noi, the little beach before Bang Bao Beach and Bang Bao Beach itself do offer a couple of bars to kick back in – Thai hippie being the main theme. 

  • On Hat Sai Noi, Djembe House is somewhat of an institution – a ramshackle, smoky kind of joint which also throws occasional parties and enjoys many a drum-a-thon.
  • Next door, the hipster resort Indie Beach hosts acoustic nights most weeks of the week whilst Maha at the other end is good for an afternoon drink.
  • On Bang Bao Beach, head to either The Beach Cafe or Green Garden Restaurant down on the sand or behind the beach on the creek, Ginger Home (Chan Siam) offers live music, full bar and a great atmosphere.

UPDATED June 24 for 24/25 Season

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