Patong's pulsating nightlife never fails to attract curious visitors every evening. Like a magnet, it's hard to resist a wander down Soi Bangla - the heart of bar scene where girls, neon lights and deafening music compete for your attention. Over a hundred bars ranging from beer bars (girlie bars), Go-Go bars, nightclubs, pubs are condensed into the small action packed area fondly known as "Bangla" where the only priority is to have a good time.

Drinking

The quintessential Patong entertainment, a beer bar is one of the countless little places that are jam-packed together on the bar streets and sois of Patong. These places uniformally employ numerous pretty hostesses whose job is to lure patrons by various means. The most common tactic is simply to stand out front and repeat "Hello, welcome" like a mantra to anyone who walks by. Once you're in the bar, expect to be surrounded by these girls who will lavish attention on you like you're Hugh Heffner and entice you to play a game of connect four or hammer-the-nail-into-the-block-of-wood. Beer bars are ubiquitous in Patong and there's no shortage, just head to one of the many sois off of Bangla and you'll be hip deep in them. A few of the better ones are The Point, Sharky Bar and Black Cat.

Dancing

Patong plays host to several nightclubs and discos where those so inclined can let their hair down and get their boogie on. While not featuring top DJs  they do have heaving dance floors and a lot of energy. Most discos in Patong charge a 100 baht admission fee but rather than being a cover charge, this is actually a drink minimum since you get a voucher and most clubs charge 100 baht for almost all drinks.

Tiger Disco is located on Soi Tiger, off of Bangla Road. This place is happening almost every night of the week and is often full of 'freelance' bar girls. Tai Pan is located at the intersection of Bangla and Rat-U-Thit road and has long been a favourite Patong hot spot. Although the laws now force it to close at 02:00 instead of sunset it still gets pumpin' every night.

Cabarets

Once upon a time if you wanted to see boys who pretend to be girls then you had one choice: Simon Cabaret. Combining glamour, song, dance, comedy and elaborate staging, this was a one of a kind experience; the sort of thing you could only see in Phuket. Although Simon Cabaret is the first, a number of other ladyboy cabarets have sprung up in recent years, such as Sphinx, My Way Cabaret and Moulin Rose. The shows, costumes and performers get more and more extravagant every year as each theatre raises the bar and dares the others to match them, but one thing remains the same: it's the kind of thing you can only see in Thailand.