Phuket
Phuket's most photographed drinks aren't on any menu — they're in the rooms with the right windows. The bars with a view on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — Patong, Old Town, Kata, Kamala all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
OLD TOWN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail bar inside a heritage Sino-Portuguese shophouse. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
CHERNG TALAY · $$$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage Thailand 50 Best beach club at Surin Beach. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
PATONG · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Beachfront cocktail terrace with sunset views over the Andaman. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
KATA · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Restaurant-bar with a tight cocktail menu and a Modern Thai food programme. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
OLD TOWN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage shophouse cocktail bar. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
PATONG · $ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage Patong neon institution on Bangla Road. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Nikita's has held its Rawai beachfront spot for more than 20 years, with one of the island's original beach bars beside the restaurant. Restaurant Guru aggregates 4,455 reviews at 4.2, with the sea-front setting carrying the praise.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Phuket or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten bars with a view that any serious drinker in Phuket would tell you to put on the list.
Cocktail bar inside a heritage Sino-Portuguese shophouse. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Heritage Thailand 50 Best beach club at Surin Beach. Order: Coconut-rum painkiller. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Phuket? See our guide to the best bars with a view worldwide, or compare bars with a view city by city.