Timber Hut

Timber Hut is in Phuket Town, away from the beaches and well away from Patong. It is a local live-music club, so a taxi or a ride from Patong takes a while. If you are staying on the west coast, plan the ride there and back before you go, using Grab or Bolt.

It is a local live-music club with a mostly Thai crowd. That makes it very different from the tourist clubs of Bangla Road: you are more likely to find a table, a band and friends sharing a bottle than a DJ and a flyer scrum. Go for the music and the atmosphere, not for company.

No. It is a local club where Thais come to party with their friends, so do not expect bar fines or a bar-girl set-up. If you go, go for the music, be polite and let conversation happen. For the other kind of night, the gogo and beer bars in Patong are the better choice.

Yes, foreigners are welcome at Thai live-music clubs, though you will be in the minority and the menu or the music may be mostly in Thai. It helps to go with a Thai friend if you have one. Bring your passport or a clear copy, because Thai clubs check that everyone is 20 or over.

Nearby are the Phuket Old Town bars, House of Clove, Lard Yai Sunday Night Market, Lard Yai Sunday Walking Street, Rockin' Angels Blues Cafe and Meeting Point. So you can have a drink in the Old Town first or combine the club with the Sunday walking street. It is a good base for a quieter night.

Bangla Road is loud, touristy and aimed at visitors, while Timber Hut is a local live-music club with a mostly Thai crowd. You get a band instead of a promoter, and less of a party-street feel. Pick Timber Hut for a change of pace from Patong, and Bangla Road if you want the nightlife itself.

Dress smart casual, bring your passport copy and expect a bag check. Thai pubs often sell whisky sets shared around the table, and singers may be tipped, so ask the staff how things work. Be polite with the locals, avoid arguments and settle your tab before you leave.

Combine it with an early evening in Phuket Old Town, where the small cocktail bars sit in the old shophouses, then head over for the live music. Go with a friend, keep the night relaxed and arrange your ride home in advance, as Phuket Town is a long way from Patong's taxi ranks.