ARKbar Koh Samui
In short
Ark Bar Koh Samui is a free beach club in the middle of Chaweng Beach, with DJs and fire shows.
The scorecard
ARKbar in six lines
Top marks for a full day out and the fire show, and it's free to walk in.
- Day
- pool party with DJs from 2pm.
- Night
- beach party until 2am, with the fire show from 8pm.
- Entry
- free on a normal night; New Year's Eve is ticketed.
- Price
- free to walk in; you pay for drinks, food or a sunbed.
- Space
- sunbeds and tables on the sand; book them for weekends.
- Late
- the clubs of Soi Green Mango are a short walk away.
ARKbar is the easiest first day on the island: pool, sunset and fire show, all in one place, free to walk in. Arrive at 2pm for the pool party, book sunbeds for a weekend, stay for the fire show at 8pm, then walk on to [Green Mango](/koh-samui/green-mango) after midnight.
TannerThe rooms
ARKbar runs from the pool to the sand, with breakfast at its HIP Restaurant from 10am, the pool party from 2pm and the beach party and fire show from 8pm. The fire show has run for more than a decade and is free to watch.
AIPhoto: AI-generated image
The pools
the day party
Beachfront pools with resident DJs and a swim-up bar, from 2pm to 7pm.
AIPhoto: AI-generated image
The sand
the fire show
Sunbeds and tables on the beach, with the Koh Samui fire show from 8pm to midnight and the beach party until 2am.
Photo: Per Meistrup, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, edited
The resort
upstairs
A 187-room resort behind the bar, right on Chaweng Beach.
How much does a day at ARKbar cost?
Walking in costs nothing: you pay for drinks, food or a sunbed, and sunbeds and pool access come with a set spend.
Drinks are beach-club prices, and you order from your sunbed.
Ask Tanner and he books your sunbeds and tables ahead, so the group sits together.
Entry, pool party and beach party
- Cost:
- free
Walk-in sunbed day
- Cost:
- A set spend, paid at the club
Pool access
- Cost:
- A set spend, paid at the club
Is Ark Bar free to get in?
Entry to the beach club and the fire show is free on a normal evening. New Year's Eve and some holiday parties are ticketed.
Swimwear is fine by day; in the evening, light clothes and sandals are the norm on the sand.
Bring your passport, because the drinking age is 20.
- Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
- open 10am to 2am; pool party 2pm to 7pm; beach party 8pm to 2am
- free on a normal day; New Year's Eve ticketed
- beach club and resort
- beach club and resort, Chaweng Beach
When should you go to ARKbar?
From 2pm for the pool party, right through to the fire show at 8pm. Wednesday and Friday bring guest DJs to the pool.
Get there by 7:30pm for a sunbed or table at the fire show without booking. In peak season, arrive by 10am for a daytime sunbed.
ARKbar or Green Mango?
ARKbar is the afternoon and the fire show on the sand. Green Mango Club, up Soi Green Mango, is the dancing after midnight.
Most groups do both: ARKbar from 2pm to midnight, then Green Mango.
Ask Tanner to hold a table at Green Mango for after.
A pool party and sunset
- Go to:
- ARKbar
The fire show on the beach
- Go to:
- ARKbar
A big open-air club after midnight
- Go to:
- Green Mango Club
How do you get to ARKbar?
ARKbar is in the middle of Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui's east coast, close to the airport and most villas on the north and east coasts.
Taxis on Samui have no meters, so agree the fare first. See the whole strip, hour by hour, in our Chaweng guide.
New Year's Eve on the sand
ARKbar's New Year's Eve countdown on Chaweng Beach is ticketed: a standing ticket is ฿500 in advance and tables start from ฿15,000, ARKbar's own events page says (checked 4 November 2026). A table package covers entry for everyone on it.
For a group, take the table. You get your own spot on the sand for the fireworks, and nobody queues at the gate.
Ask Tanner to book the table early; the sand fills fast for the countdown.
Your day at ARKbar
A villa morning, ARKbar's pool party from 2pm, the fire show at 8pm, then Green Mango after midnight.
The next day, take a boat to Ang Thong Marine Park, but it's closed 1 November to 15 December 2026, so pick a villa pool day then. Or base on Samui and take the boat to Haad Rin on Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party.
Your own driver waits on Chaweng Beach Road all evening. See our Koh Samui villas and Koh Samui boats.
Plan it with Tanner.
ARKbar Koh Samui in short
- What it is: ARKbar Beach Club is a beach club and 187-room resort in the middle of Chaweng Beach.
- The ARKbar entry fee is nothing on a normal day; special dates like New Year's Eve are ticketed.
- Wednesday and Friday bring guest DJs and extra entertainment to the pool party.
- The Koh Samui fire show has run on this beach for more than a decade, and it's free to watch.
- The ARKbar dress code is easy: swimwear by day, light clothes and sandals on the sand at night.
- After midnight, the dancing moves up Soi Green Mango.
Checked 4 November 2026: open daily 10am to 2am; pool party 2pm to 7pm; fire show 8pm to midnight (ARKbar's own site).
ARKbar at a glance
- Where: middle of Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
- Pool party: 2pm to 7pm
- Beach party: 8pm to 2am
- Fire show: 8pm to midnight
- Entry: free
- Getting home: agree the fare, or keep a driver
Written by Tanner Altman · Updated 7 November 2026
Questions
What groups ask about ARKbar
Is Ark Bar free entry?
Yes. Ark Bar Koh Samui has no cover charge for the pool party, the beach party or the fire show on a normal day. You pay for drinks, food or a sunbed. New Year's Eve is ticketed.
What time is the fire show at Ark Bar Koh Samui?
Every night from 8pm to midnight, on the sand in front of the bar. Get there by 7:30pm for a spot at the front. It's free to watch, and Tanner can hold your table.
Are the drinks expensive at ARKbar Beach Club?
Drinks are at beach-club prices, a little above a normal Chaweng bar. There's no cover charge on a normal day, so an afternoon at the pool party can cost you very little.
What time does ARKbar close?
ARKbar is open daily from 10am to 2am. The beach party with resident DJs runs from 8pm until 2am every night, and Tanner calls the club to check for your date.
How much is a sunbed at ARKbar?
Walk-in sunbeds and pool access at ARKbar come with a set spend, paid at the club. For a group, ask Tanner and he books your sunbeds ahead so you all sit together.
Where is ARKbar on Koh Samui?
ARKbar is in the middle of Chaweng Beach, on Koh Samui's east coast. It's close to the airport and a short walk from the clubs on Soi Green Mango.
Is Ark Bar Koh Samui worth it?
Yes, for a first day on Samui. It's free to walk in, right on Chaweng Beach, with a pool party, the sunset and a fire show all in one place.
Where is the main party area in Koh Samui?
Chaweng is the main party area. Start at ARKbar on the beach for the pool party and the fire show, then walk up Soi Green Mango for the clubs after midnight.
Plan it
Plan it with Tanner
Are you in Thailand now?
Last checked 4 November 2026
Credits: top photo AI-generated image.