Koh Tao nightlife

Another evening: the cabaret and Mae Haad

The Queens Cabaret puts on a ladyboy cabaret every night at 9pm. Mae Haad, by the pier where the ferries land, is the quieter end of the island for a drink.

Ask Tanner to book seats at the cabaret.

Where Koh Tao finishes

The beach bars are the early part of the night. The late ones are the jungle parties: the Secret Party runs from 10pm until late on its nights.

Agree any taxi fare before you get in. For a group, a driver on call gets everyone home together.

Want a bodyguard along too? Ask Tanner.

What are the Koh Tao jungle parties?

The Secret Party is Koh Tao's jungle night at Karma Bar, on the road to Tanote Bay. It has two stages: underground techno and tech house on the main one, and house, R&B and big international hits on the other. Parties start at 10pm and run until late. Entry is 18+, but Thailand's drinking age is 20, so bring your passport.

Free taxis with the Secret Party logo run up from 10pm to midnight, from the 7-Eleven in Sairee opposite Factory Café and from the Sairee petrol station.

Escobar Koh Tao is the bigger one: a jungle party with five stages, from commercial with a VIP zone to hard techno, drum and bass, house and melodic techno. It runs three or four times a month, with a fire show to open the night and a shuttle from pick-up points.

Ask Tanner to get the tickets, the VIP table at Escobar and the ride up for the group.

What's on tonight on Koh Tao?

Tonight on Koh Tao, the fire shows start after dark, Fishbowl fills later on, and the jungle parties run on their own nights.

Ask Tanner what's on the night you land.

Where is the nightlife on Koh Tao?

Koh Tao nightlife runs across Sairee Beach, the walking street behind it, the jungle in the hills, and Mae Haad by the pier.

Diving by day? See scuba diving on Koh Tao. Basing the group on Samui? See Koh Samui.

Stay above Sairee, close to the bars and out of the noise. Ask Tanner for a villa up the hill.

Which Koh Tao bars should you go to?

For a group, these cover it: the fire shows at Lotus Bar, Fishbowl for dancing, Maya for a calmer beach club, and a jungle party when one is on.

Lotus is open daily from 3pm to midnight. Ask Tanner to save the group a spot on the sand.

A fire show, Fishbowl or the jungle?

Koh Tao has an easy night and a wild one. Choose your pace. For a first evening, the Koh Tao pub crawl starts at Chopper's Sports Bar.

• The beach night: sunset at Maya, the fire shows, then Fishbowl.
• The jungle night: the Secret Party, up the road to Tanote Bay.
• The big night: Escobar, five stages deep in the jungle.
• The show night: dinner on the walking street, then The Queens Cabaret.

Not sure which? Ask Tanner to pick for your group.

Koh Tao or Koh Phangan?

Koh Phangan is the big one: the Full Moon on Haad Rin and parties every week. Koh Tao nightlife is smaller and friendlier, one beach of bars and a jungle party on its dates. See Koh Phangan nightlife.

Tanner's pick: do both. Phangan for the Full Moon, then Koh Tao for two days of diving and Sairee sunsets.

For the dive days, see our Koh Tao scuba diving guide.

Insider tip: the free Secret Party taxis stop at midnight. Leave Sairee before then, or have our driver take you up.

Ask Tanner which island suits your dates.

How do you get to Koh Tao?

Koh Tao is a boat ride from Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Samui to Koh Tao is about 71 km. Lomprayah's direct speedboat from Bangrak Pier takes about 1.5 hours and its catamarans about 2 hours, landing at Mae Haad.

From Bangkok, it's a flight and a boat. See Bangkok to Koh Tao.

Ask Tanner for the private boat from Samui, and the driver waiting at Mae Haad pier.

What do you do on Koh Tao before dark?

Dive or snorkel by day, rest at the villa, then be on Sairee Beach for the 5:30pm sunset.

Koh Nangyuan, the small island a short boat ride from Sairee, is the classic half day out. Its own page lists ฿250 per visitor, paid on arrival (checked 2 Nov 2026).

Be back by 4pm. The night starts at sunset, and the jungle parties run late.

Ask Tanner to book the dive day and the boat to Koh Nangyuan.

Every Koh Tao stop, in one list

Sairee Beach (west coast, beach bars) · Maya Beach Club (south Sairee, beach club) · Sairee walking street (food and bars) · Lotus Bar (Sairee Beach, fire shows) · Fishbowl Beach Bar (Sairee, dance bar) · The Queens Cabaret (cabaret, 9pm) · Mae Haad (the pier) · Secret Party (Karma Bar, road to Tanote Bay) · Escobar (the jungle, five stages)

Ask Tanner to line up the ones that suit your group.

When is the best night out on Koh Tao?

February to April is the best time for Koh Tao nightlife, when the Gulf islands are driest and the sea is calm for the boat over.

The Sairee fire shows and beach bars run most evenings, all year. The jungle parties don't: Escobar runs three or four times a month, and the Secret Party on its own dates.

November is the wettest month, so pack for rain then. Ask Tanner which party nights fall in your week.

Is Koh Tao safe at night?

Yes, Koh Tao is safe at night for a group that stays together and plans the ride home.

Thailand's official guide, Thailand.go.th, lists 1155 for the Tourist Police and 1669 for an ambulance (checked November 2026).

The roads up to the jungle parties are steep and dark, so skip the scooter after a drink. Our driver takes the group up and brings it back.

Keep your drink in your hand, carry a copy of your passport for the door, and agree any taxi fare before you get in.

Ask Tanner to put a driver on call for your party nights.

Koh Tao nightlife in short

• What it is: one beach of bars at Sairee, plus jungle parties in the hills on their nights.

• Sairee runs about 1.7 km down the west coast and faces the sunset.
• The order: sunset at Maya, the fire shows on the sand, then dancing at Fishbowl.
• The Secret Party runs from 10pm until late at Karma Bar. Entry is 18+; the drinking age is 20.
• Escobar throws three or four jungle parties a month, on five stages.
• Emergency: the Tourist Police answer on 1155, 24 hours.

Checked November 2026.