Soi Bangla: The playground for creatures of the night.
For many, the day doesn’t start until the sun sets, which is exactly when Soi Bangla comes to life. So for you creatures of the night looking to have a few pints (or shots), dance at the disco, enjoy some company, or simply do some shopping, head down to this street on Patong Beach.
Soi Bangla is without a doubt the epicenter of nightlife on Phuket Island. During the day, nothing happens on this street. However, when the sun is out of sight, Bangla is closed to traffic and becomes a walking street. Glowing neon lights, music blaring left and right, and street performers animate this stretch of road by the beach.
Bangla, like Pattaya’s renowned Walking Street, is further divided into several other sois with beer bars, go-go bars, pubs, discos, restaurants, and shops aligned one after another. Though raunchy in nature, there is nothing to worry about. Bangla is unthreatening and a lively place to take a walk. You’ll see people of all ages here including families with children.
It is worth noting that Bangla wasn’t always like this. Patong Beach used to be a quiet and secluded place, inhabited mostly by locals in the area and a few American GIs from the naval base, because of the steep mountain that separates it from the rest of Phuket. As time went by, development began that eventually gave easier access to this part of the island.