Last Minute (April 10th, 2003): the Shark Disco is now open

Night Life in Patong: some history first... What was true a few years ago isn't any more. Many places open late at night are now closed for good. So, the way to practice my favorite sport (i.e. Club Dancing) has changed a bit in Patong...
Banana Disco (Beach front near Mc Donald's) used to be THE place but is not anymore in spite of a face-lift a couple of years ago. Inside: international pop music with some techno near closing time (2:00 AM at this time). many girls, most of them working... Entrance is 100 THB with one drink.
The more recent Shark Club (corner of Bangla Rd) was not long to take over after it had decided to wave the Patong-usual 100 THB entrance fee but is now history! The place used to be the largest in Patong.
The Safari Club is fun for its African decorum! It is located 2 km from Patong on the Karon road, on top of the Hill right before the Meridien. Beware of tuktuks is you don't have your own transportation! Music is not so loud and they have a live band. If you like crowded places, avoid The Safari during low season, you may be the only customer...
Taipan Disco is an open disco opposite Soi Bangla and Rock Hard Agogo. Good house music, no entrance fee.
VIP Club, located next to Taipan offerss good music and happy Hour until 11:00 PM; buy one get one free. Worth a visit.
You may want to try the small alleys perpendicular to Soi Bangla (Gonzo, Eric, Crocodile (aka Katoey) and Sea Dragon. Now that there is only one DJ for all the bars, it is quite frequent to see improvised parties going on in the middle of the soi!
Some of the largest hotels in Patong do have "dancing facilities" in their premises but they are used mostly, if not only, by guests.
The most surprising aspect of Patong's discos is that most of them are managed or owned by french-speaking people: French, Canadian and Belgian!
We all miss the time when 2:00 was more the opening time than the strictly enforced closing time of today! There was no real closing time (or ok let's say 8:00 or 10:00 am). We sure all miss the time when Soi Sunset was open almost 24/24 deserving more to be called Soi Sunrise with the long gone and mythic Jungle Bar. Speaking of Jungle Bar, I still remember April 21st in 1997 for my 27tt birthday: 27 (yeah I was 27) bottles of Champagne (well local), 4 of Black Label, Tequila, pitchers of kamikaze and lots of great memories...

From a visitor: Tony missed the opening of the new Number one Disco in Patong: the Tiger Disco, located next to the boxing ring on Soi Bangla. Overcrowded everyday, it offers Eurodance music and the usual 100 THB entrance fee.

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