The best things to do in Phuket this weekend (July 2-5)

High above Kata, Fira Beach Club has the kind of Andaman view that already feels like an event. Add afrobeats, poolside performers and a day-to-night party built around rhythm and fire, and ETHOS – Fireborn Rise starts to make sense. The pace begins gently enough, with daybeds, pool time and food running from salads and fries to all-you-can-eat steaks. As the sun drops, the energy shifts. Live percussion sets the pulse, dancers work the floor and fire performers bring the drama after dark. Come early for the view, stay late for the tribal beats and full island-party build.

July 3. Free entry. ETHOS – Fireborn Rise, Fira Beach Club. 12pm-9pm

Pasar Baba bills itself as ‘a taste of Phuket, all in one place’, and the line lands because the setting and food do the work. Held at Baba Mansion, a heritage property of, stucco arches, timber doors and old-town charm, the fortnightly bazaar brings together eight restaurants with their own take on Peranakan cooking. Expect Thai-Chinese-Malay flavours, local recipes and plenty to graze on,  from calamansi sour plum and grilled scallops wrapped in banana leaves to nasi lemak fragrant with coconut and pandan. It’s part food market, part cultural gathering and a useful reminder that Phuket’s best stories are often told through what’s on the plate. 

July 4. Free entry. Pasar Baba, Baba Mansion Phuket. 5.30pm-9.30pm

Swiss mixologist Dirk Hany is better known online as Doctor Cocktail, and the nickname is not just for show. The multi-award-winning bartender and founder of Zurich’s Bar am Wasser, one of Switzerland’s most talked-about cocktail bars, has built a career on sharp technique, playful ideas and drinks with a story. At Trisara, he takes over 7.8°N Craft Cocktail Bar for one night only, with an afternoon masterclass followed by six signature cocktails in the evening. Expect pear brandy, whisky, clever twists and the kind of backstory that makes a drink linger longer than the glass. The Andaman views are a bonus; for once the bar may be the main attraction.  

July 3. Free entry; reservations recommended. 7.8°N, Trisara Phuket. 5.30pm-late; free cocktail masterclass 4pm-5.30pm

You don’t need a yacht to join Phuket’s monthly Grow Boating Evening, though you may leave wanting one. The Royal Phuket Marina meet-up keeps things casual, bringing together newcomers, island regulars, boat people and the generally curious for an easy networking session by the water. This month’s edition comes with a buffet from Bluu Asian Kitchen & Bar, drinks from Blue Paradise and Aqua Thrill, and enough harbour-side chatter to carry you well into the weekend. Think less hard sell, more sunset catch-up with a nautical edge. 

July 3. Free. Grow Boating Phuket Evening, Bluu Asian Kitchen & Bar, Royal Phuket Marina. 5pm-8pm

Skip the glossy EDM drops, Phuket-based DJ-producer Mr Sour works the darker side of the floor, moving through raw house, minimal tech, deep house and melodic techno with a European club sensibility. Originally from France, he has played alongside names including Claptone, Dubfire and Dixon, with stops in Marbella and Cannes before Thailand became home. These days, he is a regular on Phuket’s party circuit and a familiar name at Café del Mar. His sets are built on reading the room, holding the groove and letting the night build without losing its edge. 

July 4. B500. Mr Sour at Café del Mar Phuket. 10pm-3am

Into spirits? The drinkable kind? Head to The Distillery Phuket for an insider look at how Chalong Bay Rum and other small-batch tipples are made, from raw sugarcane to snifter cup. This is no backstreet operation – this is a proper guided tour through the working distillery, with stops for tasting along the way. Sure, you can sip Chalong Bay at many bars along the beach, but sampling yet-to-be-bottled rums, gins and vodkas while learning the basics behind distilling and cocktail-making adds new ‘depth’ to the glass. Plenty of swirling and sipping happens here, and maybe a few ‘just one more’ moments to be found as well. 

 Daily. B1,290. The Distillery Phuket. 11am-10pm

Ladies, Thursdays in Bang Tao just got a little more glamorous. Dolly’s Night at Maya Beach Club is your weekly excuse to lean into refined beachside energy with a night dedicated to feminine vibes. Start off at sunset, with deep-house rhythms and an ultra-glam dress-code to match Phuket’s beautiful golden hour. By 7pm, things shift to smooth sophistication with DJ Marcella curating a soundtrack and a troupe of pink-cladded acrobats who take you from dinner to dancefloor in one fell swoop. If you’re skipping the food, get there before 9pm to make the most of free-flow Prosecco and catch up with those already a bottle or two deep. 

Every Thursday. Free for women, B1,000 for men. Maya Beach Club. 7pm-late