The best things to do in Phuket this weekend (July 30-Aug 2)

A former core member of Underworld, electronic music pioneer Darren Emerson has spent more than four decades behind the decks. He began mixing hip-hop, electro and go-go records at 14 before joining the UK’s exploding acid-house and techno scenes in the late ’80s. Underworld went on to release million-selling platinum albums including Dubnobasswithmyheadman, while Emerson helped shape the generation-defining 1996 hit Born Slippy. His post-Underworld career has taken in underground labels, solo mixes and clubs around the world. This Saturday brings his Phuket debut at Café del Mar, where he joins local favourite MK.Santo for a night of house and techno.

Aug 1. B300. Darren Emerson, Café del Mar Phuket. 10pm-3am

Trisara’s Michelin-selected Thai Library has teamed up with SOMA Bangkok for two nights of four-hand dining. Chef Pak Yamoo and Phuket-based Chef Oat serve a five-course menu rooted in southern Thailand’s culinary heritage but sharpened by contemporary Bangkok influences. The full line-up remains under wraps, though seasonality takes centre stage. One signature bite pairs stir-fried crab and curry powder with a crisp coconut tuile, while wild foraged mushrooms and orchard fruits such as mangosteen may also appear. A wine-pairing experience is available for B6,700. As Pak puts it, ‘It’s about the food but also the experience.’

July 31-Aug 1. From B4,200 (food only). Thai Library x SOMA, 4-Hand Dinner Culinary Series at Trisara. 6pm-10pm

Fire, speed and daredevil acrobatics drive this hour of non-stop action. The Wheel of Death sends performers running, jumping, flipping and balancing without safety nets on a giant, rotating four-ring structure, powered entirely by their body weight and momentum. Elsewhere, motorcyclists race inside a steel globe. Clowns, immersive lighting and a booming soundtrack keep the mood family-friendly between the white-knuckle stunts. Sightlines are good from every seat, and early  arrivals can take photos with the performers.

July 30-Aug 2 (Wed-Sun). From B810 (silver zone). Adrenaline Rush by Phuket Circus. 2.30-3.30pm and 7.30pm-8.30pm

Amatara’s Senses Restaurant and Sun & Moon Club have very different personalities – wholesome wellness cuisine and kombucha at the former; rooftop vibes and cocktails at the latter. For three nights, they come together around the buck moon, using the full moon as a theme for seasonal dining, mindful renewal and a closer connection to nature. Named for the time of year when male deer regrow their antlers, the buck moon symbolises growth and renewal. Sip Moonlit Garden cocktails or tuck into sea bass cooked over an open charcoal fire; either way, the oceanfront setting does much of the seducing. 

July 28-30. From B250++. Buck Moon Wellness Dining Experience, Sun & Moon Club and Senses Restaurant, Amatara Welleisure Resort. 5.30pm-11pm approximately

Australian twin sisters Nervo know their way around a big room. Their progressive and electro house leans heavily into dance-pop, drawing on a songwriting career that includes David Guetta and Kelly Rowland’s Grammy-winning hit When Love Takes Over. More than a decade of headlining festivals such as Ultra and Tomorrowland has also brought collaborations with trance heavyweight Armin van Buuren, while recent releases have ventured into peak-time techno. This week, Illuzion’s recurring TAKEOVER party puts them centre stage. Expect emotional builds, infectious synths and high-energy drops – CO2 cannons and confetti optional.

July 31. B500. TAKEOVER presents Nervo at Illuzion. 9pm-4am

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