Some of the best barstool seats in the world can be found in Thailand, especially on the island of Phuket, and not necessarily in the pubs, clubs or bars of Pa Tong, but out of town; up a winding hillside road.
Come…let me show you a barstool with a view:
After Beach Bar Phuket Lounge & Lookout
Highway 4233, which stretches through Pa Tong, Karon Beach and Kata, then veers inland and carries on up the jungle-like hill, leads to the After Beach Bar Phuket lounge and lookout point. That’s where you’ll find a barstool (well actually quiet a few stools and some wooden chairs, tables and benches) that comes with a panoramic island view. The ambiance is unmatched. Sitting on a stool, with a beer or cocktail in hand, under a rustic Thai Sala over a cliff of lush tropical vegetation, absorb the breathtaking coastline and seascape stretching to the horizon. In the evening, before Phuket nightlife grips the island with pop and techno beats in clubs (only a few minutes down the road like at the Banana Disco near bangla road), it’s possible to enjoy the final rays of the setting sun as it illuminates the sky with a colourful display over Kata beach. It’s romantic, relaxing and at the same time stimulating with an ambiance that includes reggae rhythms and spicy Thai food treats.
Pull up a bar stool or lounge chair & indulge in a Thai seafood feast
The After Beach Bar is a funky place to get in the swing of things before nightlife in Phuket gets underway. Pull up a bar stool or lounge chair and let the Rasta vibe take over while sipping something cool and ordering up a seafood feast. Savor delicious Thai food treats that include curry and fresh seafood stir fries, crab salads, shrimp cocktails and traditional hot plates with lots of chili.
Getting to this Thai barstool with a view
The name is a little deceptive. The After Beach Bar Phuket lookout isn’t actually on a beach, but directly above (way, way above) the famous Katathani Phuket Beach Resort. From Pa Tong, Karon Beach or Kata, take hwy 4233 and follow it as it turns into Kata-Sai Yuan Road. You’ll see roadside vendors selling Rasta souvenirs as you get close to the thatched hacienda-style buildings that cling to the cliff’s edge. There are three places all together with similar reggae music, Thai seafood and views from barstools, lounge chairs and picnic-table style benches on wooden terraces. The one in the middle is the establishment that made the area famous and you’ll know which it is because Bob Marley signs point the way.
