The best things to do in Phuket this weekend (September 17-20)

BOA x Banjuka leans into South African sound this Friday, with NIBZ and Matt Davies leading a night of house, tech and amapiano. NIBZ specialises in private school amapiano, the jazz- and deep house-influenced strand of the genre – expect mellow grooves, lush chords and live instrumentation rather than blunt club beats. Fellow South African DJ Matt Davies brings melodic Afro house, singing live and playing saxophone during his sets. Listen out for ‘Hold On’, his recent collaboration with Drega, and ‘Shakin’ In My Shoes’.

Sep 18. B300. NIBZ and Matt Davies at BOA x Banjuka. 9pm-2am

Fashion and food share the bill at Madagascar Dreams, part of The Slate’s BOLD series, across two very different evenings. On Friday, Madagascar-born, Siem Reap-based designer Éric Raisina presents a couture runway alongside a chef-led six-course dinner at industrial-chic Rivet & Rebar. Madagascar’s vanilla, wild pepper, cacao, seafood and tropical fruit shape the menu, with strings, jazz and afro-acoustic music setting the pace. Raisina’s work combines Cambodian textile heritage with African colour, intricate crochet and sculptural silhouettes, drawing inspiration from designers including Yves Saint Laurent. Saturday moves to the sultrier, Chinese-inspired Coolies Club, where Madagascan bar bites, sharing plates and lychee- and vanilla-flavoured drinks accompany another couture show.

Sep 18. B2,500++ food only or B3,500++ with wine pairing. Madagascar Dreams at Rivet & Rebar, The Slate. 6.30pm-10.30pm

Sep 19. B2,000+ including food, cocktail pairing and show. Dance with Madagascar at Coolies Club. 6.30pm-10.30pm

FIRA Recovery Club takes Pilates out of the studio and into the hills above Kata Noi Beach. Pilates & Plunge starts with a low-impact floor session, then shifts to KIPO Steakhouse for brunch before an afternoon by the pool. Expect steak, drinks, sunshine and a dip – a rather civilised Sunday reset.

Sep 20. B500-B790. Pilates & Plunge, FIRA Recovery Club. Typically from 10am

If tribal percussion, Latin grooves and soulful rhythms are your thing, head to Café del Mar this Friday. Spanish DJ duo Chus & Ceballos bring their Iberican sound to Phuket after a five-year hiatus, with their Reunion Tour and comeback single ‘Somos Uno’. The founders of Stereo Productions and pioneers of tech-house have a career spanning almost three decades, including official remixes for Madonna and residencies at clubs such as Pacha, Space Miami and Cielo New York. Expect a late-night run through their signature house and techno.

Sep 18. B300. Chus & Ceballos, Café del Mar. 10pm-late

For a gentler evening, Aqua Bar at COMO Point Yamu looks across Phang-Nga Bay as the sun sinks behind a sea of limestone islets. The five-star resort’s poolside lounge is all cool whites, clean lines and open sky, with cocktails, smoothies, healthy juices and ice-cold beer on the menu. Take a seat beside the infinity pool before dusk and let the view do the work.

Sep 17-20 (daily). Free entry. Aqua Bar, COMO Point Yamu. 9am-midnight

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