Reggae Pub, Chaweng — Koh Samui's Live-Band Bar by Chaweng Lake

Overview

Reggae Pub is a two-storey timber bar and live-music venue on the shore of Chaweng Lake, at the end of the short side street it lends its name to — Soi Reggae, off Chaweng Beach Road on Koh Samui. It opened in 1988 as a small wooden beach bar and has since grown into a barn-style building with a stage, a dancefloor, pool tables, and a wall of Bob Marley portraits, with a resident band covering reggae and rock most nights and no cover charge at the door.

The venue has not had a spotless run: multiple visitor reports describe it as closed for roughly two years around 2021-2022 before reopening, and Koh Samui’s bar scene generally has a higher closure rate than its restaurants. As of September 2026 Google Maps lists it as open, with reviews dated as recently as June 2026 describing it as busy and operating normally — worth a quick map or phone check before making it the centerpiece of a night out.

Key takeaways

• Live-band bar on Chaweng Lake, open nightly since 1988, no entry fee.
• Beer runs 80-120 THB (~2.50-3.50 USD); resident band plays until around midnight, DJs after.
• Closed for an extended period around 2021-2022 per visitor reports; shows as open on Google Maps as of Sep 2026.
• Sits about 300 m from Chaweng Beach Road down Soi Reggae, a strip of small beer bars.

Key Facts

Reggae Pub is a single-venue bar with no online booking system, so the details below come from its Google Maps listing, its own site’s chaweng-nightlife coverage, and current visitor reviews rather than an official press kit.

History — From Beach Shack to Chaweng Lake Landmark

Reggae Pub opened in 1988 as little more than a wooden bar counter and a few cheap chairs on Chaweng Beach, according to multiple Koh Samui nightlife listings. Over the following decades it expanded into the current two-storey, part-open-air building overlooking Chaweng Lake, decorated with rows of Bob Marley and jazz-era portraits and leaf-motif cutouts across the entrance arch. A separate, affiliated Reggae Restaurant sits across the road, serving Thai and international seafood for anyone eating before a night at the bar.

Like much of Chaweng’s older nightlife strip, the pub’s run has not been uninterrupted — a 2023 visitor review specifically welcomed it back after describing it as offline for roughly the previous two years. Bars on Koh Samui close and reopen more often than the island’s restaurants or attractions, which is why this page carries a status note above rather than presenting “open since 1988” as an unbroken fact.

Inside the Pub

The building is built around a central stage and dancefloor, ringed by tables, benches, and pool tables, with a wall of framed portraits — Bob Marley features heavily, alongside jazz and blues musicians — running along the upper level. Part of the structure is open-sided, giving direct views over Chaweng Lake, the small inland lagoon this stretch of Chaweng is built around. A snack bar covers basic food, and big screens show live sport outside band sets.

Music and the Nightly Rhythm

The venue is quiet in the early evening and fills from around 23:00. A resident band plays reggae staples, classic rock, and pop covers until roughly midnight, after which the sound system switches to house and techno, run by local or visiting DJs, for the rest of the night. This matches the pattern this site’s own Chaweng nightlife guide gives for the wider Soi Reggae strip: a calmer, live-music slot roughly 19:00-23:00, ahead of Soi Green Mango’s later club peak a short walk away.

Prices

There is no cover charge — Reggae Pub, like most of Chaweng’s nightlife venues, makes its money on drinks rather than entry. Local beer runs 80-120 THB (~2.50-3.50 USD), cheaper than Chaweng’s beach-road bars and beach clubs, and roughly in line with the rest of the Soi Reggae strip. Cocktails and spirits cost more and prices are not posted online, so it is worth confirming with staff before ordering anything unfamiliar.

Getting There

Reggae Pub sits inland from Chaweng Beach Road, on the ring road side of Chaweng near Chaweng Lake — a location it shares with the EasyKart go-kart track and Central Samui mall, both a few minutes away on the same stretch. From Samui Airport it is about 3 km, roughly 10 minutes by car; a prepaid or metered airport taxi is the simplest option since there is no direct shuttle. From the middle of Chaweng Beach Road, Soi Reggae — the roughly 200-metre side street lined with small beer bars leading to the pub’s door — is an easy walk of a few minutes.

Nearby

Chaweng Beach itself, Koh Samui’s busiest stretch of sand, is a short walk east. The EasyKart go-kart track and Central Samui mall both sit on the same Chaweng Lake side of the ring road, useful for filling an afternoon before an evening at the pub. For the rest of Chaweng’s nightlife, this site’s Chaweng nightlife guide covers Soi Green Mango’s later club scene and Beach Road’s sunset bars, and the nightlife hub rounds up options island-wide, including the calmer beach clubs for anyone who wants a polished alternative to a bar-street night.

Safety and Practical Tips

Chaweng’s nightlife strips are busy and well-lit most of the night, but the standard precautions apply. Never leave a drink unattended and be cautious accepting one from a stranger — drink-spiking reports, while not specific to this venue, come up periodically across Thailand’s bar districts. Do not ride a scooter after drinking; take a taxi or Grab back to your hotel, especially after midnight when traffic on the ring road is faster and less predictable. Reggae Pub does not enforce a strict age check at the door in visitor reports, but Thailand’s legal drinking and bar-entry age is 20, and venues can refuse entry or ask for ID at their discretion.

Pros and Cons

Reggae Pub’s appeal is its lack of pretension: no cover charge, free pool tables, a genuinely long-running live band, and a lakeside setting that is calmer than Soi Green Mango a few minutes away. Set against that: reviews are mixed on quality and price, with some visitors reporting the venue feels empty outside peak hours and beer priced above Chaweng’s cheapest bars, and the venue’s own recent closure history means it is worth a quick status check rather than assuming it is guaranteed open on any given night.

FAQ

Is Reggae Pub in Chaweng still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Reggae Pub shows as open on Google Maps, with reviews dated through June 2026 describing it as operating normally. It was reportedly closed for roughly two years around 2021-2022 before reopening, so a quick map or phone check (+66 98 785 1915) is worth doing before a special trip.

What time does Reggae Pub open and close?

Reggae Pub is quiet in the early evening, fills from around 23:00, and closes around 02:30 nightly according to its Google Maps listing. A resident band plays until roughly midnight, after which DJs take over with house and techno for the rest of the night.

Is there a cover charge at Reggae Pub?

No. Reggae Pub does not charge for entry; like most Chaweng nightlife venues, it makes money on drinks rather than a door fee. Local beer runs 80-120 THB (~2.50-3.50 USD), and pool tables are free to use.

How do I get to Reggae Pub from Chaweng Beach Road?

Reggae Pub sits at the end of Soi Reggae, a roughly 200-metre side street of small beer bars running inland from Chaweng Beach Road toward Chaweng Lake — an easy few-minute walk from the main beach strip.

Is Soi Reggae safe at night?

Chaweng’s nightlife strips, including Soi Reggae, are generally busy and well-lit, but standard precautions apply: watch your drink, confirm prices before ordering, avoid scootering after drinking, and take a taxi or Grab back to your hotel, particularly after midnight.