Kata After Dark

Kata is Patong's calmer cousin. It goes to bed earlier, talks more quietly and has fewer opinions about your outfit. This is the night strip, hour by hour.

Kata, a Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. A couple in matching linen sit at a table on Thai Na Road, sharing a plate of grilled prawns and a quiet pride at having found a place "away from the crowds." The "crowds" are, at this moment, nine other couples in linen.

I've spent more evenings on this strip than I've spent in my own kitchen.

Where it is. Thai Na Road is the main bar and live-music strip in Kata, with Kata Road running nearby. It's compact, walkable and rarely rowdy.

The shape of the night.

• Before 8 p.m.: dinner. Restaurants are open, tables are easy and prices are fair.
• 8:30 p.m. onward: live music starts at some of the bars along the strip. It's usually a guitarist or a small covers band and the repertoire is a tour of the 1990s.
• 11 p.m. to midnight: some places begin to close. A few close as early as 11:45 p.m.
• Until about 2 a.m.: a handful of bars stay open. The pace is slower and there's no Bangla-style crush.

What's open late, and what closes early. I don't list venue names here, because hours change from week to week, and some places are closed on one day each week. The rule that works: a bar with live music is usually open until midnight or 2 a.m. A bar with a big kitchen is likely to close earlier. If you want a specific place, check before you walk.

The Kata night market is open roughly 2 to 11 p.m., so it's an early-evening option, not a post-midnight one.

What it costs. A relaxed night with dinner and a few drinks is typically below what you'd spend in Patong. A beer on the strip tends to be a little cheaper than on Bangla and noticeably cheaper than at a beach club.

The crowd. Couples, families with older children, long-stayers who prefer not to be shouted at, and a handful of surfers during the season. It's a lot of "Shall we get one more?" and not much "Shall we go and find trouble?"

Safety rules, still relevant:

• Hold your drink. Always.
• Never ride a scooter after drinking. Kata's roads are narrow and dark in places.
• Book a car back to your hotel. The walk is fine if it's close, but if it's more than ten minutes, don't make it a negotiation.

Getting around. Many people book a car or a tuk-tuk from the strip to their hotel. Fares are modest for short hops, but you should agree the price before you get in. In the evening, tuk-tuk drivers tend to quote high at first. A polite counter-offer is part of the ritual.

The insider habit. Locals eat at 6:30, not 8. They go home when the second song starts. The tourists stay for the fourth song, and then complain the next day that "it's quiet." It is. That's the point.

The honest summary. Kata after dark is relaxed, a little sleepy and nicely priced. If you want a loud night, take a car to Patong. If you want a quiet drink and a guitarist playing the same song as last night, stay here.