Nomad Beach Club has a big reputation in Thailand. It was the OG of the Phuket beach club scene, and there’s no doubt that visitors to this beach club have been impressed by what it has to offer in the past.
Our team were in the neighbourhood anyway as they’d been out visiting Maya and were very happy to pop in and spend some time at Nomad as well to discover if they’d been missing out on anything.
This is what they learned on their visit to Nomad Beach Club Phuket.
Introduction – Getting To Nomad Beach Club Phuket
Phuket is one of the most popular island destinations in Thailand. However, we have to note that there are very few direct international flights to Phuket, and most people will need to fly to Bangkok and change planes.
It is possible to drive from Bangkok to Phuket, but it’s not a short drive (unlike to Pattaya, the other popular Thai beach location), and flying is easiest. If you can’t face a second flight immediately after your international leg, you might want to stay in the capital for a night or two before going on to Phuket.
Once you reach Pattaya, the Nomad Beach Club is on the super popular Bang Tao Beach next door to the Maya Beach Club Phuket, which is also on our list of the best beach clubs in Thailand.
It’s very easy to get to from any part of the island, and it won’t take longer than an hour (in the worst traffic conditions from the farthest point) to get there.
When you do arrive, the beach is very attractive and perfectly positioned for a sunset on the Andaman Sea.
Where Is Nomad Beach Club Phuket? 323/13 Moo 2 Bang Tao Tambon Changthalang, Phuket, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Online: Nomad
Opening Hours: 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. (hours may differ on Thai public holidays, please contact the venue to confirm before you travel)
What’s Available At Nomad Beach Club Phuket?
There is an oceanfront with direct beach access, all dining facilities, comfortable daybeds and regular DJs. However, it’s important to note that they do not have a swimming pool at this beach club and, in fact, they encourage guests to make use of the ocean instead.
There is also a daily fire show on the beach at 6.45 p.m. every day. While this show is free to attend if you’re in the venue, to properly enjoy it, you will need to book seating on the beach in advance. The club also strongly recommends that you arrive early in order to get the best position for the show.
Our Detailed Review For Nomad Beach Club Phuket
Every review on this site is conducted in the same fashion to ensure that we’re fair to the owners and management of the beach clubs and to make it easy for our readers to compare different beach clubs.
Our process is as follows:
- The review team is asked to visit the venue. They do not have to go together, nor are they required to visit at the same time period.
- Each member of the team must review the venue while they are at the beach club and rank it from 1 (worst) to 5 (best) against the criteria laid out below.
- After all members of the review team have been to the beach club, they must meet up to discuss their experiences and to vote on the final score in each category.
- Then, finally, a single team member writes up the review and it’s published on our website.
Reservation and Booking Process
The booking process at Nomad Beach Club Phuket is among the better examples of this process that we’ve seen.
You choose the number of guests that you want to bring, the day you want to book, the seating option (though, we are sad to note – not the actual seat, so you will still need to rely on the staff to give you a seat when you arrive, which may be the worst seat in the house if you arrive later in the day) and the time you want to arrive.
The process is very clear about the minimum spend required, from 2,000 THB (around $60 USD) for a single person on a beanbag to 15,000 THB (roughly $500 USD) for a long table for 10 people.
You will need to pay this as a deposit when you book. We’re fine with this; we like deposits, they help to ensure they don’t give your seat away if you’re a few minutes late.
However, it’s vital to note that if you’re going to be more than 15 minutes late, you must call the venue and reconfirm your booking, or you will lose it. It’s not entirely clear if that also means that you lose your deposit.
Ambience and Atmosphere
Nomad has elected to make its identity “the beach” for both good and bad, and there’s no doubt that the shabby chic vibe reminds you of old-school beach bars, though the prices certainly do not.
There’s no dress code at this club, and you’re expected to kick off your shoes and get sand between your toes.
There are some nice Thai touches around the venue, but overall, we expected somewhere just a little bit more memorable after we’d heard people raving about Nomad.
Location And Accessibility
Phuket is a lovely island, but it’s not the easiest place to get to in Southeast Asia if you’re flying long distances. If you’re coming from somewhere else in the region, however, it’s pretty easy to get there.
Once you’re on the island, this beach club is super easy to find, and it’s on one of the most popular stretches of beach in Phuket.
You’ll have no issues getting here using ride-share applications (which are preferable to Tuk-Tuks and taxis due to the constant rip-offs). It’s also pleasantly positioned for a great sunset view over the sea.
Aesthetic And Design
They’ve let the ocean be the star of the show at Nomad, and while we kind of like that, it does also mean that the overall design of this beach club is kind of ordinary.
It looks cool at night when it lights up for the fire show, but overall, the shabby design aesthetic doesn’t really captivate our team.
We feel like when we pay for expensive cocktails by the ocean, we ought to feel that we’re in a high-end luxury spot rather than an upgraded but very nice beach bar. The absence of a pool was also felt keenly.
Staff Friendliness and Professionalism (Service Standard)
There’s no doubt that the Land of Smiles has built its reputation for tourists from the level of service that’s offered in almost every business in Thailand, and Nomad Beach Club is no exception.
In fact, we’d say that even for Thailand, they’re super friendly and extremely professional here. The staff is a real credit to the establishment, and they make you feel valued and welcome throughout your time here.
We’d also note that they have very good knowledge of the things on the menu and the overall offering at the beach club, which was great.
Service Speed and Efficiency
We were also very impressed with the overall speed and efficiency of the service. There’s no doubt that Nomad is a popular place, and it could be easy among the crowds to neglect the attention to detail required to ensure nobody waits too long for anything.
Yet, Nomad’s staff made this look easy, and they kept their composure all day long as they made it look effortless to ensure that people were happy. We were very impressed with this.
Food Quality and Variety
We were also impressed with the wide variety of food on their menu. You can go from an all-day breakfast (with plenty of options to choose from) to a beachside seafood or meat platter to endless Thai options.
They’re also very tasty and well-prepared, and presented. However, we have to ding this beach club on the price. We don’t mind paying $10 for a bacon sandwich, but we do feel ripped off when it costs $1 to add a single egg to that sandwich.
And overall, the menu is extremely pricey for Thailand. It’s not that this makes the food any less delicious, but it leaves a bit of a sour taste in your mouth all the same.
Beverage Selection and Creativity
There’s a very wide selection of beverages at this beach club; in fact, for Southeast Asia, it might have one of the largest selections we’ve ever seen.
You’d have to be trying very hard to get bored with this menu, and the cocktails that we ordered were beautifully presented, too.
However, once again, price does play a factor in our score. It’s not quite as expensive as the food feels, but it’s quite expensive when compared to the background price of a drink in most of Thailand, all the same.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
This is Thailand, and we’d be surprised if we had to take a point off any beach club in Thailand for poor hygiene.
The Nomad Beach Club Phuket is kept spotlessly clean, a task made easier, of course, by the absence of a pool, but we can’t blame the cleaning staff for that.
Comfort of Seating and Lounging Areas
Overall, we found the beach seating to be super comfortable and on par with the best beach clubs that we’ve tried elsewhere.
However, the restaurant-style furniture was only so-so, and we found it not quite as comfortable as it could be, particularly if you intend to spend a lot of time on it.
Music and Entertainment
The live entertainment here is very good. The fire show is extremely entertaining, and it is worth turning up early to get a nice spot to watch it from.
The DJs are also great, and they do an excellent job of getting people into the mood and dancing.
But there’s not much going on during the early part of the day, and certainly nothing to compete with big-name venues elsewhere like FINNS Beach Club in Bali.
Seasonality
This is Thailand, and there’s very little seasonality to contend with. There is a rainy season in Thailand, but it’s not the end of the world, and this beach club remains open throughout the season. If you’re unlucky, though, you might end up with two weeks of constant rain.
They may close occasionally for Thai holidays; check with the club before you visit on a holiday, but a couple of days a year are hardly “seasonality”.
Pricing and Value for Money
This is our big gripe with what is otherwise an excellent beach bar and restaurant setting by the sea.
The prices are just so far out of line with our expectations of Thailand that we don’t feel that we got value for money, even though we had a great time, and the food and drinks were tasty and beautiful.
We’re sure that the rents in this part of Phuket are sky-high, but still, we just don’t expect these prices in Southeast Asia.
Beach Access and Quality
The beach here is fabulous. They do keep it very clean. The sand is white and soft underfoot, and you can enjoy playing on this beach all day long.
We’d also note that it’s a great place for watching the sunset. It’s important to remember that swimming here is safe and there are lifeguards on duty, but parents should still keep an eye on children all the same.
Sustainability Practices
While this beach club doesn’t publish a sustainability report, they are very much involved in both local sustainability programs and community outreach.
We’d like to see some more defined promises in this area, mind you. But there’s no doubt that Nomad Beach Club Phuket is making some big inroads in this area already, and that’s to be admired.
Exclusive Perks for Guests
The beach club isn’t really set up to offer perks, and apart from a guaranteed seat (though no guarantee of where you will be seated) for a minimum spend, there’s nothing really on offer.
That’s OK, it’s a beach bar and restaurant when you get down to brass tacks, and there’s not much else we can expect of them.
Safety and Security
Thailand has a good safety record, and we don’t see that changing, but it’s helped by the fact that they do a basic check on the door at Nomad Beach Club.
It’s not invasive, but it’s just enough to ensure that the facility stays safe for everyone who uses it. We approve of this and wish all beach clubs would do the same.
Event Hosting Capabilities
They do offer event hosting at this beach club, but it’s not really geared towards a corporate market, and they’re not making a concerted effort to sell the capabilities even for private events.
That’s OK, Nomad seems to be plenty busy without events; there’s no doubt that this beach club is a popular place.
Consistency of Experience
We thought the experience was remarkably consistent at Nomad, and we’ve spoken to other customers about their experiences, and they’ve said the same thing.
We’d also note that their online reviews are consistently excellent, which suggests that they’re very good at what they do all the time.
However, we’d like to see more evidence of constant evolution, rather than just maintaining what works.
Additional Amenities and Facilities
The absence of a pool is really noticeable, and it’s the only thing that irks us, but it’s a big deal for us at a beach club.
However, they have a new venue opening nearby soon, “The GOAT,” which may offer something a bit more sophisticated. We’ll have to wait and see.
You’re also on the doorstep of plenty of other bars, clubs, restaurants, etc., here in Phuket, so if you need something else, you should be able to find it.
Summary
We enjoyed our time at Nomad and would be happy to recommend the place to anyone passing through Phuket (except those on a tight budge,t maybe).
However, it’s more of a beach bar and restaurant than a fully-fledged beach club, and the scores in this review certainly reflect that.
Overall, we’d combine a visit to Nomad with a visit to its next-door neighbour, Maya, which is also a great beach club and have an amazing day out.
FAQs
Can You Go Swimming At Nomad Beach Club, Phuket?
You can swim in the ocean at Nomad Beach Club Phuket, and the stretch of Andaman Sea that abuts Bang Tao Beach is generally considered very safe to swim in.
However, there is no swimming pool at this beach club, and you cannot swim in a pool. This can be a problem if you want to avoid encounters with local wildlife, etc.
What Is There To Do At Nomad Beach Club Phuket?
You can eat and drink, and relax on a comfortable chair during the day. You can also play on the beach and swim in the ocean.
In the evening, you can attend the free fire show on the beach and then enjoy dancing to the DJs that are available at night.
There is no pool at this beach club, though, so there will be no chilling out in an infinity pool at sunset.
Is Nomad Beach Club Phuket A Child-Friendly Venue?
Yes, children are welcome in this venue as long as they are accompanied by an adult of the appropriate age.
Who Is The Owner Of Nomad Beach Club Phuket?
The owner of this beach club is Sam Matt, an overseas investor. He regularly responds to reviews and emails of the beach club online.
What Is The Floating Beach Club In Phuket?
The floating beach club in Phuket is Yona Beach Club. It’s a multi-level beach club on a boat with an infinity pool, four bars, a restaurant and a rooftop area for panoramic views over the ocean.
This club also regularly hosts DJ events and is very popular. It has a strict dress code and requires smart casual attire throughout the venue.
It’s also worth noting that they close this club down for maintenance on a regular basis due to the fact that it’s on a boat, and safety is a priority. So, please check before you visit Yona that it will actually be open.
What Is The Age For Clubbing In Thailand?
While children can enter a beach club with their parents, if you want to go to a club in Thailand by yourself, there is a minimum age of 20 to be admitted.
This is reasonably strictly enforced, particularly in the capital and in big tourist destinations. So, expect to be asked for ID if there’s any doubt about your age.
Final Thoughts On The Review Of Nomad Beach Club Phuket
Nomad Beach Club is a nice place, and there’s no doubt that they do what they do very well, indeed.
However, the absence of a swimming pool is a major drawback in our books; we really feel that a beach club ought to elevate your time by the beach, and a pool is part of the full experience.
Having said that, if we were passing through Phuket? We’d definitely call in to Nomad again, it’s a nice experience and a good day out, if slightly expensive for what it is.
