Where can you watch the Koh Samui New Year fireworks?
On Chaweng Beach. The Koh Samui New Year fireworks are not one single display. The island has countdowns in several places on 31 December, but Chaweng is where the island gathers. It is the longest stretch of sand, the centre of the nightlife, and the fireworks go up over Chaweng Bay itself, so the whole beach gets the view.
We know that beach at midnight better than anyone. ARKbar Beach Club on Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui hosts the New Year's Eve Countdown Beach Festival, and the photographs on this page are ours, from the last two New Years on our own sand.
This guide covers where to stand, when things happen, how to get there when the roads close, and how to get home again after.
Midnight, 1 January 2027, Koh Samui time
Counting down to 12:00 AM in Thailand time, UTC+7.
What time are the Koh Samui New Year fireworks?
At midnight, as the countdown hits zero. Koh Samui is on Thailand time, seven hours ahead of London and twelve ahead of New York, so the island sees in 2027 well before most of the people it is hosting.
At ARKbar the whole night builds to that moment. This is the running order for 31 December 2026, exactly as it stands on the New Year's Eve page.
How the night runs
Gates open, music starts
International and local DJs play from open.
The fire show
On the sand in front of the main stage.
Table check in closes
Queues at the door build from around now.
Countdown and fireworks
Into 2027 with fireworks over Chaweng Bay. Final entry for standing.
The party runs on
Music continues on the beach and around the pool.
Where is the best spot for the Chaweng Beach fireworks?
On the sand, facing the sea, in the centre of the bay. The fireworks go up over the water, so you want an open sky in front of you and nothing overhead. The centre of Chaweng gives you the widest view of the bay and puts you inside the loudest part of the countdown.
- On the beach itself is better than any balcony or rooftop set back from it.
- Close to the water gives the cleanest view, but it fills first.
- Somewhere with a table means you are not holding your ground from 10:00 PM.
At ARKbar the Beach Front Deck faces the main stage and the fireworks directly, and the VIP Lounge has prime views of both. General standing is on the beach between the tables.
What else happens before midnight?
The fire show, at 8:00 PM. It runs on the sand in front of the main stage and it is the extended New Year's Eve version of the fire show we run every night through the season. Poi, staffs, fire breathing and steel wool, set to the DJ.
For the last two New Years, fire letters on the sand have burned out a message to the new year at midnight: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025, then 2026. It is the photo everyone takes.
How do you get to Chaweng Beach on New Year's Eve?
Early, and ideally on foot. On 31 December the centre of Chaweng works differently from any other night of the year.
- Chaweng Beach Road stays open to cars, but it is packed with people and traffic crawls on the night.
- ARKbar does not let cars in on 31 December, and there is no parking.
- From Bophut or Lamai it is a short taxi or songthaew ride, and from the airport a short taxi ride. Ask for ARKbar Beach Club, Chaweng Beach Road, Soi Green Mango.
- Arrive from 5:00 PM. Queues build from 9:00 PM, and final entry for standing is at midnight.
The easiest plan is to not need a ride at all. Anywhere within walking distance of central Chaweng takes the stress out of the night. Our guide to where to stay in Chaweng goes through the options.
How do you get home after the fireworks?
Plan it before you go out. Taxis are in short supply for the first hours of 1 January, and the road through Chaweng stays busy long after the fireworks end. Three ways to make it easy:
- Stay within walking distance of the beach.
- Agree a pickup time with your hotel or a driver in advance, and meet them away from the busiest stretch of Chaweng Beach Road.
- Stay late. The party runs on after midnight, and the roads are calmer by the time it ends.
ARKbar Beach Resort
The resort sits inside the beach club on Chaweng Beach, so the countdown is downstairs and your room is a walk away. Resort guests get free general entry on 31 December 2026.
What to wear and bring on New Year's Eve
- White or gold. The NYE Countdown Beach Festival is black and gold, and half the beach dresses to match.
- Shoes you can stand on sand in, or nothing at all.
- Your ID. New Year's Eve at ARKbar is adults only, 18 and over.
- A charged phone. You will want the midnight video.
December nights on Samui stay warm, with lows around 24°C according to the WMO climate normals for Ko Samui, but late-month showers do happen. The Thai Meteorological Department forecast is worth checking on the morning of the 31st.
Planning the days either side too? Read our three days in Koh Samui over New Year and what Koh Samui is like in December. For wider island travel, the Tourism Authority of Thailand covers Samui and the Gulf islands.
New Year fireworks in Koh Samui: your questions
Are there fireworks on Chaweng Beach on New Year's Eve?
What time do the Koh Samui New Year fireworks start?
Where is the best place to watch fireworks in Koh Samui?
Is Chaweng Beach Road closed on New Year's Eve?
What time should I arrive for New Year's Eve on Chaweng?
Is New Year's Eve at ARKbar family friendly?
How do I get a table facing the fireworks?
The short version
For the Koh Samui New Year fireworks, be on Chaweng Beach, facing the sea, before 9:00 PM. Know how you are getting home before you leave. If you want a table with the fireworks in front of it, book it now, before the Platinum rows go.
Everything else, the fire show, the DJs, the moment the letters light up on the sand, takes care of itself.
