Drinking Alcohol in Hot Weather: How to Pace Your Night

A cold beer at sunset is one of the simple pleasures of Koh Lanta. But drinking alcohol in hot weather is not the same as a night out at home. The heat, the humidity and a day in the sun all change how alcohol affects you, and the result is often a much harder morning than you expected.

This guide is about the night before: how to enjoy yourself and give tomorrow a better chance. If you are already reading this with a pounding head, our guide to recovering from a hangover in Thailand covers the morning-after plan.

Why drinking alcohol in hot weather hits harder

Alcohol makes your kidneys pass more urine than usual. In a cool climate that leaves you a bit dry. In Thailand, you have often spent the day sweating on the beach, on a boat or on a scooter, so you start the evening already short on fluid and salts.

Heat also widens blood vessels near the skin, which can make you feel light-headed more easily once alcohol is added. And because you are thirsty, cold drinks go down fast, so it is easy to drink more, and more quickly, than you would at home.

Alcohol and dehydration in the heat: before you go out

The best time to look after tomorrow is this afternoon.

• Rehydrate first. Drink water through the late afternoon, and have an oral rehydration salts sachet if you have been sweating a lot.
• Eat a proper meal. Food in your stomach slows how quickly alcohol is absorbed. Rice, noodles, curry or grilled fish all count; bar snacks do not.
• Take a break from the sun. A shower and an hour in a cool room before going out helps you start the night refreshed rather than already drained.
• Plan your way home. Arrange a taxi or a lift, or stay within walking distance, before you have your first drink.

How to avoid a hangover in Thailand: pacing the night

No method promises a clear head, but pacing makes a real difference to how you feel the next day.

1. Alternate every drink with a glass of water. It slows you down and replaces some of the fluid you are losing.
2. Set a rough limit before you start. It is much easier to stick to a plan made while sober.
3. Sip, do not gulp. Cold drinks in the heat disappear quickly, so put your glass down between sips.
4. Keep eating. A late snack of something starchy can help, especially on a long night.
5. Watch the time of day. Drinking in strong afternoon sun dehydrates you faster than an evening drink after the heat has eased.

Buckets and hangovers: why sweet drinks catch people out

Buckets, cocktails and spirits with sweet mixers taste like fruit juice, which makes it hard to judge how much alcohol you are drinking. Spirits are often free-poured, so two drinks that look the same can be very different in strength.

• Share a bucket rather than having one each, and drink water in between.
• Ask for a single measure or a long drink with more mixer.
• Be cautious with unfamiliar local spirits, as strength varies.
• Never leave your drink unattended, and do not accept drinks from strangers.

Sun, sea and scooters: safety after drinking

The biggest risks of a night out on an island are not hangovers. They are accidents.

• Never drink and ride a scooter. Roads on Koh Lanta can be dark, with sharp bends, sand and animals. Alcohol slows reactions and affects judgement, even if you feel fine.
• Do not swim after drinking. Alcohol affects coordination and judgement, and a dark sea with currents is dangerous. Save the night swim for a sober day.
• Stay with friends. Agree how everyone is getting home before the night starts.
• Do not sleep in the sun. Dozing off on the beach after a lunchtime drink can lead to bad sunburn and more dehydration.

Before bed: setting up the morning after

A few minutes before you sleep can make tomorrow easier. Drink a glass of water, or an ORS sachet mixed as the packet says, and leave a full bottle by the bed. Turn on the air conditioning or fan so the room is cool, and plan a slow start rather than an early boat trip.

If the morning is still rough, our Hangover Recovery drip is one option. A registered nurse comes to your accommodation, carries out a health check, and gives 1 litre of saline with vitamin B complex and vitamin C, plus anti-nausea medicine and pain relief if they are suitable for you. Many guests feel better afterwards, but it is support for recovery, not a reason to drink more the night before.

A good night out on Koh Lanta, and a better morning

Drinking alcohol in hot weather does not have to wreck your next day. Hydrate in the afternoon, eat properly, alternate drinks with water, go carefully with buckets, and get home safely without a scooter. If you would like to know more about how we can help the morning after, message us on WhatsApp.

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