Ko Samui
There's a pool table, English pub food (children's menu, too) and a friendly atmosphere at this central watering hole backing onto the beach. It opens…
Must-see nightlife in Thailand
Ko Samui
This bright-blue converted Volkswagen camper van pitches up five days a week in front of Central Festival, bringing with it decent music and dance acts…
Sugar Ray You've Just Been Poisoned
Thanon Sukhumvit
Run by a team of fun and hip Thai staff who make flavoured syrups, the grisly named Sugar Ray You've Just Been Poisoned is actually a cool bar serving…
Ko Samui
Grab a swing at the bar or plop yourself on a beanbag on the sand, order a giant cocktail or a to-die-for coconut milkshake served in a jar, and take a…
Chinatown
Come to this retro-feeling bar for sangria, Spanish gin and bar snacks, or the revolving art exhibitions from time to time. If the name isn't a giveaway…
Pai
Located just across the river from central Pai, Don't Cry touts itself as the kind of reggae bar you used to get on Ko Pha-Ngan. In fact, when it's…
Ko Samui
Toast the setting sun as it sinks into the golden gulf from the magnificent outside bar perched above a cliff at this swanky resort. There's an excellent…
Chinatown
A hidden spot of happiness tucked in a quiet alley, this cool LGBTIQ-friendly bar is a superb place to end the night. The music is trippy, the pisco sour…
Ko Samui
Recognised by its yawning thatch-patched awnings, Beach Republic could be the poster child of a made-for-TV, beachside, booze-swilling holiday. There’s a…
Ko Samui
With delightful views over the sea and across to the pier, this perfectly positioned cafe is an ideal final filling station before boarding a ferry. The…
Sukhothai
Travellers and locals congregate at this 2nd-floor bar with a vague cowboy theme for drinks, food (the menu is thoughtfully divided into spicy and…
Thanon Sukhumvit
Stocking more than 500 globally sourced craft beers in a scruffy elevator-factory warehouse, Wishbeer Home Bar has Bangkok’s best selection by far. If the…
Phuket
A sister venture to Patong's popular 9th Floor restaurant, this smart, intimate bar offers Surin's widest choice of wine, with 160 labels spanning Europe,…
Ko Samet
This busy beachfront bar covered in Day-Glo art is run by a friendly bunch of locals offering good music, lots of whisky and vodka/Red Bull buckets. The…
Thanon Sukhumvit
Badmotel blends the modern and the kitschy, the cosmopolitan and the Thai, in a way that has struck a chord with Bangkok trendsetters. This is manifested…
Bangkok
This cramped, dusty (and a tad smelly) den is a time warp into the backpacker world of the early 1980s. It's known to be a last resort on Bangkok's bar…
Chiang Mai
Part of a complex of open-air bars at the corner of Th Ratchaphakhinai and Th Ratwithi, Zoe is where backpackers come to sink pitchers of cold Chang, sip…
Nakhon Phanom
This sweet little cafe attached to Landmark Nakhon Phanom Hotel does good coffee, tea and smoothies as well as croissants and, bizarrely, 16 different…
Thanon Sukhumvit
Dancers dressed in cheongsams or neon spacesuits (depending on the night) float through secret rooms, across towering platforms and onto the tiny dance…
Hat Yai
Decked out in all the bells and whistles expected of an expatriate Irish pub, this is a warm and friendly watering hole. There's live music every evening,…
Ko Samui
There's live music every night from 9.30pm and a decent Western and Thai food menu (including breakfasts) at the Shamrock, which also serves a decent…
Thanon Sukhumvit
The eponymous mixologist here has done away with both addresses and cocktail menus to arrive at the modern equivalent of the speakeasy. Tell the staff…
Bangkok
This is a popular mall-bound cafe featuring strong coffees, aromatic teas and icy smoothies with locally made Belgian-style chocolates. Couple your latte…
Thanon Sukhumvit
As the name suggests, this eclectic place takes Bangkok's vintage fetish to the max. You’ll have to wind around Vespas and Naugahyde sofas to reach your…
Ko Lanta
Slap in the middle of Hat Khlong Dao, inside the Lanta Island Resort, the Island Bar is decorated with Tiki God images, while its terrace sits right over…
Ko Pha-Ngan
The rooftop swimming pool staring out to glorious sunsets is the key draw at this popular hillside bar, perched high up on the west coast. Arrive early to…
Bangkok
A great place to hang out with locals, this young and carefree bar gives away beers for a mere 90B during happy hours (until 8pm), and then gets the party…
Ko Ratanakosin & Thonburi
The open-air bar atop Sala Rattanakosin hotel has upped the stakes for sunset views of Wat Arun across the river. If you can see the structure at all…
Ko Pha-Ngan
Light, bright and spacious, Dots is the hangout for yoga retreaters with slimline silver laptops and even slimmer waistlines. Next to the Phantip Food…
Bangkok
Balcony is a long-standing Soi 4 gay pub that features the occasional drag-queen performance. The massive 3L jugs of beer make it a great place to visit…
Ko Tao
With a fine elevated open-air terrace and panoramic views over the island's jungle greenery, hammocks for lounging around in, ambient chill-out sounds and…
Bangkok
Gazing down at the green expanse of Lumphini Park, abruptly bordered by tall buildings on most sides, you can be excused for thinking that Bangkok almost,…
Surat Thani
Sit in the shade of a banana tree or pull up a stool at the hipster coffee bar of this charming roadside coffee spot, where the open-plan hut is decked…
Thanon Sukhumvit
Imagine a mid-century modern dining car or airport lounge, and you're close to picturing the interior of Q&A. The short list of featured cocktails can…
Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi
If the upmarket but chilled setting and spinning DJ aren’t compelling enough reasons to venture from your Sukhumvit comfort zone, consider that this is…
Ko Pha-Ngan
Bubba's serves its famous, locally sourced and roasted coffee alongside an excellent breakfast menu at this sibling of Bubba's Roastery. The atmosphere is…
Chinatown
Old West meets old Shanghai at this classic retro bar. The emphasis here is on beer ('pijiu' is Chinese for beer), with four revolving craft brews on tap,…
Ko Samui
Come night-time, the live music kicks on and this place turns into the most popular Irish bar on Ko Samui (yes, there are quite a few), but it's a great…
Chinatown
There's little original about this retro Chinese-themed refurbished shophouse on Soi Nana, but a good selection of craft beer, inventive cocktails and…
Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi
Bangkok is teeming with glitzy rooftop bars, and CRU Champagne happens to be one of the taller places for a tipple. From the 59th floor, soak up…
