Beavers Hua Hin

This is the kind of bar you end up at because someone told you about it, not because you walked past it. Soi Village Railway West sits away from the beachfront strips, in the quieter residential part of Hua Hin, and the crowd reflects that: expats who drink here regularly, plus travellers who'd rather talk than shout over music.

Doors open at 15:00, which makes it a decent afternoon option when the heat has beaten you off the sand and you want a cold drink somewhere with a fan and a bar stool. It stays that way through to midnight, seven days a week, so there's no evening where you turn up and find it shut. Don't come expecting a polished resort cocktail list or a dance floor. It's a pub, and it's honest about being one.

If you're staying near the centre or the beach, factor in a short taxi or motorbike ride each way. Worth it if you like small bars where the staff learn your name by the second visit.