Boogie Bar

This is the kind of Ao Nang bar you end up in rather than plan for, and that's not a criticism. It opens at 3pm, so you can wander in straight off the boat from the islands with sand still on your feet, and it keeps going until 1:30 in the morning. Casual clothes, casual crowd, mid-range prices that won't wreck the evening.

What it's good for is company. Ao Nang's strip is full of places that feel like they're waiting for someone else's customers, and this one tends to have people in it, which matters when you're traveling solo or in a pair and fancy talking to someone new. It fills up as the night goes on, so if you want a quiet drink and a seat, come early. If you want noise, come late, and come at the weekend.

If you're after craft cocktails or a view, look elsewhere along the beach road. This is a straightforward bar doing a straightforward job.