The most straightforward drinking spot on Surin Beach is this simple open-air bar near the centre of the bay, which sets out sun loungers and low tables on the sand in the late afternoon. The drinks list is short — local beers, basic cocktails, fruit shakes — but the setting does most of the work. The west-facing position means it gets the full sunset, and on evenings when the sky cooperates the light across the water is difficult to improve on.
It is not a cocktail bar with pretensions, which is exactly the point. This is the kind of place where the beer arrives cold, the view is free, and nobody expects you to move on quickly. The bar also does simple fried snacks if you need something to eat while you watch the sun go down. In the high season it fills up in the hour before sunset, so come early to secure a spot on the sand.