Bayshore Restaurant and Bar

Bayshore's whole appeal is the location — it sits right on the north end of Haad Rin's sunset-facing beach, with tables directly in the sand as well as an indoor section that still looks straight out over the water. On an island where "beachfront" often just means "near a beach," this one actually delivers the view.

The food is a fairly broad Thai-and-international menu, which is exactly what you want in a sunset-dinner spot — nobody's coming here chasing a specific dish, they're coming for the combination of decent food and watching the sky go orange over the Gulf of Thailand.

It's a popular pick for exactly that reason: order early enough, grab a beach table, and time your meal to the sunset. Simple formula, and it works.