The Indian Bar is a business that has been around for quite a while on Thong Nai Pan Yai. The present incarnation of the bar is at the northern end of the village near the beach. It is located among the grassy paths leading down the beach near the middle school and the small wat.
All the times I've been over to Yai I have to put my hands up and say I've never stopped in for a drink at the Indian Bar. It is a big structure - spiky Thai roof in corrugated metal with the usual open plan feel (no walls). Inside there is plenty of seating. I always guessed it was a place to chill out and play games.
The new website of the Indian Bar hardly makes it clearer what the unique selling point of the place is. As with so many of the websites done for businesses on Koh Phangan the site has bells and whistles but little useful content. There is no menu or price list (a sure sign this site will never be updated) and few pictures of the business.
A little bit of history is revealed by the site. The old spot for the bar was behind Havana Resort which back then was Honey Bungalows. This is interesting because Honey Bungalows in 1997 was the name of Sandee Bungalow on Thong Nai Pan Noi. Honey Bungalow many years ago was my favorite place to stay in Thong Nai Pan Noi. Around 2000 they moved to Yai and then shortly afterwards gave up their lease in Yai so Havana could be built.
Another interesting thing about the Indian Bar website is that it reveals that they have a few bungalows to rent. This is always useful to know if Dreamland or Central is full and you are despairing of finding a place to stay.
Returning back to the theme of bells and whistles and no wheels - the website also has a sophisticated forum, social network plugin which is marvelously underused - 1 person has signed up. The chances are approaching zero of one of the Thai family who run Indian Bar of regularly administering such a thing. Thumbs down to the site, but thumbs up to Indian Bar for keeping the old hippy vibe of Thong Nai Pan Yai going.
So if you are interested, click here to go to the Indian Bar website.
