Drunken Sailors

The name “Drunken Sailors” conjures up visions of a sleazy dive full of pissed-up mariners singing bawdy sea shanties. Each inebriated man of the sea had a tattoo of an anchor on one arm and a sexy drunken floozy on the other. I just had to check this place out. It’s situated in the village of Kantiang in the south of the island.

Well, my vision of a raunchy bordello crowded with intoxicated Jolly Jack Tars was of course tongue-in-cheek. I am happy to report that Drunken Sailors is a chilled cafe with hammocks to laze in and great tasty food with loads of plant-based options for vegans like me. And if you would like to pretend you are a drunken sailor for a night then this cool eatery will sell you booze including spirits and craft beers. I am sure you kind find a nearby ink shop to get an anchor tattooed on your arm. However, Drunken Sailors is not a pick-up joint so you will have to bring your very own femme fatale with you. Hahaha.

This chic eatery has been open for over 20 years, Curiosity got the better of this cool cat so I asked the friendly owner why her laid-back cafe with its tranquil ambiance was called Drunken Sailors. I joked, “In the past was it brimming with sloshed sea dogs and their tipsy Jezabels?”

She laughed and replied, “Of course not, the cafe is named after a tropical flower known as a drunken sailor” and pointed to a tree with lots of red and white drooping flowers. I supposed if I was as pissed as a sea rat they would look like drunken sailors =hahaha

Flower Power at its finest and this old hippy was buzzing like a happy bee at discovering the origin of the cafe’s name.

I have visited a number of times and always order an acai bowl of fresh fruit and a mango smoothie. I have heard that the battered banana blossom is to die for so I’ll try that next time. Read the review below.

“I came here twice. Once I ordered Fried Tempeh stir fry with cashews and once the deep-fried banana blossom. If you’ve never had banana blossom before you should definitely try it here. So flavorful and everything tasted so fresh. I ordered extra rice for both dishes but for the banana blossom, it wasn’t necessary at all. It was so filling.”

They serve a wide range of both Western and Thai dishes. The staff are friendly and helpful and I would like to point out that they fully understand the meaning of vegan – no fish sauce etc. There is a bookshelf so you can grab a novel and laze in a hammock or on a bean bag and just enjoy the magical atmosphere of this amazing spot. There are loads of cats hanging around waiting to be made a fuss of.

And there are some cheeky monkeys waiting to grab your food so keep your eyes open.

There is also a small shop selling tee shirts, jewellery, and other souvenirs. It is open from 10am to 10pm. sometimes they have live music. If you are in Kantiang I highly recommend Drunken Sailors. Perfect for breakfast before you explore Khlong Jak Waterfall or Lanta National Park. Or dinner after your intrepid adventure. I will be going again coz I love the place and must try their deep-fried banana blossom.