Ko Samet Quiet Beach/resort/accommodation Wanted?

[pallypete]

i will be travelling to thailand at christmas for a short break (24th dec - 2nd jan) and was hoping to spend a few days chilling out on ko samet as im still yet to visit in my last 4 trips to LOS.

will probably want just 3-4 days there between (28th dec - 31st dec) now i know this is going to be peak season but i was hoping somebody could recommend me a nice quiet beach/resort/hotel to stay?...ive read up quite a bit on ko samet (including tezza's blog) and i realise that its a very small island so chances of me finding anywhere with a beach to myself are pretty much zero!

all i would like is somewhere as quiet as possible with nice beach to relax on and nice water to swim in,preferably beach hut/bungalow type accommodation with aircon,any where between 1000bt - 2000bt price range is ok.

also would i need to book in advance or would i be able to turn up on the island and find somewhere?

ive been recommended ao pudsa/au tubtim yet the tubtim resort does not take advance bookings

any help much appreciated,thanks

[flightcrew1]

Christmas/New Year on Koh Samet is really not the best idea. It will be packed full of people as you mentioned and full of big groups of Thai university students. I was there last month during a relatively slow time and found the service at the restaurants quite lacking, the seafood not fresh at all and generally overpriced for what you get.

Tubtim Resort does take reservations, they just won't guarantee a beach front bungalow. This beach is one of the nicer ones but does get very loud in the evening but not as as some of the others. Around the bend from Tubtim is the Samed Villa where I stayed the last time and found it quite nice, though I think it may be slightly out of your price range.

I would not show up over this period without a reservation.

[mallorca284673]

Hi

Check out AO THIAN this is a quiet resort area - only 4 resorts here, a great website for koh samed is koh samed net it gives advise and direct telephone numbers to the resorts. i think it gives all resorts on samed

i agree with the other blogger Don't turn up without a reservation as it will be impossible to find accomodation this time of year.

have a great time

[sunreader]

http://www.jepbungalow.com/5/

Been here 3 times, basic accomodation but with air con, TV, and good enough showers. Very very close to the beach, safe, and excellent food served on tables on the beach in the evening, very romantic and excellent quality. Very much recommend.

[tonititan]

I've stayed at the Pudsa bungalows that someone recommended to you, and I will never stay there again. Our bungalow, besides having no a/c (which you said you wanted), was disgusting. Frogs and all kinds of bugs inside, stained sheets, dirt all over the walls, and a slimy bathroom. No flush toilet, which was ok, but the pool of water for cleaning out the toilet had mosquitos breeding on it. I think we paid 700 baht in low season. This kind of room on other beaches would go for more like 200. They did have a few beach-front bungalows, but they also had bungalows stacked 4 or 5 deep. If you're unfortunate enough to get the bungalows up the hill in the back (which you would, without a reservation), you can't really see the ocean at all. I would not recommend this place to any of my friends. There are much better places.

I personally prefer Samed Villa, but as someone else mentioned, it's a little pricier. I think they do have some peak season rooms for 2000 or less, though. Here's the website in case you're interested: samedvilla.com. There is also Samet Ville...be careful not to get them mixed up. I think anywhere along that eastern side of the island (Pudsa, Tub Tim, Samed Villa, Jep's) is going to be loud and busy during peak season. I've never stayed on the other sides of the island, but I've heard that they are quieter and a little more secluded.

Good luck!

[tonititan]

I've stayed at the Pudsa bungalows that someone recommended to you, and I will never stay there again. Our bungalow, besides having no a/c (which you said you wanted), was disgusting. Frogs and all kinds of bugs inside, stained sheets, dirt all over the walls, and a slimy bathroom. No flush toilet, which was ok, but the pool of water for cleaning out the toilet had mosquitos breeding on it. I think we paid 700 baht in low season. This kind of room on other beaches would go for more like 200. They did have a few beach-front bungalows, but they also had bungalows stacked 4 or 5 deep. If you're unfortunate enough to get the bungalows up the hill in the back (which you would, without a reservation), you can't really see the ocean at all. I would not recommend this place to any of my friends. There are much better places.

I personally prefer Samed Villa, but as someone else mentioned, it's a little pricier. I think they do have some peak season rooms for 2000 or less, though. Here's the website in case you're interested: samedvilla.com. There is also Samet Ville...be careful not to get them mixed up. I think anywhere along that eastern side of the island (Pudsa, Tub Tim, Samed Villa, Jep's) is going to be loud and busy during peak season. I've never stayed on the other sides of the island, but I've heard that they are quieter and a little more secluded.

Good luck!

[pallypete]

Christmas/New Year on Koh Samet is really not the best idea. It will be packed full of people as you mentioned and full of big groups of Thai university students. I was there last month during a relatively slow time and found the service at the restaurants quite lacking, the seafood not fresh at all and generally overpriced for what you get.

Tubtim Resort does take reservations, they just won't guarantee a beach front bungalow. This beach is one of the nicer ones but does get very loud in the evening but not as as some of the others. Around the bend from Tubtim is the Samed Villa where I stayed the last time and found it quite nice, though I think it may be slightly out of your price range.

I would not show up over this period without a reservation.

thanks.

ive rang up tubtim resort and the girl on the phone assured me they only take a booking if you ring up a few daysin advance,it a pretty much first come first serve basis,you cant even email them with regards to reservation/bookings,you must ring but even then like i said when i rang up last week they would not accept a booking,maybe things have changed since the past.

iwas also told tubtim/pudsa was one of the quiter beaches? im beginnning to have 2nd thoughts about samet now as i was looking for somwhere to relax for 3-4 days,ive already,tries ko samui ko phangan ko toa phuket,ko lanta,ko phi phi im not sure where else would suit me in my limited time frame...ive had friends who spent some time on ko chang (large) and they didmt really rate it,i did think about going here as its uusually mentioned in the next breath after ko samet..

tezzas blog is who pointed me in the right direction,if you dont know pm me for his website as im not allowed to put up a URL on this board

I've stayed at the Pudsa bungalows that someone recommended to you, and I will never stay there again. Our bungalow, besides having no a/c (which you said you wanted), was disgusting. Frogs and all kinds of bugs inside, stained sheets, dirt all over the walls, and a slimy bathroom. No flush toilet, which was ok, but the pool of water for cleaning out the toilet had mosquitos breeding on it. I think we paid 700 baht in low season. This kind of room on other beaches would go for more like 200. They did have a few beach-front bungalows, but they also had bungalows stacked 4 or 5 deep. If you're unfortunate enough to get the bungalows up the hill in the back (which you would, without a reservation), you can't really see the ocean at all. I would not recommend this place to any of my friends. There are much better places.

I personally prefer Samed Villa, but as someone else mentioned, it's a little pricier. I think they do have some peak season rooms for 2000 or less, though. Here's the website in case you're interested: samedvilla.com. There is also Samet Ville...be careful not to get them mixed up. I think anywhere along that eastern side of the island (Pudsa, Tub Tim, Samed Villa, Jep's) is going to be loud and busy during peak season. I've never stayed on the other sides of the island, but I've heard that they are quieter and a little more secluded.

Good luck!

thanks.

btw sorry if i didnt make it clear but itwasnt the pudsa bunglaow that was reccommended it was the tubtim resort that sort of shares the same beach pudsa/tubtim? if im not mistaken.

il take a look at the samet villla i dont mind spending 2000 or so for 3-4 nights as i may not have money to burn yet im no cheap charlie.

the reason i was planning ao pudsa/tubtim was due to the recommendation of this guy - tezzas blog is who pointed me in the right direction,if you dont know pm me for his website as im not allowed to put up a URL on this board

anyone else have any recommendations please>?

kind regards,

chris

[pallypete]

ok now looks like i may be heading over to the andaman side,ranong (koh phayam) anybody advise me on my best and quickest way to get there due to my limited timescale,any airline fly to ranong or nearest airports?

any help appreciated,kapoonkhrap ;0