Where To Live For The Thai Beach Life?

[Action Script]

As our time in Bangkok is slowly coming to an end, it would be nice to spend a couple of months living near the sea or perhaps in the country side before heading home.

We are a farang couple with a couple of kids and would like to live on the coast, somewhere fairly quiet and undeveloped but not too remote or far from a good shop or Central-type mall. School is not necessary although a playgroup type group would be a bonus.

We'd need a 3 bedroom place and it could be fairly basic, preferably with a garden. Hopefully under 30k per month on a 2-3 month let, the lower the better! Would need good internet though.

The quieter parts of Samui would be nice, like the beaches along the north shore. Or maybe down by Rayong or Cha Am. Or somewhere else?

Having western style shops like Tesco, or Tops within a fairly short drive (30 mins) would be pretty essential but apart from that, we would be happy without all the other western shops and restaurants and bars.

What do you think? Where would you live for a slice of Thai beach life for a couple of months?

Thanks

[Kimera]

Phuket... never far away from the beach or the shops and 30k you would get the 3 bedrooms and the pool, and lots for the kids to do...

[jonnyscot]

For the quiet life, I'd go for Cha-Am, we often take a weekend there with the kids, anything you cant find there is just a short drive away in Hua Hin, Cha-Am's nice long beach and great seafood resteraunts off the end of the beach road are an added bonus

[krisb]

Leave the kids and wife in Bangkok and straight to Pattaya.

[Action Script]

Phuket would be good, but is it much more expensive than mainland Thailand? I remember taxis being very expensive so we'd need to have a car too which would be an extra expense. As we wouldn't be working for those few months we wouldn't have the perks of being employed.

Cha Am could be a possible one. Will have a look at the beaches along that way.

Not sure the Pattaya plan would go down too well!

[Pink Mist]

Chanthaburi is my pick, good beaches close, has big c, robinsons, tesco and macro, lots of things to do with kids

[jamescollister]

Spent so time in Bophut [fisherman's village] Samui, before moving up country to Issan.

Think it is as good as it gets, been a few years since I have been there, bit expensive, but if you have been living here for awhile, not just a 2 week tourist, the costs can come down. Jim

[NanLaew]

Down the eastern seaboard, there's Ban Chang, Klaeng and onwards to Chantaburi offering nice, clean and quiet beach choices and homes a whole lot cheaper than anywhere that's been suggested so far. Not sure how easy it is to find a decent house rental online down that way. It could also be tough getting only a 2-month rental as most renters want 6 months minimum occupancy and 2 months rental as security. If you don't have your own wheels, you may be limited in how quiet you want to be as you would need to be closer to cities. Maybe rent a couple of step-through/crotch-rocket/rice-burner bikes for the shopping and outings? Or maybe the budgetary savings on a couple of months in say Chantaburi would permit a 2-month car rental? Definitely much more expensive to rent both a house and a car on the islands. Also, a fairly new, 3-bedroom place down east that would maybe go for 12000 - 15000 baht per month on a yearly lease may go way up in price for a 2-month stay but still come in under your budget.

[Phronesis]

Go somewhere unspoilt like Rabbit Island in Cambodia.

If you still want to replicate a Thai beach experience, you can collect some cigarette butts and plastic trash from your hotel and scatter it around where you are relaxing on the sand.

[Action Script]

Thanks for the replies people!

@bronco: Chanthaburi sounds like a good one. Can you recommend any particular beaches that you like? Is the sea clean around those parts?

@jamescollister: I like Bophut but it looked pretty pricey when I was there about six months ago. Some of the other beaches on the north end of Samui look less built up and possibly a bit cheaper.

But it is hard to find places advertised online. Anyone got any tips for finding houses for rent for about 3 months?

@NanLaew: yes if the place we are staying at is under budget then a car rental could be factored in. Would probably rent a bike either way.

From a short stay on Samui, I think you/we could make do with the song taws for most day to day living and rent a car on a daily basis for a big shopping trip or a day out.

The idea is to spend most of the time on the beach and by the pool!

@Phronesis, thanks I will give that a try if I get stuck.

[jamescollister]

Thanks for the replies people!

@bronco: Chanthaburi sounds like a good one. Can you recommend any particular beaches that you like? Is the sea clean around those parts?

@jamescollister: I like Bophut but it looked pretty pricey when I was there about six months ago. Some of the other beaches on the north end of Samui look less built up and possibly a bit cheaper.

But it is hard to find places advertised online. Anyone got any tips for finding houses for rent for about 3 months?

@NanLaew: yes if the place we are staying at is under budget then a car rental could be factored in. Would probably rent a bike either way.

From a short stay on Samui, I think you/we could make do with the song taws for most day to day living and rent a car on a daily basis for a big shopping trip or a day out.

The idea is to spend most of the time on the beach and by the pool!

@Phronesis, thanks I will give that a try if I get stuck.

Once you get off the beach front prices drop. have a Goolge around Monkey road. Jim

[rookball]

i just came back from cha am, i do not know what words to describle it but definitely not quiet. if you went to the beach in early morning, the whole place is filled with thrashs, looks like tornado aftermath scene. maybe its the high season, its very crowded with lots of locals and tourist are behaving like barbarians.

[geriatrickid]

i just came back from cha am, i do not know what words to describle it but definitely not quiet. if you went to the beach in early morning, the whole place is filled with thrashs, looks like tornado aftermath scene. maybe its the high season, its very crowded with lots of locals and tourist are behaving like barbarians.

Well Hua Hin is quiet. Honestly, if you found Cha Am too action packed, I dare say what you would describe Phuket as.

Look, I know I am a keener on the Hua Hin area, but that being said, it is cleaner, quieter, more civilized, more affordable and downright much better than Phuket or Koh Samui. I have yet to see any riff raff. My worst experience was in the local Burger King where I popped in to purchase an imitation milk shake last friday, and there were some well dressed Indian males engaged in a conversation, which entailed screaming at each other.

[Action Script]

I've only been to Cha Am once, a few years ago and it did seem quiet, at least along the main beach road. It seemed very local though so not sure what it would be like to live there?

Hua Hin is a bit too developed for me I think. Although it does have all the conveniences we would need. Are there any beaches further along past (or before) Hua Hin and Cha Am that might be worth a look?

Looking online didn't throw up anything for Monkey Road on Samui (apart from a monkey show). Any tips?

[jingjoe8]

thung wua laen beach tescos ,makro ,bigc 20mins away,only a small population live on the beach,restaurants,cafes western and somw thai,nice 3bedroom houses 12000 to 15000bht a month 100m walk to beach,good internet and cable tv,3hour drive south of hua hin

[jonnyscot]

Been going to Cha-Am beach for one or two night stays for a couple years or so, every visit we've made we found the beach to be clean, yes if you choose to sit across from one of the convenience stores etc.. it may be busier from time to time but ive never seen the beach what I'd describe as being busy, anyway since it's a long beach it's very easy to find an even quieter area.. Depending how early in the morning you visited the beach, since very few beaches are cleaned overnight, you'll find stuff washed in by the tides just about anywhere,

[craigt3365]

Down the eastern seaboard, there's Ban Chang, Klaeng and onwards to Chantaburi offering nice, clean and quiet beach choices and homes a whole lot cheaper than anywhere that's been suggested so far. Not sure how easy it is to find a decent house rental online down that way. It could also be tough getting only a 2-month rental as most renters want 6 months minimum occupancy and 2 months rental as security. If you don't have your own wheels, you may be limited in how quiet you want to be as you would need to be closer to cities. Maybe rent a couple of step-through/crotch-rocket/rice-burner bikes for the shopping and outings? Or maybe the budgetary savings on a couple of months in say Chantaburi would permit a 2-month car rental? Definitely much more expensive to rent both a house and a car on the islands. Also, a fairly new, 3-bedroom place down east that would maybe go for 12000 - 15000 baht per month on a yearly lease may go way up in price for a 2-month stay but still come in under your budget.

Great info. Plenty of places to check out from Ban Chang down the coast. Best if you have a car as public transport is very limited.

I've heard Laem Mae Phim is quite nice, never been, but have heard good reports.

[Colonel_Mustard]

i just came back from cha am, i do not know what words to describle it but definitely not quiet. if you went to the beach in early morning, the whole place is filled with thrashs, looks like tornado aftermath scene. maybe its the high season, its very crowded with lots of locals and tourist are behaving like barbarians.

Well Hua Hin is quiet. Honestly, if you found Cha Am too action packed, I dare say what you would describe Phuket as.

Look, I know I am a keener on the Hua Hin area, but that being said, it is cleaner, quieter, more civilized, more affordable and downright much better than Phuket or Koh Samui. I have yet to see any riff raff. My worst experience was in the local Burger King where I popped in to purchase an imitation milk shake last friday, and there were some well dressed Indian males engaged in a conversation, which entailed screaming at each other.

Plenty of quieter areas in Phuket and Samui. The OP also seems interested in the beaches and sea and frankly Hua Hin cannot compete with either on this front.

Hu a Hin is fine for what it is (and it is more affordable) but there are reasons that the majority of expats and holidaymakers choose other locations.

[NanLaew]

i just came back from cha am, i do not know what words to describle it but definitely not quiet. if you went to the beach in early morning, the whole place is filled with thrashs, looks like tornado aftermath scene. maybe its the high season, its very crowded with lots of locals and tourist are behaving like barbarians.

Well Hua Hin is quiet. Honestly, if you found Cha Am too action packed, I dare say what you would describe Phuket as.

Look, I know I am a keener on the Hua Hin area, but that being said, it is cleaner, quieter, more civilized, more affordable and downright much better than Phuket or Koh Samui. I have yet to see any riff raff. My worst experience was in the local Burger King where I popped in to purchase an imitation milk shake last friday, and there were some well dressed Indian males engaged in a conversation, which entailed screaming at each other.

Plenty of quieter areas in Phuket and Samui. The OP also seems interested in the beaches and sea and frankly Hua Hin cannot compete with either on this front.

Hu a Hin is fine for what it is (and it is more affordable) but there are reasons that the majority of expats and holidaymakers choose other locations.

... like Pattaya!!!!!

[Phronesis]

Plenty of quieter areas in Phuket

The construction site for the underground tunnel at Central is a relevant example.

[NanLaew]

thung wua laen beach tescos ,makro ,bigc 20mins away,only a small population live on the beach,restaurants,cafes western and somw thai,nice 3bedroom houses 12000 to 15000bht a month 100m walk to beach,good internet and cable tv,3hour drive south of hua hin

And there I am, thinking I have fobbed the OP off on the huge selection down east and then someone reveals my secret paradise.

[Action Script]

@jingjoe8 that looks great, will have a look online and see what I can see.

I'd have to say I prefer the beaches of Samui to Hua Hin. Hua Hin isn't a nice beach IMO. All those umbrellas and covered seating areas aren't nice at all.

The beaches on the northern side of Samui are where I'd like to go, from all the places I've been to so far, but not sure budget would allow.

[jingjoe8]

@jingjoe8 that looks great, will have a look online and see what I can see.

I'd have to say I prefer the beaches of Samui to Hua Hin. Hua Hin isn't a nice beach IMO. All those umbrellas and covered seating areas aren't nice at all.

The beaches on the northern side of Samui are where I'd like to go, from all the places I've been to so far, but not sure budget would allow.

thung wua laen also known as cabana beach,great diving and snorkelling at the nearby islands,by the way the local amphur have signs up in thai and english banning umbrellas and hawkers on the beach.

Real beach bars and beach cafes...no bargirl bars,good or bad depends on what you are after.

Most of the time you have the beach to yourself,except weerkends when the locals come for a swim

[homeownership]

Hua Hin is an ideal place for families. Plenty of accomadation, miles of beaches, fairly local to BKK if the need arises and a family friendly town.

[2madkiwis]

Would love to know how you go with this choice, we've been debating between the "safe" choice Chiang Mai, or somewhere around Chanthaburi. Our little one will be 2 by the time we finally get a wriggle on and move over, but she can't get enough of the water so that might sway the final decision! One thing we're having a bit of difficulty with is sounding out a rental (would be for 6 months approx) in Chanthaburi, have no problems organising when we're there, but would be nice to do some planning at least! May I ask what you've been using to check housing out online?

Much appreciated!

[Terry Newman]

Phuket... never far away from the beach or the shops and 30k you would get the 3 bedrooms and the pool, and lots for the kids to do...

I would never ever recommend Phuket, or Koh Samui for you.. The amount of issues you will be exposed to from the hard core corrupt turds their will drive you nuts. Pattaya is also on the list, but there are some sports within an hour of Sin city that are not to bad towards Sattahip & Rayong.

[craigt3365]

Would love to know how you go with this choice, we've been debating between the "safe" choice Chiang Mai, or somewhere around Chanthaburi. Our little one will be 2 by the time we finally get a wriggle on and move over, but she can't get enough of the water so that might sway the final decision! One thing we're having a bit of difficulty with is sounding out a rental (would be for 6 months approx) in Chanthaburi, have no problems organising when we're there, but would be nice to do some planning at least! May I ask what you've been using to check housing out online?

Much appreciated!

Big difference between CM and Chanthaburi! CM has a tough spring with all the burning. At least near the sea, a bit of a fresh breeze blows in...a bit....

Driving around is the best way to find a place to live. What may look great on the internet, in reality, may not be. When we moved here 3 years ago we found a really nice condo on the internet. I almost put down a deposit, but then decided to wait. It was still available when we got here a month later and it was horrible. Terrible building. We drove around a lot, but eventually found a good deal via an agent we met here. He spent a few days driving us around to find a place.

I'd use google to search for real estate agents in the cities you're interested in. Look at what they have to offer online. At least it'll give you a good idea of prices and what's out there.

What I've also found, if you find a nice building or village, contact the onsite manager. Many times they'll know of units on offer directly by the owner. Sometimes you can get a really good price this way. In our case though, the agent had a much better price than the onsite manager! Crazy....

[Action Script]

thung wua laenl looks really nice. Will put it on the list.

@2MadKiwis we have a similar problem to you in that we are finding it hard to find any info on properties. We need a three bedroom place which makes it a lot harder.

There are some real bargains around Chiang Mai which make it sound appealing. Also, as you can see what on offer before you go its nice. We wouldn't be able to move before having somewhere lined up first so that might be a problem when it comes to finding somewhere more remote, near a beach.

[DocN]

I (still) love Khao Lak.

Just the right mixture of good (in terms of variable) touristic - infrastructure and the right amount of peace.

No banana/jet-skies...NationlaPark around the corner, Similans for snorkeling...and if you go to Bangsak Beach or (even quieter) Koh Kho Khao....just heavenly.

[Big Guy]

Why don't you look at khanom, south of surathani, lovely beaches, has a few tourists, all the infrastructure is there but prices still reasonable. You would need your own transport though, there are also more lovely almost deserted beaches south of here, great holiday or retirement destinations.