Chumphon- Sounds Fab Is It?

[mike1963]

Hi - Chumphon one place I have not visited in Thailand- how is it good place to settle in if you wanted to dive and play golf but wanted to live fairly quietly and not be surrounded by knobs if you wanted authenticity instead of spag bol and chips and football tops and shaved headed billy bulldog <deleted> could this be paradise without the barmy army to ruin it

please tell me all

[Khun Jean]

Yep, it is.

If you can do without western 'things' many places in Thailand are very nice.

My biggest decision will be east coast (HuaHin-Chumphon area) or west coast (Krabi-Trang).

Not been in HuaHin for a while, i read it is getting busier and busier. I hope the old charm will remain and if they can keep the number of bars low it probably will.

Been in Chumphon (Had Sairee) and around the area. Very nice, quiet, more authentic.

But don't think National Parks of which there are many in Chumphon are like anything in the US or Europe. You can see there are buildings and roads built and then abandoned. In Thailand many things look nice when started but deterioate very quickly.

Another nice 'feature' is the many islands just a short distance from the coast. And if you lucky as i once was you can see dolphins jumping out of the water right from the beach. That was very special.

In Had Sairee you have a nice 'boulevard', at least when i went there a few years ago. Last year it was just an extension for the restaurants across the street and stones are broken and lights are missing. It was a nice try, but it failed.

But it is still a nice area, with only a few tourist of which most are Thai.

One thing to remember, the local strong man are still much in control, but if you have a low profile and don't start businesses and flashing money, you won't even know they are there.

In Krabi ao nang was nice, now it is just a smal copy of (pattaya,lamai). Such a waste.

Other areas of Krabi i still have to visit.

I am more an eco-tourist so it hurts when i see many very nice places turn into copies of eachother.

I always thought tourists where visiting Thailand for the nice people, surroundings, nature and beaches. But fewer and fewer remain in good condition.

[cdnvic]

The city itself is kind of dirty and worn out in my opinion, but we found lots of good food and drink. A few miles out of town there are beach bungalows that can be had for a song in the off season. I reccomend the beach..... peaceful and unspoiled. See pics in the Images of Southern Thailand thread.

cv

[Harryvb]

Can You tell us more about the name of the beaches or villages and how fare away from chumpon they are please

[cdnvic]

Chumpon Bay is about a 10min drive south of the city. Quite well signed on the way.

cv

[mike1963]

Yep, it is.

If you can do without western 'things' many places in Thailand are very nice.

My biggest decision will be east coast (HuaHin-Chumphon area) or west coast (Krabi-Trang).

Not been in HuaHin for a while, i read it is getting busier and busier. I hope the old charm will remain and if they can keep the number of bars low it probably will.

Been in Chumphon (Had Sairee) and around the area. Very nice, quiet, more authentic.

But don't think National Parks of which there are many in Chumphon are like anything in the US or Europe. You can see there are buildings and roads built and then abandoned. In Thailand many things look nice when started but deterioate very quickly.

Another nice 'feature' is the many islands just a short distance from the coast. And if you lucky as i once was you can see dolphins jumping out of the water right from the beach. That was very special.

In Had Sairee you have a nice 'boulevard', at least when i went there a few years ago. Last year it was just an extension for the restaurants across the street and stones are broken and lights are missing. It was a nice try, but it failed.

But it is still a nice area, with only a few tourist of which most are Thai.

One thing to remember, the local strong man are still much in control, but if you have a low profile and don't start businesses and flashing money, you won't even know they are there.

In Krabi ao nang was nice, now it is just a smal copy of (pattaya,lamai). Such a waste.

Other areas of Krabi i still have to visit.

I am more an eco-tourist so it hurts when i see many very nice places turn into copies of eachother.

I always thought tourists where visiting Thailand for the nice people, surroundings, nature and beaches. But fewer and fewer remain in good condition.

Thanks for such a detailed reply - I'm gonna have to check it out thanks

Mike

[think_too_mut]

Can You tell us more about the name of the beaches or villages and how fare away from chumpon they are please

Cabana Beach, 15km south of Chumpon is one. Thai people go there, I think bungalows were 400B high season. Nice, white sand, about 3km long but don't sunbath or fall asleep on it - sandflies all around.

Has even one establishment where foreigners are brought in. A boat to Koh Thao for diving.

Chumpon city:

There is only a service road between the beach and bungalows. They looked run down. Sorry no pic.

The beach (in bad weather):

(Also in bad weather) The huts are beach restaurant, good food and dirt cheap.

Edited February 23, 2006 by think_too_mut

[Khun Jean]

Cabana Beach, 15km south of Chumpon is one. Thai people go there, I think bungalows were 400B high season. Nice, white sand, about 3km long but don't sunbath or fall asleep on it - sandflies all around.

I was in Cabana Beach last year. I think it is the same you mentioned. But it is north of Chumphon on Thung Wua Laen Beach Pathiu. (Pa Thew). If i make a guess i think it is about 50 kilometers.

http://www.thailandmaps.net/chumphon/chumphonmap.html

At that moment the beach was not so flat as in the above picture. Waves and currents moved the sand a lot and it were more like two hills and then flat until the sea.

Beaches are not the cleanest, depends on season if a lot of debris/garbage are deposited.

Cabana cleans its part, but a little further it just lies there until the next high wave takes it back into the sea. Typical of whole Thailand. As often in not touristic places nobody lives there except maybe a few fisherman. And their priority is not cleaning the beach but catch fish.

Sometimes a bus full of foreigner tourist arrive, most at the end of a tour, to relax on the beach for a few days. There is not much else todo as it is a bit far to other places and cities.

They have a diving package, you go to Koh Tao with the boat.

It is a nice place with good rooms and nice swimmingpool. Food is great and cheap.

Right next to it is another resort. 'green... somthing'. Looked nice too.

'Walk in' foreigner tourists are seldom, you really have to go there and know where it is.

Edited February 23, 2006 by Khun Jean

[think_too_mut]

Cabana Beach, 15km south of Chumpon is one. Thai people go there, I think bungalows were 400B high season. Nice, white sand, about 3km long but don't sunbath or fall asleep on it - sandflies all around.

I was in Cabana Beach last year. I think it is the same you mentioned. But it is north of Chumphon on Thung Wua Laen Beach Pathiu. (Pa Thew). If i make a guess i think it is about 50 kilometers.

'Walk in' foreigner tourists are seldom, you really have to go there and know where it is.

Been there 3 times..i have always thought it was 15km south. That's what the odometer in the car was showing.

My friend living there goes to Chumpon for BKK Post newspapers, on a bike, he would not have done it if it was a 50km distance.

[Khun Jean]

Now i am confused. I did the same drive on the motorcy, took me 1 hour. I probably took a wrong turn.

To be sure i looked it up.

Here it is:

http://www.cabana.co.th/en/

You were right about the distance. It is 15 kilometers from Chumphon.

I was right about the location though. It is north of Chumphon.

Does anyone know if the airport is reopened? It was very convenient to fly there from Bangkok.

[Harryvb]

"Cabana Beach, 15km south of Chumpon is one. Thai people go there, I think bungalows were 400B high season. Nice, white sand, about 3km long but don't sunbath or fall asleep on it - sandflies all around."

It sounds nice but on the website the cheapest bungalow is 1350 Bath Cabana beach or do you mean other bungalows ?

[Khun Jean]

"Cabana Beach, 15km south of Chumpon is one. Thai people go there, I think bungalows were 400B high season. Nice, white sand, about 3km long but don't sunbath or fall asleep on it - sandflies all around."

It sounds nice but on the website the cheapest bungalow is 1350 Bath Cabana beach or do you mean other bungalows ?

A while back, but i remember the prices where around 400-500 baht for the normal bungalows and rooms.

Internet prices are not always the best prices. 'Walk in' prices can be a lot lower. And it depends on season, pre bookings, and of course your bargaining skills.

If you stay for only 1 or 2 days not much can be done about the price, but ask for a week or longer and the price can come done a lot.

[cdnvic]

I was in there last May and it was almost empty. I'm sure you can bargin quite easily there

cv