Been trolling Agoda and Trip Advisort organize 3 maybe 4 days to Rayong area, just me and the Mrs. Did the Samui Fly'n'Ferry earlier this month, that was fun, Rayong next on the list to explore. Hotel and area reviews are wide and varied. A friend of ours mentioned a beach area that farang residents tend to gravitate, but neither of us can remember the name.

Purpose:

a) Underlying interest but no rush ~ scoping out different areas, eye toward a second home on the coast somewhere - but not Pattaya proper.

b ) After couple days in central Rayong, push a bit further out for day or two at clean beach, a bit more secluded. Noted an Auzzie has a small surfing school in an area called Mae Ramphung Beach, that sounds like fun.

Budget: None really but realistic 800 to 1,200-ish per night. Not top of the range but not not bed bugs and grime either.

We've stayed at Rayong Resort a few times years ago, did Samet once, that's the extent of our Rayong exp at present.

Would start from this coming Monday, hope to avoid BKK weekend crowds.

Any suggestions welcome.

Regards,

J

Edited May 24, 201313 yr by 55Jay

Star Hotel, Star Plaza behind Tesco. Drive past Tesco turn left at the traffic light. There are two the newer one with Uground parking is the one I mean. OK as a base. Breakfast is rubbish but..

.I am sure there are others.

There are hotels down by PMY but i think a bit more that Star but they are on the beach. You can always go down to PMYarea for diner near the beach even if staying at Star.

Maybe Ban Pae beach they are talking about.

One point to look at going east of Patts is the direction of the prevailing wind. One of the main reasons we bought a second house (outside BKK) in Ban Chang is that 99% of the time the wind is coming off the sea to the town and isn't passing over the Maptaphut industrial area before reaching here so it's quite pleasant to sit on the beach in the evening.

I must admit that the beaches in Ban Chang are not the cleanest but lately some improvements have been going on the area. Local talk is that it is due to the plan to upgrade Utapao airport to International, how true that is I don't really know.

My experience of hotels in the Rayong area is that you have to look at the 1500 to 2000 a night to make sure you get somewhere comfortable, clean and with a decent menu.

Some good info here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/489073-rayong-hotel-advice/

Star Hotel, Star Plaza behind Tesco. Drive past Tesco turn left at the traffic light. There are two the newer one with Uground parking is the one I mean. OK as a base. Breakfast is rubbish but..

.I am sure there are others.

There are hotels down by PMY but i think a bit more that Star but they are on the beach. You can always go down to PMYarea for diner near the beach even if staying at Star.

Maybe Ban Pae beach they are talking about.

One point to look at going east of Patts is the direction of the prevailing wind. One of the main reasons we bought a second house (outside BKK) in Ban Chang is that 99% of the time the wind is coming off the sea to the town and isn't passing over the Maptaphut industrial area before reaching here so it's quite pleasant to sit on the beach in the evening.

I must admit that the beaches in Ban Chang are not the cleanest but lately some improvements have been going on the area. Local talk is that it is due to the plan to upgrade Utapao airport to International, how true that is I don't really know.

My experience of hotels in the Rayong area is that you have to look at the 1500 to 2000 a night to make sure you get somewhere comfortable, clean and with a decent menu.

Great, thanks to you both. Leave in the morning, BKK, Patts by evening, then further along the ESB by Monday. No schedule, just cruisin'.

Cheers,

J

Stayed at the Ban Chang Hotel & Apartments a few weeks ago. about 600 baht per night. Basic and fairly clean. Almost centre of town. If you want a room then it is good value but it ain't no resort.

We used the Royal Phala Cliff Beach when rotating some crews through from offshore via U-Tapao. I think their low-season rates are upwards of 1700 baht a night. They are just south of Ban Chang (west of Muang Rayong) but right on the beach at the west end of the Rayong area beaches.

You should try lucky guesthouse a friend of mine just bought the business. rooms are very nice 50 metres from the beach. Location mae rum phueng beach. My friends name is Phim. room prices are around 600-900 baht

cheers mark