Bang Saphan. I don't get it?

[Kenny202]

Went to a place called Bang Saphan this week. Dont get me wrong, many may love this area and I was looking for something non touristy. I should have said not too touristy aka Phuket. Anyway, little beach area south of Hua hin. Seemed perfect and near the train. Admittedly the off season here at the moment but just nothing to do. Nice little boutique home stay type place we stayed with a pool but the pool was hot and uncomfortable….no ones fault, its hot here. First walk down to the beach vicious dogs. I mean proper vicious dogs too circling around for an opportunity to bite. Horrible mangey looking things. Went for a motor bike ride to the “temple cave”. Looked good on the internet .Very little signage and met again by three vicious dogs at the gate. No one around so didn’t go in. In fact the soi dogs here are the worst I ever seen and can’t understand this being tolerated in a so called tourist area. The Hotel owner was attacked by a dog last week. Everyone here seems to carry a lump of wood and after having a scout around on the internet it is quite common in the area and local people have posted photos and warnings. Mention the dog problems to any of the locals and they never heard of it before. Water on the beach was hot and uncomfortable and really too shallow for swimming. I guess we could have laid under a tree all day and relaxed if that was our thing? Booked a tour to go to the island on a boat. Guy came to pick us up 8.30 in a Somtow (pick up truck with seats in the back) then proceeded to drive the 10km or so like an absolute lunatic. 120km hour in an old junker on a pot holed single road. He came around a corner and a tree branch came in the back of the pick up and cut my wife’s hand. We got to the ferry area and just told them to take us back. If that’s their idea of customer safety we weren’t going on a boat with them. Funny thing was the Thai guy couldn’t get past the tree thing cutting my wife. It wasn’t his fault? Foot note to that getting the train back bumped into the other couple going on the boat trip coming back on the train and he had an accident getting OFF the boat. Just to fill you in, I’ve spent quite some time in Thailand and live in an Isaan village so am no stranger to soi dogs or somtows or crazy drivers. Im used to “Thai” levels of service and laxer safety but this was something else again. We stay in country hotels all the time and never have reason for complaint. Maybe someone’s idea of a good holiday here but not mine. Apart from all the other issues just very, very little to do and peoples attitude here seems to be ..well a little miserable. Maybe its because I was travelling with my Thai missus they know the easy farang dollars wont be flowing? The town centre is very ordinary at best….akin to a small….well small country Thai town really. After driving around on the motorbike for a few hours spent most of the rest of our time in the room. So disappointed we travelled south around 12 hours to go there. Anyone else had the same experience? I just couldn’t work the place out. Many of the locals we talked to said it wasn't really a tourist area and Ban Grud a better option. (please no one copy and paste quotes of me saying I wanted a non touristy area and then expecting tourist facilities. I guess I meant a not too touristy area). The last and final insult we were supposed to be dropped back to the train station by the hotel owner. Turns out he had something to do so organised a "car" for us back to the station. Guy turns up on a 110cc Honda wave with a little home made side car welded onto the side of it with bicycle tyres! At least no worries about him going too fast on the 8km trip back into town with the three of us and 2 heavy back packs in fact I had to get off at the first hill and walk so the bike could get traction. He was slipping back down the hill haha. Turned out a slow and pleasant ride into the station as it turned out. Im sure the hotel owner was expecting the guy to bring a sedan. The motor bike guy thought he'd save 50 baht gas I guess. Might give Hua Hin a try next time.

Edited June 10, 2015 by Kenny202

[craigt3365]

Bang Saphan is OK. The beach is fair, IMHO. Not much to do. Haven't stayed there in years, but did enjoy a stay many years ago in a place right on the beach. Went back 4 years ago and got eaten alive by bed bugs at one of the bigger places just south of town. Left the next day.

I do like Ban Kruit much better. Still nothing to do, but the beach is wonderful. I've had a car most of the time. Makes a huge difference as you can just pack up and head off if you want.

Same can be said for Thung Wua Laen. Depends on when you are there. Some like it, some hate it. Sand fleas can be a problem at certain times of the year.

[gamini]

Bang Saphan is OK. The beach is fair, IMHO. Not much to do. Haven't stayed there in years, but did enjoy a stay many years ago in a place right on the beach. Went back 4 years ago and got eaten alive by bed bugs at one of the bigger places just south of town. Left the next day.

I do like Ban Kruit much better. Still nothing to do, but the beach is wonderful. I've had a car most of the time. Makes a huge difference as you can just pack up and head off if you want.

Same can be said for Thung Wua Laen. Depends on when you are there. Some like it, some hate it. Sand fleas can be a problem at certain times of the year.

Baan Krud. Much better. Clear water . Good Italian Restaurant. Good seafood and the Arcadia is a lovely Hotel.

[neeray]

Sorry that your getaway vacation was such a disappointment. I agree though that Hua Hin might have been a far better choice. I will certainly return to Hua Hin again.

[NickJ]

Try Pak Nam Pran and the beach area called Kal Ka Lok........Really easy laid back. decent food a touch of a slow bar scene. Great accomodation on a large scale...cheap to expensive.......

[skills32]

The place you should have gone to is Prachuap. Half the cost of Hua Hin and no bar

girls

[optad]

Pratchup Kirri Khan is certainly worth a look for a coastal town without the bar girl element and the punters they bring but there is still little to do. Well serviced by the train though and you can walk the town and the beach easily.

Thung Wua luen has a better beach but as mentioned ask about the sand flies. They can be lethal. Just means you cannot lie on the sand. Need to organize transit form the train station 15km/350B tuk tuk most likely. Nana Beach resort is best bet for the pool and beach front or there are numerous guesthouses @ 300Bish. Still, the focus is wholly the beach, or seasonal kite surfing, not much else.

Still better than Phuket or Huahin. If I was still searching for an in-between balance for all that i would head for Krabi.

Edited June 11, 2015 by optad

[moojar]

With all that time on your hands, it's a shame you didn't pick up a book on writing style.

I ran out of breathe halfway thru the "paragraph", gave up. I did get something about recommendations for somewhere non-touristy, and then a rant about this non-touristy place you went.

And dogs, there was something about dogs.

[USNret]

With all that time on your hands, it's a shame you didn't pick up a book on writing style.

I ran out of breathe halfway thru the "paragraph", gave up. I did get something about recommendations for somewhere non-touristy, and then a rant about this non-touristy place you went.

And dogs, there was something about dogs.

Agreed. You got the real "local" experience, so what's not to like. If you wanted tourist attractions, you should have stayed in a tourist area. If the songtaw ride was so bad, why did you go all the way to the ferry before deciding to turn around? I'd have given them like 30 seconds at 120 kph before saying I'm outta here!

[mrwebb8825]

You should go to the other side of the mountains (west side near the ocean). There are some really nice, inexpensive places north of Phuket (40 - 100km) along the coast.

[craigt3365]

A few off topic posts have been removed from view.

[SPB65]

I went there to look at some rubber and palm oil plantation land a few years ago and thought it was pretty grim. Like many places in Thailand it has no character and too hot to do anything. Ideal for plantations but not humans. Rubbish holiday destination.

[nottocus]

Try writing in paragraphs.

[DavisH]

I've stayed at a small beach resort at Bang Saphan Noi several times over New Year. I like that fact that there is practically noone there, even at New Year. Beach is nice enough with no sign of any dogs. Hotel would cook food but we also bought our own bbq and cooked seafood. There really isn't much to do there apart from relax at the hotel or swim at the beach. But I like that and hate the bar scene and dirty crowded beaches. Each to their own.

[Kenny202]

Now u mention it, quiet at New Years and Songkrahn would be perfect

[shaggy851]

Sounds like a bad time. Maybe next time hire a car or a motorbike and tour around yourself. At least if its crap you can be in control of where you go.. And when you leave. I'm in the middle of nowhere and nothing at the moment and because I hired a decent pickup and gone at my own pace and choosing my own level of safety I'm enjoying it and probably saving money. If id gone from a city im not familiar with and relied on Tuk tuks rikshaws songtheaws crowded buses I would have probally lost it.

[Kenny202]

We hired a little motorbike and that was ok but the nearest anything was 30kms away. And then there were the dogs. Actually hide on the side of the road in ambush the curs. Yeah I think taking the pick up, perhaps with our motorcy on the back probably the way to go. We like to go to Udon and KK a bit too. Khonkaen easy to get around on foot with everything fairly central but most towns here you really do need transport.

[steveG]

If you want the quiet vacation with no hassle in this area I would recommend Bang Burd. Fantastic beach and views. A few low cost resorts and restaurants. Not too much to do at the beach but travelling to local sights is good. There is also Diving to a local island which is supposed to be fantastic!

Just depends what you are looking for.

BTW when I am out of the City I always carry a stick to ward off the offensive dogs.

[craigt3365]

Now that I come to think of it, that place I stayed on the beach had a huge pack of dogs. Never really bothered us, but it was a bit scary.

The recommendation for the opposite coast is spot on. Miles and miles of beautiful beaches. Some very quite, others not so!

[Mahseer]

Kenny202 curious as to where exactly you stayed in Bang Saphan.

I visit twice a year for a fortnight each time and have done for 5 years and far from bored yet but maybe your expectations were just too high. Bang Saphan is a prosperous town thanks to the steel mill and there has to be 30 places to stay stretched over 15kms or more of beach and there are excellent excursions north and south easily reached on a trusty moped.

I thoroughly enjoy visiting the town but wouldn't consider living there. I always stay 7 kms south of town in Suan Luang.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Mahseer

[DavisH]

Now u mention it, quiet at New Years and Songkrahn would be perfect

New Year is pleasant as there is a good breeze off of the ocean most of the time. One year there was a New Year party going on next door at a larger hotel (turns out that hotel is owned by the husband of one of my wife's colleagues! The following year there was virtually noone there. Very few people on the beaches. It's a but far for most holiday makers as they only get as far as the northern part of Prachuap. Ow Manao (Lemon Bay) is nice but very crowded at holiday times.

[Kenny202]

Kenny202 curious as to where exactly you stayed in Bang Saphan.

I visit twice a year for a fortnight each time and have done for 5 years and far from bored yet but maybe your expectations were just too high. Bang Saphan is a prosperous town thanks to the steel mill and there has to be 30 places to stay stretched over 15kms or more of beach and there are excellent excursions north and south easily reached on a trusty moped.

I thoroughly enjoy visiting the town but wouldn't consider living there. I always stay 7 kms south of town in Suan Luang.

We kind of figured the steel mill the reason for the apathy. Apparently workers there receive 50 k thb a month. Anyway, each to his own