Koh Samed advice please

[rotator]

Ok, I know I was pissed, I promised her I would take her to the island for the long weekend next week.

Can anybody tell me where to find a cheapish place, I want a sea view and aircon.

I know how to get there and most of the beaches from daytrips in the past, it is the first time I have stayed there overnight and it is a holiday weekend so I think I had better book in advance

[biggrtiggr]

Ao Pudsa Bungalows or Tub Tim Bungalows, actually both on the same beach. Quiet bay with good food at TubTim, bit basic but OK at Pudsa.

I think Pudsa has some aircon now, but pretty basic bungalows, TubTim has various standards and some aircon.

If you want noise, discos etc it's a short walk (5 mins) around the headland to the start of the busier beaches.

For quiet and peaceful, 10 minute walk South to Nuan Bay, my personnal favourite

Have fun

Tub Tim Phone: +66 (038) 64 40 25
Pudsa Phone +66 (038) 644 030

[KhonKaenDan]

I do not know the Island very well, but I can tell one place not to go. We were on the Island about 3 weeks ago,(April 6-10.) We stayed at SaiKaew Villa Resorts, and paid 1750 baht per night for A/C rooms. The rooms were constantly full of Mesquitos, the smell around our building which had about 8 to 10 rooms on 2 floors, was absolutely terrible. We read comments from our hotel booking agency, and thought since the comments were about 1 year old, the problem probably would have been corrected. NOT.

the biggest problem I see here in Thailand is the booking system. Once you have paid, which is normally required in advance, through the booking agency, you do not have any recourse to get a price adjustment of any kind. Good luck.

[aging one]

Samed is too expensive for what you get, especially for a long weekend. They just tack on one more surcharge.

[terry57]

Originally Posted by aging one

Samed is too expensive for what you get, especially for a long weekend. They just tack on one more surcharge.

Agreed totally.

Samed might of been OK 30 years ago but today its over priced, over crowded and over rated. Better off left to the Thai I'd say.

Chang is a better bet for a short holiday.

[aging one]

Originally Posted by terry57

Chang is a better bet for a short holiday.

Lot of like thoughts in the last few days mate. Couple of hours further away but a real delight once you are there.

[Bexar County Stud]

Koh Samet's popularity escapes me. It seems to suit a very narrow demographic of eurotrash twenty-somethings. I wish they would bulldoze the place.

[thegent]

Originally Posted by Bexar County Stud

Koh Samet's popularity escapes me. It seems to suit a very narrow demographic of eurotrash twenty-somethings. I wish they would bulldoze the place.

Absolute drivel. The poster is evidently an idiot.

[the dogcatcher]

I used to love Samed. But it looks as if the Scandis moved in with big money and ruined it and made it expensive.
Most of its charm ie quirkly little beach huts and bars have been concreated over.
Ko Chang is much better or was 2 years ago when I was last there.

[thegent]

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

I used to love Samed. But it looks as if the Scandis moved in with big money and ruined it and made it expensive.
Most of its charm ie quirkly little beach huts and bars have been concreated over.
Ko Chang is much better or was 2 years ago when I was last there.

More drivel. The island is effectively owned by 3 families none of whom displays racial characteristics synonymous of the Scandiewegians as far as I am aware.

The only problem of note is that the main beach, Had Sai Kaeow, is a victim of its own success particularly at weekends and public holidays. Thai employees on works outings flock there as indeed can Chinese tour groups and groups of rude, fat Russians. The local restaurateurs responding to market forces put out their beach carpets and lay tables as early as 1500 hrs taking up almost half the beach in readiness for sundown. Fireworks at night are set off recklessly and wthout any care for those not immediately acquainted with the pyromaniacs responsible.

But, during the week and in the off peak seasons the place can be quite relaxing and peaceful.

Decent accommodation is expensive for what you get and reflects the market and you should perhaps budget for about 2,500 per night at an absolute minimum, although 3,000 + is the norm. Of course, if you don't need a/c, hot running water and are comfortable with differing types of fauna in intimate places then a Thai style room can be had for about 1,000 or less.

Food is tricky and can be a bit hit or miss. The restaurants owned by the island's cartel are indifferent at best and seem to operate a policy of not giving too much of a fuck since most patrons are transient and will inevitably be replaced ad infinitum. An exception is Buddy's Bar which is jointly run by a farang and his Thai wife and her family. Food there has never disappointed and represents good value.

[kmart]

Just spent a w/e on the Ao Wong Duan beach. Stayed at the "Malibu" resort. 1,800 / night. Nice, clean quiet-ish place. The food and drinks prices were pretty good, and of a reasonable quality as well.
The place wasn't so busy, but seemed to be doing about 50% occupancy.
V. Enjoyable weekend, and I'm glad I didn't read any of the above comments before I left.

[Mandrake]

Happy memories of it. Shagged 2 sisters on it one night.

[aging one]

Originally Posted by thegent

Decent accommodation is expensive for what you get and reflects the market and you should perhaps budget for about 2,500 per night at an absolute minimum, although 3,000 + is the norm. Of course, if you don't need a/c, hot running water and are comfortable with differing types of fauna in intimate places then a Thai style room can be had for about 1,000 or less.

Thats why the comments are not drivel. On Phuket you can get much nicer places much less expensive. Chang would be the same. Its very over priced. For 2500 you are getting a basic bungalow with an old bed, and old aircon, and little to no upkeep. Its exotic the first time. But after that..... Never again on Samet for me.

Other than lay on the beach there is little to nothing to do.

Originally Posted by thegent

More drivel. The island is effectively owned by 3 families none of whom displays racial characteristics synonymous of the Scandiewegians as far as I am aware.

Right so they dont give a shit. I used to like Samet Ville, but the food is so awful nobody can eat it, and the resort is a 40 minute walk to the next nearest place.

Beautiful sand, clear water, great sunsets, but greedy owners = a shit place to stay. For a family anyway.

[thegent]

Yes, I take your point but being only 2 - 3 hrs from Bangkok the issues you raise are outweighed by proximity. Languishing on a beautiful white sand beach lapped by aquamarine waters is the prize, the penalty is the cost of decent accommodation. It's a trade off and worth it in my opinion if one is to avoid air travel.

[kingwilly]

Originally Posted by thegent

Yes, I take your point but being only 2 - 3 hrs from Bangkok the issues you raise are outweighed by proximity. Languishing on a beautiful white sand beach lapped by aquamarine waters is the prize, the penalty is the cost of decent accommodation. It's a trade off and worth it in my opinion if one is to avoid air travel.

Fair and valid point.

[kingwilly]

Crap, so I suppose the days of me getting an ac room for 600 are long gone...last time I'm giving a teakdoor reccomendation

[aging one]

Originally Posted by thegent

Yes, I take your point but being only 2 - 3 hrs from Bangkok the issues you raise are outweighed by proximity. Languishing on a beautiful white sand beach lapped by aquamarine waters is the prize, the penalty is the cost of decent accommodation. It's a trade off and worth it in my opinion if one is to avoid air travel.

Fair enough. Ban Phe is 2 and a half hours from my place. Parking, shopping and getting the ferry add an hour. So 4 hours we are on Samet.

Chang I look at 4+ I am at Lamn Knop then drive on the ferry and am on the island in 5. Yup I gotta drive another half hour to get to where I like, but at least their is an interior to the island, and its beautiful. A destination not just an island.

I used to like samet, up until my kids got to be about 7. Then they were bored there. But damn does it have the sand, I love the squeak when you walk. If you are going for a weekend and are young Samet is a delight.

[the dogcatcher]

Samet is 10 minutes away from me, I haven't been there in 3 years. Tell you something. Yeah don't like it any more. Chang better.

[Bexar County Stud]

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

Samet is 10 minutes away from me, I haven't been there in 3 years. Tell you something. Yeah don't like it any more. Chang better.

Your opinion is shared by most people who live in the area, including myself. Koh Samed is for suckers - an overpriced tourist trap for people who don't know any better, or who are into crowds and the party scene.

Originally Posted by thegent

Yes, I take your point but being only 2 - 3 hrs from Bangkok the issues you raise are outweighed by proximity. Languishing on a beautiful white sand beach lapped by aquamarine waters is the prize, the penalty is the cost of decent accommodation. It's a trade off and worth it in my opinion if one is to avoid air travel.

There are better alternatives in the area that are just as, or even more easily accessed. While you're queuing up for your ferry ride, I can be relaxing on a beach like this:

That's Koh Samet on the horizon, BTW.


Here's one of my faves, around 15 klicks past Ban Phe, it runs around around 2K a night. 2 swimming pools, air-con, cable TV, includes breakfast. Try finding that on Koh Samet.


Another one of my faves, just right around the corner. Me and some buddies stayed there last Xmas/New years. Big Thai-style house that slept 4, with breakfast and full kitchen [at] 2500K/night.
Private beach - no crowds, no buckets, no techno, no stupid fire shows, no lousy food, no rip-off Taxi mafia, no national park fees etc.

[thegent]

Yes, you're probably right in many respects but off peak, during the week the island does have its attractions and the young Europeans who do frequent the place are, in my experience, just average folk out to enjoy thermselves without causing any offence. Calling them Eurotrash is a bit of a stretch and a gross generalisation although my admonition may have been a bit sharp.

Please accept my apologies.