Bang Saphan Yai.

Living in Chumphon, whenever the urge takes me to hit the beaches to relax, there are plenty to choose from within 30 km. A phone call from a friend i haven't seen for over a year informing me that he was "just up the road" was incentive enough to chuck a few days shirts into a bag and head up north of here to check out somewhere i'd never stopped at before. Two hours in a minibus later, and there i was in Bang Saphan. Quick bite to eat while i waited for my mate to pick me up, and then i was on the beach and booked into some very expensive accomodation. (Only kidding, the bungalows are 250 bht a night).


https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2309.jpg

There are only 4 of these on this small resort, obviously basic - bed,huge fan, electric, bog, and 1 even has a fridge and ubc, left behind by someone who stayed there for 3 months and wanted some creature comforts. Anyway, onto the beach.
First, looking south.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2311.jpg

And looking north.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2313.jpg

To be honest, the beach isn't always this quiet. I did see four people on it for a couple of hours one early morning.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2315.jpg

For anybody that might be of a nervous disposition, being relatively isolated on the beach, the owners have provided a really viscous guard dog so that you can sleep safely at night.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2317.jpg

Relaxing with a beer in the midday sun, i had a look up to check where the sun was, so i would have a rough idea of the time. Glad i did, as i was treated to a quite spectacular display. Taking the following few piccies was a tad difficult as i couldn't actually see anything because of looking directly at the sun.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2319.jpg


https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2321.jpg


https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2323.jpg


https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2325.jpg

And finally, another view of the crowded madness on the beach.
Taken from the hammock.


https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/10/2327.jpg

Oi, stop giving away my secret locations.
Bang Saphan is my favourite hideaway, must have been there about a dozen times now.
Some really good beach bungalows there when you know where to look

I lived there with my first Thai Gf, nice quiet place, loud mouth nasty Gf.

Very nice, very nice..but how far's all this from the local beer shop? is a question that begs to be asked

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

Oi, stop giving away my secret locations.

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Soz. The place is Bang Kok, not Bang Saphan. How silly of me.

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Originally Posted by somtamslap

but how far's all this from the local beer shop?

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There's a beach bar next door, 60 bht for a large Leo.

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Originally Posted by somtamslap

but how far's all this from the local beer shop?

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Montri's Coca Bar, about 30 metres away and literally on the beach, the floor is sand

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

Montri's Coca Bar,

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And a thoroughly nice chap he is too.

This is where I stayed last couple of visits.

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...BangSaphan.jpg

And this is the local restaurant

Good food, good view, good prices.
No need to book

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ang_Saphan.jpg

Looks like a great little spot.
The area has a site on the net with a lot of info.

Bangsaphan Guide :: Bang Saphan information, Koh Talu, accommodation, restaurants, nightlife and activities in Bangsapan and Ban Krut

There's is one place there with nice bungalows that will do a yearly rate of 84k pa + electricity
Ideal if you fancy taking a year out.

I'm off there soon, staying for a whole month with the missus - can't wait! :)

I intend being a regular at Montri's, why not bar and the one on the small resort I'm staying at!

What a lovely looking place.
I remember going to hua hin in 1979 and staying in the old railway hotel.
I had a classic photo of the old alfa in front of the place,the beach was pretty quiet then.
The thai coast is certainly beautiful,I cant believe that there are places like this still around.

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

There's is one place there with nice bungalows that will do a yearly rate of 84k pa + electricity
Ideal if you fancy taking a year out.

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Well....the beach looks nice....but I think 7,000 THB/month for a beach bungalow with no aircon and kitchen facilities is a bit steep, no?? :mid:

^
No it's a new bungalow with air and all ammenities

Sounds reasonable. Nice beach and good food/bars nearby. Any dancing girls?

:sexy:

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Originally Posted by caller

I'm off there soon, staying for a whole month with the missus - can't wait!

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Don't forget a book or two.

I have been looking for a house to buy.
Most of them seem to be in the more pupulated areas and on estates.
I show dogs and would want to bring them with me and be able to build kennels.
The area i am drawn too is Hua Hin.
Alhough I have never been there, some how t just seems to home.
The area you live in sounds as though it may be of some interest.
Most of the dog shows are in the Thonburi area so I would need to be within driving distance.
Say three hours..
The beach looks just great but is ust a bit far to live.
Do you have any ideas?
By the way I am female and 68 years old and not too attractive my best attribute is that i am not yet senile.
look forward to some help
PK

I've been to CHUMPHON only once and the beach was looking like a rubbish dump because of waves and maybe low season (rain and wind).

Do you know if your beach is always clean as on the photos ?

Thanks.

Mate of mines got a house down there.

I never realized how nice it was till now.

Hmmmmm? something wrong here ?
If it is so good why is it not crawling with thousands of people ,Thai hawkers and Tuk Tuk Mafia ????
I suspect very bad Pii lurking somewhere?

My wife is from just down the road. Hopefully we'll return to this area to set up shop after our stint in the US of A. It's very quiet...I hope this area develops in the best way possible. It will be slowish...there's nothing spectacular about the area, comparatively. But the quiet, the calm, the food, and the people are what it's all about. Simple things.

I'd like to open a special guesthouse in the area in the future.

Does sound like a good place to take family to get away from tourist noise and commotion. I will put it on my list of to dos.

Just seen this again from over a year ago. Spent 6 weeks there in the end and loved it. Did zoom up to Hua Hin on a few occassions for a change of scene/pace and to stock up on books - as mentioned in an earlier post.

A great place to chill out. The beach can get grubby with flotsam when they have the exceptional high tide, but apart from that, no faults at all.

Ban Krut, about 17km up the road, has a bunch of resorts and a better beach, but Bang Saphan has the character.

By the by, I left my books with Martin who now runs GK restaurant and bar - near Montris - I believe he's started a book club.

Looking forward to heading back at some stage.

I also thought Prachuap Town, about an hour north of Bang Saphan, another hidden gem.

The offshore island Koh Thalu is easily accessible from Bang Saphan.
Decent corals here and plenty of fish.
There is also a resort on this tiny island located at a very nice sandy beach. Steep prices though.

Following a dirt track you can also visit the waterfall Sai Koo.
It is little visited during weekdays and located in dense forest.
Very nice.

https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2010/12/287.jpg

The Huay Yang national park with several nice waterfalls are within easy reach too.

A bit further to the north is the border crossing to Burma, Na Thon.
Also worth a visit, although foreigners cannot cross the border.
Wood carvings, furniture, jewellery, orchids and burmese cigars etc. are on sale here.
I was told that they have a lively market on fridays.

To the north of Bang Saphan is a newly constructed and impressive temple - the name evades me. Situated on a hill top with great views of the ocean and the long sandy beaches stretching for tens of miles with virtually noone around.
It is hard to miss as you can see the golden buddha from afar.

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Originally Posted by pescator

To the north of Bang Saphan is a newly constructed and impressive temple - the name evades me.

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Ban Kroot ?

That is the area indeed. Didn`t know if it was the name of the temple as well.

And the border crossing is Daen Singkon, not Na Thon.
Geez, the Alzheimer.....

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Originally Posted by pescator

To the north of Bang Saphan is a newly constructed and impressive temple - the name evades me. Situated on a hill top with great views of the ocean and the long sandy beaches stretching for tens of miles with virtually noone around. It is hard to miss as you can see the golden buddha from afar.

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Wat Thang Sai in Baan Krut. Beautiful.

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Originally Posted by buycondojomtien

I've been to CHUMPHON only once and the beach was looking like a rubbish dump because of waves and maybe low season (rain and wind).

Do you know if your beach is always clean as on the photos ?

Thanks.

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Anywhere in Thailand in the low season the beach's attract all the crap that floats down the gulf of Thailand.

Happens every year and unless the locals clean the beach like they do on Koh Tao and other tourist areas there's light globes, plastic and all sorts of horrible shite on them.

Come the high season and its all good again. :)

Looks really nice, and only a couple of hours past Hua Hin (?). The missus is always complaining that Hua Hin is too expensive, so maybe I'll do a split holiday soon; 2-3 days in HH, and 3-4 days here; looks great. :)

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Originally Posted by caller

By the by, I left my books with Martin who now runs GK restaurant and bar

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Caller, did you stay at this place (name?)? How much? How was it?

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Originally Posted by Thaiguy

Hmmmmm? something wrong here ?
If it is so good why is it not crawling with thousands of people ,

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That's the great thing about this part of Thailand, lots of obscure beach's about with very few tourists.

Most tourists are like sheep and only go to the known places like the Samui group or Hua Hin which is great for the people like myself who like to explore and avoid the masses.

Prachup Kiri khan is an example, just up the road is Hua Hin which is full of tourists and Prachup has very few and is much better in my books.

Certainly in the future they will invade this brilliant little town.

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Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Caller, did you stay at this place (name?)? How much? How was it?

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Nope! They have only just taken it over and it doesn't have accommodation. They used to run the guesthouse in town, didn't stay there either. There seems to be a few small places opening in Bang Saphan, in the area where Montri's and Why Not bar are. Best visit here for accommodation info:

http://www.bangsaphanguide.com/bangsaphan-accommodation.htm

Good link.
I never knew there were so many places to choose between.

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

^
No it's a new bungalow with air and all ammenities

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what is the name of this bungalow for 7000 bt/month and whwere is it located?