HAD MAE RAMPEUNG, the nearest beach that Bangkokians dont know about
Funny how Bangkokians love to go spend all their savings in over rated places like Ko Samet or Hua Hin while they got a lovely and quiet 8Km beach just 2 hours away.
I've been living on Had Mae Rampueng Rayong beach for 4 years now and every time somebody comes around here he's stunned by the absence of international tourism. (no international tourism means NO "where you go?" "you welcooome!" "massage" "hey! you! taxi?" "want boum boum lady?" and so on)
So I've finally been able to live by the beach in Thailand without feeling like a walking slot machine...
Access to Had Mae Rampeung beach is pretty easy by bus and you will find all kinds of accommodations from the lowest budget rooms possible for places like Roots Reggae House (rooms by the beach from 100 to 400 Baht) to high class hotel with decent prices such as the Rayong Resort (4 stars hotel with stunning view of Ko Samet from 3000 baht per night).
Loads of middle range accommodations are also available, unfortunately they don't seem to have a website (and if they do, please give me the link so I can put it up), but since the area is pretty quiet there should be no need to make a reservation: Manot's House (500 to 600 Baht for a night), VP guesthouse (700 to 100 Baht), Sea Sand and Sun Hotel (rooms from 800 baht)... actually, you just have to get a ride along the beach and choose your room...
Oh by the way, Had Mae Rampeung is well known by thai people for it's cheap live seafood on the beach and Rayong is one of the Thai provinces with the lowest rain ratio... but then... there's no gogo bar and no katoey... can you handle that?