Having just done a Ban Laem visa run we decided not to head back to Bangkok but to spend the night on a beach somewhere near Chantaburi. Chao Lao has been mentioned on Teak Door so we headed that way.
It was about 4.30 when we drove into the place and unfortunately we found the road was being widened and regraded :
This lasted about 7 kilometres on and off so if you are going that way don't bother washing your car beforehand.
There is no beach road as such in Chao Lao, the main drag being set back from the road about 150 metres so its a while before you catch a small glimpse of the sea which tells you nothing. This was midweek and the place looked like a ghost town.....very quiet indeed.
To check out the beach we drove into a place called the Ocean Beach Resort. Here they wanted 1600 for a night for a room with sea view. This included breakfast.
Back on the main drag some places were advertised for as little as 350 but they were not on the beach which is what we were looking for. As the gf is wont to say...." If you want to save money, stay at home "
Time was getting on so the next place we called at was the ' Sand and Sea Resort ' ( which is on Laem Sadet beach next to Chao Lao ) Here they wanted 1200 a night ( breakfast NOT included ) and as it was late and it looked better than the first place I went for it. The bungalow we had was quite o.k. but nothing special.
O.k so this had cable T.V. , fridge , and hot water and was very clean as was the bathroom.
The place also had its own swimming pool for the 28 bungalows in the complex.
Where the place really scored was in having its own private beach with a nice terrace directly fronting onto it with lots of shaded seating.
As there was only one other couple staying at the place we more or less had it all to ourselves. Very romantic and not a bad beach either.
The hotel does have a restaurant but we managed to find an open seafood place on the main drag that was not too expensive but nothing special compared to our locals in Bangkok.
Breakfast at the hotel was 120 baht for 2 eggs , ham , sausage, toast and coffee which we enjoyed on the beach terrace.
All in all a nice enough place, busy on the weekends and holidays with Thais but dead mid week. No bars at all so not the sort of place for those looking for Mrs Right for the Night. Might take my mum there though when she arrives in a fortnight.