Bamboo Bungalow Thong Nai Pan Yai

For what it costs, you get a scenic porch, a clean bed, a bar, and best of all- steps away from a lovely beach and alfresco restaurant. Far from most things in town- you'd better be comfortable renting a moped and managing it along the steep curvy roads as most taxi drivers don't want to head to this part of the island. I was perturbed upon leaving that two separate hotel staffers demanded that I pay them in cash although I already paid through Hotels.com. They insisted they weren't paid although I showed them my Hotels.com email and my credit card statement. I'm inclined to believe it was an attempt to get paid twice rather than a misunderstanding as such an interaction would not be unusual for tourists on the island. One staffer removed my bags from a van and nearly made me miss my ferry off the island.

I really enjoyed staying here. The bungalows provide everything you need, even a hammock on the porch - definitely my favorite place to relax. It is only a two minutes walk to the beautiful beach. The host of Bamboo Bungalow is amazing - very friendly and helpful. He organized a shuttle to the Full Moon party and to the ferry when I left, BBQs, etc. Thong Nai Pan Yai is a quite small town, but offers everything you need (pharmacy, supermarket, restaurants & bars, Scooter rental, ...). I will definitely come back!