Samet Island’s smallest beach

Posted by admin on July 26th, 2009 filed in Accommodation, Day trips, Sightseeing

About 20 years ago the tiny island of Koh Samet was still a beachcomber’s paradise, an adventurous destination with no electricity and bare accommodations that offered a pure retreat from Bangkok’s madness.

The good news is that today, amid the luxury resorts and hotels that have been constructed all over Koh Samet, is Ao Nuan. Samet’s smallest bay is an inlet where time seemed to have stood still and only a short stroll away from the busier Ao Tubtim. Ao Nuan is so extremely peaceful and quiet that it could almost be on another planet.

This paradisiacal escape is run by a couple who have been offering basic lodging and meals for tourists for almost two decades. Most of the accommodation units they provide are old and run down, but several have been refurbished recently and feature private bathrooms and toilets.

Not necessary to book in advance here as at Ao Nuan no reservations are taken. You just have to turn up and ask for accommodation. Once you get a room, you can rent it as long as you want, even through a busy public holiday. The units are very basic with limited facilities. The by the ocean positioned “bungalows” are no more than old wooden huts with a few bathrooms and toilets, which guests have to share during their visit.

However, nobody is really worried, as long as they get a shack with a spacious private balcony and full ocean view. Yet, it would not be right to call these shacks by the sea budget accommodation. All travellers get is a rather small room with worn-out mosquito nets, old sheets, a soft sponge mattress on the floor and a short stroll to the toilet in the middle of the night.

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Even if you’re willing to cough up the 1,500 baht daily rate for the recently renovated bungalow with attached bathroom, breakfast is not included. Hot water isn’t available either. Those looking for value-for-money amenities shouldn’t come to Ao Nuan. However, those travellers seeking tranquillity and natural beauty, this is definitely the place to stay!

Koh Samet’s Ao Nuan - the perfect getaway…

Ao Nuan is so tiny that visitors feel like the beach is their private garden. Both sides of the beach are lined by huge rocks, providing fantastic perches which to contemplate the blue sea. And the sound of breaking waves on the rocks is like a lullaby, helping visitors drifting to a restful sleep.