Baba Guest House

Getting to the beach was easy, just out the door and across the street, and within minutes my feet were in the water. There's a wide public way down from the street, so it wasn't a hassle. The family welcomed us warmly, even though we booked only the day before and changed plans on the day. The room felt a little dated, but it was fine for the price. It had A/C, and the bathroom was the kind where the whole floor is part of the shower.

The main disappointment was the sea view. That's specifically what I thought I'd paid for, but the owner said he didn't know why the booking company advertised sea-view rooms as available. They should make it clear when that room isn't available so guests can cancel for free. I got a vague email saying my requests would be difficult to meet, then nothing more. I had asked for a quiet spot and parking, assuming the advertised sea view was still an option. All rooms cost RM 100 for two people, or RM 50 each, which seems good value for a pair but not for a solo traveler. There's another RM 50 deposit, returned when you hand back the keys. Parking is free, but there are only two spaces and it's first come, first served. Check-in is 1230 and checkout is 12 noon. I arrived at 1.20 pm and luckily got the second spot, which looked a little like a graveyard. I left the car there. From the third car on, people need to find a spot along the street food area, which is usually full. WiFi worked adequately. My room was a basic, old twin-bed room, almost dorm-like, but clean. After reading other reviews, I brought my own kettle, coffee, fork and spoon, and water. Towels are available on request. There was a stool and small table, and the beds were clean and comfortable. The blankets were thin, like towel material. The air conditioning worked okay, was adjustable, and was quieter than the neighbors. Better to keep the windows facing them closed. The shower room was private, and the water was hot. The toilet lid and sink had old stains that wouldn't come off. They could have covered them for appearance, though I hoped they weren't blood stains. The toilet, shower, and sink were clean overall, and cheap toilet paper was provided. Noise was a problem in the afternoon. A neighbor had loudspeakers and terrible karaoke singers wailing away at a party for most of the day. Thankfully, it stopped by night. Bring earphones and music to muffle sounds while sleeping, just in case, or escape to the far end of the beach. The location is right by the beach, food, and public amenities, literally 10 steps from the seafront. At the far left corner in front is a nicely decorated street food place where you can read and get a drink or snack in the afternoon without being charged excessively for a tourist spot. Paid beach activities include horse riding, which I guess is RM 40 for about 15 minutes, paragliding, boat rides, and sunbathing on chairs from local vendors. The beach isn't too dirty, considering I only saw one trash bin along the whole stretch. The water should be safe enough for swimming at low tide. The sand is a bit rocky rather than soft and silky. At night the area gets livelier, with more food stalls and the night market open, but check seafood prices because they vary. Some waiters at Sham Beach Café were inefficient and a little offish, and brought me the wrong order. The owner did want to make it right and wasn't rude. The shop's seafood prices were a little less ridiculous than those on the street. Massage parlors look nicely decorated, but cost twice as much as those in local residential areas. On Sunday mornings, 99% of food stalls are closed, so breakfast is hard to find. Bring your own or order through Grab-food/Panda. One open shop had cereal for RM9 and other bread or sandwich breakfasts for RM18-RM 30, far too much for any local when an average local breakfast is RM5-15. Along the main road there are three kinds of shops: souvenir stores, halal food, and massage parlors. Check prices, since quality and quantity may differ for what you pay. If you like antiques, Yahong Gallery is worth a visit. Some pieces are reasonably priced and the artist is very good, though many products look very old. Foreigners should bring enough cash. There are two ATMs in the area, one of which was out of order, and most shops don't take credit or debit cards.

The house is clean, and the room has good air conditioning and washing facilities. The staff are so polite and caring!! 🥰 The beach is very close, and you can ride a scooter there. Water, beer, tea, and coffee are sold on site, and you can rent a motorcycle here too.

It's clean and quiet, right beside the beach, and the people are friendly. Good value for money. The shared bathrooms are kept clean, though they need some work. There's a bit of a smell, and a towel hook on the door and some mirrors would help. The beds aren't amazing, but I still come back.