Whynam Beach

The natural surroundings and decor are lovely, but the management and organization were a real disappointment. Our room's toilet seat was broken, and we had no Wi-Fi in the room or phone signal from 9pm until 8:45 the next morning. We couldn't call or use mobile data. We booked through Booking.com a few days before arriving and paid on the platform. Just before the stay, we were told the property hadn't received the payment and we'd have to pay on arrival. I contacted the number they gave me to confirm the booking and room type, since Booking didn't show room details. They said they'd reply soon, then went silent for a whole day. At 7:40am the next morning they confirmed the room. At 1:19pm they said they'd give it to someone else if we weren't coming. We were already on our way and hadn't seen that message. I told them around 2pm that we were arriving. When we got there, they said our room had been double-booked by mistake. They offered an upgrade to fix it, but charged us extra. We'd already ridden 40 minutes by motorbike with our backpacks and taken a boat. We had specifically chosen this location for the Eden and Bambu Hut parties that weekend, so we didn't feel we had a real choice but to pay. The room itself was one of the most beautiful I've stayed in. But with sauna construction directly beneath it, relaxing after a night out was impossible. We were exhausted and asked them to stop. They paused the work for about 30 minutes. The parties weren't held at the property itself, but many people stay in the nearby bungalows to attend them, as we did. Rooms aren't cleaned daily unless you pay extra, and guests have to collect their own water at reception. The beach is popular with outside visitors, so it was crowded. Even though we paid a high price, we often couldn't find a seat in the restaurant or on the beach cushions. Booking.com should reconsider promoting this property when platform payments don't go smoothly. On arrival, guests must either bring lots of cash, which is impractical and unsafe when there's no ATM in that part of the island, or pay by credit card and lose another 4% to a fee. That makes any Booking discount meaningless.

The vegan food here is phenomenal. We loved everything we tried, especially the shawarma plate. This is our second year at Why Nam, and it's become one of our favorite places in Thailand. You can only get there by boat, and the taxi boats operate independently of the resort, so the trip can be tricky. Once you're there, though, it's beautiful, peaceful, and secluded, with no scooters or cars. The staff are very friendly, though service is slow, and that relaxed pace suited us. There was a beach party on Thursday during our visit, so it got loud and crowded, but it didn't go too late and didn't bother us much. We hope Why Nam stays a gem. Can't wait to return!

I left before checkout for the first time, and I'm sorry to say it was because of my stay in the Magic Chalet Villa. For the price, I was really disappointed. The villa sits up the hill, about a ten-minute hike from the beach and far from the resort hub. At night the path had no lights, so it felt hard to reach and a bit scary. Inside, it was dark and only sparsely furnished, and the bathroom was outside. Getting to Why Nam was also stressful. The weather was bad and the taxi boats weren't running, so we had to take a dangerous, awful 4x4 ride to and from Haad Rin. It cost 3000 Baht each way. I think I might have had a better time in another room at Why Nam, reached by taxi boat, if that had been possible. The people there were all very nice, and a more adventurous, “hippie” traveler might enjoy it. For me, it brought a lot of stress and extra cost. I'd look at easier-to-reach places for the same price, and check the access situation carefully before booking.

The transfers can be tricky and aren't cheap, but getting here is absolutely worth it. The food is amazing, even for a meat lover like me. Staff communication is slow and service is poor, though it fits the surroundings and we didn't mind. I've stayed here on two of my trips to Thailand. One day I'll definitely come back.