Jansom Bungalow 2

I love staying here. The ocean is right there in view from the house, and you can swim too, of course.

The setting and cabin design are lovely, and the grounds are beautiful. That makes it all the more frustrating that the huts seem so neglected. We only booked because everything else was full over Chinese New Year, and the stay turned out as disappointing as I’d expected. Wildlife comes with the location, but grime and poor upkeep don’t. The place felt like an abandoned shack that hadn’t been cleaned in a year. Reception at the restaurant was usually empty, so there was nobody around when we needed help or had questions. On the first day, ants swarmed in painfully, followed by several cockroaches and a few huge spiders about the size of cups. At least the spiders didn’t try to bite us. We had to spend another 300 baht on Baygon even though we’d brought mosquito protection, because our backpacks were covered in ants. If there’s a Baygon can in your room, you can thank us. The springy floorboards made the bed bounce too. While we were trying to get rid of the ants, that movement sent our phone tumbling to the floor and broke it, a 350€ loss. Check-in barely happened. A guy picked us up at Jansom 2, dropped us off, and left without telling us where or when to eat, how to call a tuk tuk, or how to arrange speedboats or excursions. Someone later came into our room while we were out to bring a fan, then left the light on, which helped us discover even more critters when we got back. The restaurant has a beautiful view, but the food is overpriced and the portions are small. They won’t serve you after 9pm, even though the restaurant closes at 22:00. We arrived at 10 past, on foot and isolated, but that wasn’t their problem. I understand having a policy, but they’re stricter about it than an IRS bureaucrat, which feels unusual in Thailand. Eat at Mr Gao's down the beach to the left instead, where portions are bigger and the prices lower and fairer. If you can find somewhere even a little more expensive, do yourself a favour and stay there.

My family and I had a perfect week in a beachfront bungalow, enjoying the sea view, the shade from the big trees, and the animals around, especially the hornbills. I really like this kind of place: the large wooden bungalows are designed to catch the sea breeze, so a simple fan kept ours comfortable even in the hottest month. Resort owners could learn from that. Concrete bungalows with air conditioning and plastic water bottles are such a pointless combination, and avoiding it would make a real difference for the environment. Many thanks to the owners for a lovely stay. We hope to come back.

The prices are reasonable, and there’s a big balcony area out front where you can unwind after a siesta. The wooden bungalows sit about 10 metres from the beach and 10 metres uphill, giving you a great view of the shore and water while still feeling surrounded by jungle.