Varin Village Koh Lipe

The bedding, mattress and towel were clean, and having a private bathroom was nice, though it only had cold water and the toilet needed to be flushed with a bucket. The bungalow is right on the beach, and I did like staying there, snake aside. If you're visiting Koh Lipe and don't mind being close to nature, it can work, but think of it as a tent with a bathroom and bring earplugs. It's very basic, so you can hear everything. Sand gets inside, and lizards or even snakes can get in too. One non-venomous snake crawled along the wall, which was unpleasant.

For such a low price, I think a beachfront bungalow is fair value. The fan worked, and the shower had warm water. I didn't see any frogs or lizards. Hearing the waves at night was lovely, though the boats were annoying. I don't understand the complaints when nobody should expect a modern five-star bungalow for this price. You get what you pay for.

The receptionist was the worst part. She was rude, handed me a key, pointed out my room, then left. When I couldn't open the door and returned to reception, she was already gone. I had to get a local guy sitting nearby to help with the lock. She apparently doesn't stay at the desk, so when you need something, you have to ask him to call her. They didn't seem to care whether guests could get into their rooms. The only good thing is the location, right in front of Sunrise beach, just a few steps away. But there's no security person or gate at either entrance, and I felt unsafe because outsiders can walk through the garden to the beach. The room is below basic, with no hot water or wifi, and don't expect air conditioning. There are many uncovered gaps, so bring mosquito and insect spray. One night was enough. I definitely won't come back.

They don't speak English and weren't very friendly. The listing on Booking says high-speed WiFi, but at arrival they said there was no internet. There is a WiFi network, but they wouldn't give us the password.