Thailand Koh Kood (kut) chilled bungalows?
Discussion
Usually stay in Koh Jum over the other side. Super tranquil, mostly regular holiday makers, AC bungalow right by beach, simple cafe bar. Wander to other bars / bungalow resorts along the beach. No fire shows or discos.
Weather is very changeable over on the Anderman side and forecast beyond Xmas so we've moved over to Koh chang. Having a great time here but fancy Koh Kood after Xmas as I've read it is similar to Koh Jum in it's old school vibe / not yet spoiled.
Searching Google these days is bloody useless as booking.com and Agoda have totally taken over all results, and we don't want a "resort".
Any first hand experience of Koh kood?
To give you idea of our preference, on koh Jum we stay at Anderman "resort" or season bungalows.
Staying where we are till after Xmas.
Weather is very changeable over on the Anderman side and forecast beyond Xmas so we've moved over to Koh chang. Having a great time here but fancy Koh Kood after Xmas as I've read it is similar to Koh Jum in it's old school vibe / not yet spoiled.
Searching Google these days is bloody useless as booking.com and Agoda have totally taken over all results, and we don't want a "resort".
Any first hand experience of Koh kood?
To give you idea of our preference, on koh Jum we stay at Anderman "resort" or season bungalows.
Staying where we are till after Xmas.
I've never been to Koh Jum, but I've stayed in loads of places betwen Trang and Krabbie, I ride up to that part of Thailand regularly, before covid 4 or more times a year, it's a six hour ride gor me.
I never book, just arrive and look around, if you have trsnsport it's easy, loads of places.
I descrbe the journey S from Krabbie as time travel, the further S the less tourists, and less tourist traps.
There are loads of small beach resourts, but you need transport, driving in that part of Thailand is Ok.
I never book, just arrive and look around, if you have trsnsport it's easy, loads of places.
I descrbe the journey S from Krabbie as time travel, the further S the less tourists, and less tourist traps.
There are loads of small beach resourts, but you need transport, driving in that part of Thailand is Ok.
Very, certainly in terms of booking.com. it's always busy in Thailand over Xmas and new year.
We arrived on Dec 10th and had no probs getting accom at a high/mid price level. We have since downgraded room and are at the same place but can't get any of the bungalows we've spotted up the road until well after the new year.
Ive now just booked us into a "garden" place - nice pool, need a scooter, from 27th to 4th as there is nothing left at reasonable money that isn't scabby. That's Koh chang.
Koh kood is basically sold out unless you want a tent, or a hostel.
I'm used to winging it in Thailand but Xmas/Nye is always super busy. I've now got us booked up to Jan 4th, then we fly back to Krabi to get to Koh jum.
Hotel isnt "busy" by any means, but they have limited rooms. Most people we see and hear are Russian, or German.
We arrived on Dec 10th and had no probs getting accom at a high/mid price level. We have since downgraded room and are at the same place but can't get any of the bungalows we've spotted up the road until well after the new year.
Ive now just booked us into a "garden" place - nice pool, need a scooter, from 27th to 4th as there is nothing left at reasonable money that isn't scabby. That's Koh chang.
Koh kood is basically sold out unless you want a tent, or a hostel.
I'm used to winging it in Thailand but Xmas/Nye is always super busy. I've now got us booked up to Jan 4th, then we fly back to Krabi to get to Koh jum.
Hotel isnt "busy" by any means, but they have limited rooms. Most people we see and hear are Russian, or German.
Oh no,it's not ruined at all. Nice island. Lonely beach is a bit of a hole when you go through the dirt "street" to get to it. Like something off the apocalypse during the day. Rough.
Rest so far has all been lovely and largely unspoilt. We are on kae bai ? Beach.great road at the back with lots of great places to eat . Super variety, and then , oddly a whole "walking street" red light district opposite our hotel. Feels quite out of place.
Rest so far has all been lovely and largely unspoilt. We are on kae bai ? Beach.great road at the back with lots of great places to eat . Super variety, and then , oddly a whole "walking street" red light district opposite our hotel. Feels quite out of place.
Griffith4ever said:
Oh no,it's not ruined at all. Nice island. Lonely beach is a bit of a hole when you go through the dirt "street" to get to it. Like something off the apocalypse during the day. Rough.
Rest so far has all been lovely and largely unspoilt. We are on kae bai ? Beach.great road at the back with lots of great places to eat . Super variety, and then , oddly a whole "walking street" red light district opposite our hotel. Feels quite out of place.
got wheels? had a look along the sparse east coast during the day?Rest so far has all been lovely and largely unspoilt. We are on kae bai ? Beach.great road at the back with lots of great places to eat . Super variety, and then , oddly a whole "walking street" red light district opposite our hotel. Feels quite out of place.
Cheers. I did notice the east coast is sparse and cheaper. Nearly rented a whol villa with pool and private beach until I realised that they lose the sun behind the jungle / mountains . Don't know what time they lose it.
We are sorted now. Booked near by till Jan 4th then it settles again and we are flying back to the other side and off to Koh Jum. We miss it :-)
We are sorted now. Booked near by till Jan 4th then it settles again and we are flying back to the other side and off to Koh Jum. We miss it :-)
Griffith4ever any recommendations for Koh Jum, went there 10 years ago for less than a day to stay but accommodation tried to mess us around with our booking ie rented our room out to someone else and tried to palm us off with crappie room so went back to hotel we came from in southern Koh Lanta.
Anyway thought may be try again on our way from koh lipe in early Feb.
Anyway thought may be try again on our way from koh lipe in early Feb.
We've stayed twice at Anderman Beach Resort (bungalows). Central on the main beach so nice walk in either direction to other places.
Good clean AC bungalows, great staff, will bring a latte to your room terrace in the morning :-) food is a bit average but great place.
We are trying Season Bungalows this time as their position is better in terms of other restaurant access, and their food was better last time. Their cheapest rooms at the back are a bid gloomy - we tried one a few years ago. Main garden should be better!
We tried Joy bungalows at around 5 years back. Expensive for wood shacks with a pricey bar. Only stayed two nights.
I'll report back after Jan 5th when I'm there.
Btw , if you book a night or two at any of the ones on the beach the above ones are on, you can then walk along the beach and check out all the other bungalow places and then they'll send. Long tail down to move you:-)
Good clean AC bungalows, great staff, will bring a latte to your room terrace in the morning :-) food is a bit average but great place.
We are trying Season Bungalows this time as their position is better in terms of other restaurant access, and their food was better last time. Their cheapest rooms at the back are a bid gloomy - we tried one a few years ago. Main garden should be better!
We tried Joy bungalows at around 5 years back. Expensive for wood shacks with a pricey bar. Only stayed two nights.
I'll report back after Jan 5th when I'm there.
Btw , if you book a night or two at any of the ones on the beach the above ones are on, you can then walk along the beach and check out all the other bungalow places and then they'll send. Long tail down to move you:-)
Edited by Griffith4ever on Thursday 29th December 02:18
Start looking 11 months before on sky scanner but always book direct with airline. Prices go up and down all the time even on different days/times of the day. Try different combinations of arrival departure for example this time we are departing Birmingham for KL but returning Phuket to Heathrow all one ticket(Emirates) In the past we have done with ThaiAir Heathrow to Krabi then Phuket to Heathrow and also one year arrived at Chang Rai then departed Krabi and paid little more than Heathrow Bangkok return.
I'm coming currently on koh chang, so other side, and the weather is great.
Anderman / south has had a lot of overcast weather with rain, it is why we flew over here. Forecast hasn't changed much in the south but we are going back anyhow. Hopefully it'll improve.
Flights? Book early, as early as your you can. You'll be winning against inflation if nothing else. December is a fairly expensive month to fly, hence we came out on the 5th.
China... It's lovely and peaceful here , numbers are like 15 years ago. Mostly russians and Germans. God help us when the Chinese return. At least they don't go to the less well known islands.....
Regarding covid, it's a mix of very very odd, and very very normal over here. In Bangkok EVERYONE wears a full on mask, except ANY foreigners, with the odd few exceptions (foreigners, not thais). (It is no longer mandatory ) . It's very striking when you get off the plane. Almost no tourists wear one, inc. us, but there is no push back from the Thais. No glares, no hassle. It has been indoctrinated into the Bangkok citizens to the extent they wear them outside everywhere. I've seen plenty pulling their masks down to insert a fork of food in their gob, then put it immediately back on! But, leave Bangkok and hit the islands and their appearance becomes much rarer. We've been on a totally maskless beach, seen a just-arrived Thai family walking along all masked up, on the beach, to then look around, and slowly relax, and take them off. It is quite a superb example of group behaviour / leaving the group.
As is always here over Xmas and new year - book ahead of you want nice rooms / beach / sea views. We are in a firstly s
t place due to Nye booking everywhere.
Anderman / south has had a lot of overcast weather with rain, it is why we flew over here. Forecast hasn't changed much in the south but we are going back anyhow. Hopefully it'll improve.
Flights? Book early, as early as your you can. You'll be winning against inflation if nothing else. December is a fairly expensive month to fly, hence we came out on the 5th.
China... It's lovely and peaceful here , numbers are like 15 years ago. Mostly russians and Germans. God help us when the Chinese return. At least they don't go to the less well known islands.....
Regarding covid, it's a mix of very very odd, and very very normal over here. In Bangkok EVERYONE wears a full on mask, except ANY foreigners, with the odd few exceptions (foreigners, not thais). (It is no longer mandatory ) . It's very striking when you get off the plane. Almost no tourists wear one, inc. us, but there is no push back from the Thais. No glares, no hassle. It has been indoctrinated into the Bangkok citizens to the extent they wear them outside everywhere. I've seen plenty pulling their masks down to insert a fork of food in their gob, then put it immediately back on! But, leave Bangkok and hit the islands and their appearance becomes much rarer. We've been on a totally maskless beach, seen a just-arrived Thai family walking along all masked up, on the beach, to then look around, and slowly relax, and take them off. It is quite a superb example of group behaviour / leaving the group.
As is always here over Xmas and new year - book ahead of you want nice rooms / beach / sea views. We are in a firstly s
t place due to Nye booking everywhere.Edited by Griffith4ever on Friday 30th December 02:18
Edited by Griffith4ever on Friday 30th December 02:29
smifffymoto said:
I have heard numbers of tourists are nearly at pre pandemic levels,is it true?
Not really. Depends where you are and how reliant it was on Chinese tourism. Don't forget chinese tourists made up 47% of all tourists here pre pandemic.So here in koh chang, the popular bungalows are full, but that's part of Xmas Nye season. However, for every three resorts that are open, you see one closed one. Often run down / being reclaimed by nature. You don't have to look far. Plus lots of the buffet style big cafes are nearly empty.
Cleverly, they Thais have opened the places with demand, and abandoned anything on the fringe. So on the main tourist drags you'll see everything open and loads of tourists, and yet, there will be zones along the way that are completely closed.
It certainly feels busy, but, they have not re opened a lot of stuff to maintain this .
It's all russians Germans Swedes and Brits right now. Mostly russians.
When we go to Koh Jum I doubt we'll notice as that was always Germans anyhow, pre pandemic.
It most certainly doesn't feel "quiet", but in aware of the missing masses from China, and it is better for it!
Last time I was here, 2019, in koh lanta, and phi phi, every beach bar was set up to entertain Chinese tourists with fire shows nightly, rows of plastic chairs. The shows still go on, which are barely interesting bearing in mind they are nightly and always the same, but without the Chinese audiences clapping, so are fairly soulless :-)
I'm betting Thailand can't wait for their return.
I've wandered off track but it all feels fairly normal over here, and not overcrowded. Certainly not quiet either. To the unobservant, Thailand is full again, but look and you'll see how many places are closed due to oversupply. It's all good though
Edited by Griffith4ever on Friday 30th December 06:55
It was really quiet out there in February this year where we were with hotels only 10% or less full problem was most restaurants were shut!
What was funny was Thais riding around on scooters with masks but no helmets lol!
Let’s hope the Thais impose testing on the Chinese otherwise it could be carnage again!
As for airfares we have been going to Thailand every year since 2010 (except 2021) and have always paid £500/600 for decent flights/times flying return to Krabi/Phuket etc, but for our upcoming trip it’s costing nearly £900!!! Flights have really shot up but then paying the same price for over 10years you knew it would not last
What was funny was Thais riding around on scooters with masks but no helmets lol!
Let’s hope the Thais impose testing on the Chinese otherwise it could be carnage again!
As for airfares we have been going to Thailand every year since 2010 (except 2021) and have always paid £500/600 for decent flights/times flying return to Krabi/Phuket etc, but for our upcoming trip it’s costing nearly £900!!! Flights have really shot up but then paying the same price for over 10years you knew it would not last
GT4P said:
Start looking 11 months before on sky scanner but always book direct with airline. Prices go up and down all the time even on different days/times of the day. Try different combinations of arrival departure for example this time we are departing Birmingham for KL but returning Phuket to Heathrow all one ticket(Emirates) In the past we have done with ThaiAir Heathrow to Krabi then Phuket to Heathrow and also one year arrived at Chang Rai then departed Krabi and paid little more than Heathrow Bangkok return.
Thanks. Happy to put the work in and wasn’t aware of the above approaches. Will get to work once airlines release their schedules. GT4P said:
It was really quiet out there in February this year where we were with hotels only 10% or less full problem was most restaurants were shut!
What was funny was Thais riding around on scooters with masks but no helmets lol!
Let’s hope the Thais impose testing on the Chinese otherwise it could be carnage again!
As for airfares we have been going to Thailand every year since 2010 (except 2021) and have always paid £500/600 for decent flights/times flying return to Krabi/Phuket etc, but for our upcoming trip it’s costing nearly £900!!! Flights have really shot up but then paying the same price for over 10years you knew it would not last
Yeah, tha mask and no helmet thing is an oddity to us. Of course, it's not to them. Riding without helmets is normalised risk here, but the virus is not. Helmets are in the minority in koh chang. Our latest host even told us the times to watch out for police checks :-) we currently have a 15min ride from our crap accom to the nice beaches and evening bars. The night rides (helmet less) are heavenly. I keep it under 35.What was funny was Thais riding around on scooters with masks but no helmets lol!
Let’s hope the Thais impose testing on the Chinese otherwise it could be carnage again!
As for airfares we have been going to Thailand every year since 2010 (except 2021) and have always paid £500/600 for decent flights/times flying return to Krabi/Phuket etc, but for our upcoming trip it’s costing nearly £900!!! Flights have really shot up but then paying the same price for over 10years you knew it would not last
I always used to pay £600 ish eco. Cheapest now is about £800 with Eva air. We flew BC which I paid for in 2020! £3800 for the two of use.you won't get near that now!
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