Paradise found

Love shack on cheap

Remember those days when Koh Samet was a beachcomber's paradise, an island with bare bungalows and no electricity that offered a real escape from the madness of Bangkok?

The good news is that amid the hotels and luxury resorts that have mushroomed all over the island is Ao Nuan, an inlet where time seems to have stood still. Koh Samet's smallest bay is just a short walk from fun and gayfriendly Ao Tubtim, but is so quiet and peaceful that it could almost be on another planet.

It's run by a couple who've been providing basic accommodation and food for visitors for almost 20 years. Most of their lodgings are old and run down, but recently a few have been renovated with bathrooms and toilets built ensuite.

Prior booking is unnecessary, as no reservations are taken at Ao Nuan. What you do is turn up and ask for room. Once you get it, you can stay as long as you want, even through a busy bank holiday weekend.

Rooms are very basic, without the amenities most of us have come to expect. The "bungalows" are old wooden shacks by the sea with a few toilets and bathrooms that guests share during their stay. But no one is worried, as long as they get a room with a full sea view and a large balcony of their own.

Yet it wouldn't be correct to call Ao Nuan budget accommodation. Essentially, all you get is a small room with a soft sponge mattress on the floor, old sheets, wornout mosquito nets and a few minutes walk to the toilet in the middle of the night. Breakfast isn't included even if you choose to cough up the Bt1,500 a night for a newly renovated room with attached bathroom. There's no hot water either. So, if you're looking for valueformoney features, don't come near Ao Nuan.

However, if what you're after is beauty and tranquillity, it's definitely for you.

Ao Nuan bay is so small that you'll feel like the beach is your private garden. Big rocks line both sides of the beach, offering great perches from which to contemplate the ocean. And when the waves break on the rocks, the sound is soothing, a lullaby that helps you drift to sleep.

Ao Nuan has its own restaurant, which stays open until 9pm. Accounting is kept simple: Write down what you ordered at the counter and settle the bill on the day you check out. Although the menu is not sophisticated, I found the food good enough. But if you get bored and need a change, it's easy enough to walk to Ao Tubtim and relax over dinner at an atmospheric beachside bar and restaurant. It's only five minutes away. And, if you need a reminder of why you're staying at Ao Nuan, head a little further afield to Sai Kaew beach.

AT A GLANCE

High Point: The long-established Ao Nuan is unique with its own small beach and basic huts.

Low Point: It may be too basic for many, with no facilities or amenities. You'll need to ask for a towel. It's a good idea to take your own, plus your own sheets and pillowcase.

Pay for it: The smallest shack by the sea goes for Bt300 a night. Other basic seaview huts cost Bt700 to Bt800. The newly renovated rooms with shower and toilet (but no hot water) are Bt1,500 a night.

Find it: Ao Nuan is a small bay between Tubtim and Lung Wang bays.

Book it: No prior booking or contact details. Just go there and ask if they have a vacant room.