Coral View Resort

It has access to a wonderful beach. The rooms and views are beautiful. The only downside is that you need a motorbike if you don't want to spend a fortune on taxis (they're quite expensive, all things considered). There are some pretty steep hills to get to the accommodation, and in our case, there were four of us and only two people driving, so we had to take taxis everywhere because the small motorbikes couldn't make it up those hills with two people. So, it's either a big motorbike or a taxi! Otherwise, a beautiful and very peaceful place to stay!

Late Jan-early Feb, my husband and I stayed at Coral View for 2 weeks. Pros: The location meant a far quieter experience than staying in the main town. The beach has great sand, and enough sun beds, that if you want a relaxing holiday away from the crowds, this is it. The staff are so wonderful, both in the resort and the restaurant. We enjoyed their company, and they were very accommodating. Having smiling faces around made our trip that much better. We ate from the Thai food menu and it was all really good. The lemon and coconut shakes were great for in the afternoon while in the sun. The breakfast: excellent. A variety of drinks (juice, teas, coffee) a huge selection of fruit, yogurt, an egg station for made to order. Waffles and toast and muffins as well as four hot food stations with Thai options like rice and curries, and bacon/other meats. The beds were very comfy, and there’s a soft and hard pillow for each guest. Lovely. Clean and comfortable space with a drying rack on our balcony. Snorkeling right off the beach we spotted black tip sharks, turtles, and a lot of marine life. There were nipping sea lice at times (very small—like the mosquitos of the sea) so wearing a rash guard is a good idea. Cons: The Seaview Cabins are two rooms back to back in the same cabin. The divider between the rooms at the top is thin enough you need to hope for good roommates. Half the time we were there, it wasn’t an issue. The last week we had people on the other side of the wall who crashed in around at midnight, slamming doors and arguing so loudly, it was very uncomfortable. Be Aware: The road down to Coral View is steep. Like, image the steepest road you’ve ever been on and tip it over farther. Which is not a problem if you want to get a nice workout in, or you take a taxi or the shuttle into town. Many visitors rent scooters, though, and I would not want to take that hill often, especially not if it rains. Likewise, the resort is built into hillside. You will be walking up and down to breakfast/ the beach/ your room. I didn’t mind, but you should have good mobility to stay here. I had forgotten that some cultures still smoke in restaurants. Some of the visitors liked to sit after their meal for an hour to enjoy the sunset and smoke. We eventually had to avoid the restaurant and go next door to Uncle Soon’s for dinner. Uncle Soon’s was slightly more expensive but offered a great menu and service. Bottomline: We would stay at the resort again but would ask for a different room. Perhaps a Hillside Cabin to avoid having noise at night.

Paradise on earth