Baan Habeebee Resort

Baan Habeebee Resort is made for you if a dive trip needs somewhere quieter than the busiest part of Ao Nang. The resort is built around wooden bungalows in the traditional Lanna style, surrounded by gardens rather than corridors and lifts. It has the feel of a small, nature-focused base where you can come back, cool down and leave the day to wind itself out.

Each bungalow overlooks the outdoor swimming pool, while air conditioning and a private terrace give you two useful options once the salt and heat have done their work. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and the setting suits couples particularly well. Families are covered too, with larger accommodation available when a compact bungalow would involve too much negotiating over floor space.

You are in Ao Nang Beach, Krabi, at 265 Moo 5 in Ao Nang, Thailand. Nopparat Thara Beach is about 0.7 miles away, roughly a 13-minute walk, while Ao Nang Beach is about 1.8 miles away and around 35 minutes on foot. That puts the resort within reach of the coast without placing you directly on the sand.

For small provisions or a change of scenery, Chapayom is about 0.4 miles away. Ocha Thai Tea is roughly 0.4 miles from the resort, Street Kitchen about 0.8 miles, and La Vineria Winehouse & Italian Restaurant around 0.9 miles. Blue Pool is about 2.1 miles away, and Huai To Waterfall at Khao Phanom Bencha is around 2.2 miles away, giving you a few land-based options when the sea is not on the schedule.

The accommodation is divided between bungalows and villas, so your choice depends less on a long list of labels than on how much room you want around the dive bags and the people carrying them. A Superior Bungalow suits two guests looking for a straightforward base, while the Deluxe Bungalow gives a couple more space. Both keep the wooden, garden-facing character of the resort.

For a family or two couples, the two-bedroom options make more sense. The Two-Bedroom Villa sleeps four and has two bathrooms, while the two-bedroom family bungalow also sleeps four and uses two super-king-size beds. At the other end of the scale, the Villa with Private Pool sleeps up to eight and has five bathrooms, which is the sensible choice when a larger group wants to avoid queuing for the shower after a day out.

The practical details are well suited to warm-weather diving. Air conditioning helps you recover from the heat, every bungalow has a private terrace, and the bathrooms have rain showers. The rooms overlook the pool, so stepping outside gives you a view of the resort rather than a car park. Daily housekeeping keeps the return from an excursion or a long day by the coast uncomplicated.

You can eat on site at Baan Habeebee Restaurant, which serves Asian and European food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cooking uses fresh local ingredients, giving the restaurant a broader brief than simply producing something quick before an early outing. Breakfast service begins at 7.00 am, useful when the day's plan starts before the sun has become unreasonable.

There is no bar listed, so this is not a hotel built around lingering over cocktails. Instead, the resort keeps the evening food-led: room service covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and food from nearby restaurants can be delivered to your room. That gives you the option of eating privately on the terrace when your legs have had enough of the day's activities.

Barbecue facilities are also available. You can therefore keep things informal on some evenings, while the nearby cafés and restaurants add variety when you want to leave the grounds. The approach is practical rather than theatrical: proper meals on site, delivery when convenience wins, and no need to dress up the decision.

The outdoor pool is the obvious place to cool off without making another expedition of the afternoon. Sun loungers and beach chairs give you somewhere to dry out, read or simply stare into the middle distance, which is a perfectly respectable post-dive activity. The gardens and terraces add space around the accommodation rather than turning every spare minute into an organised event.

Massage services can be arranged when shoulders and backs have started keeping their own logbook. Snorkelling and boat excursions are available for days when you want to stay on the water without putting a tank on your back. The tour desk can help organise outings, and car hire is available if you want to explore beyond Ao Nang under your own steam.

The excursion choices include four-island trips by speedboat or long-tail boat, Phi Phi, Hong Island, James Bond Island and a one-day jungle tour in Krabi. The surrounding area also gives you access to places such as Blue Pool and Huai To Waterfall. In other words, there is enough to fill a non-diving day, but the resort does not force an itinerary on you.

Krabi International Airport is about 14 miles away by road, with a driving time of roughly 24 minutes. An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel, either privately or as a shared service. Free private parking is available on site without reservation, which is useful if you hire a car for the wider Krabi area.

Check-in starts from 2.00 pm and check-out is until noon. Children of any age are welcome, although children aged five and over are charged as adults. Cots and extra beds are not available, so the existing sleeping arrangements matter when you choose the accommodation. Pets are not allowed.

Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available, as are daily housekeeping, room service and car hire. Free Wi-Fi works throughout the property. The tour desk is the place to organise island trips and land excursions, leaving you to decide whether tomorrow calls for a boat, a jungle road or an afternoon beside the pool.