Baanboonpetch Resort

Traditional Thai house design, tall trees and a beachfront setting give Baanboonpetch Resort a straightforward coastal character. You come here for the sea at the end of the path, greenery around the accommodation and the practical comfort of a resort rather than a city base.

The atmosphere suits a few different kinds of trip. Couples can settle into a room or bungalow with a balcony and a view towards the garden or sea, while families have access to accommodation for up to four people. The resort also keeps the useful basics close at hand: a restaurant, a beach bar, Wi-Fi and direct access to the shore.

Its website is available in English, which makes it easier to get the main information before you travel.

The address is 234 Moo 1, Chakkaphong, Klaeng, Rayong 21190, Thailand. The resort sits directly on the beach, so getting to the water does not involve a road crossing, a shuttle or a long walk with wet sandals.

Klaeng town is 16 km away. That gives you a coastal base away from the town centre, with the resort’s own restaurant and bar available when you would rather not go searching for dinner after a full day outside.

The setting is built around the shoreline, garden areas and the sea view. Tall trees and greenery surround the accommodation, while the beach remains the main geographical reference point.

The room choice is broad without being complicated in principle: standard rooms, bungalows, double rooms and accommodation for up to four people. For two, a double room or double bungalow is the natural starting point; for a family or a small group, the quadruple and family categories give you more room to organise the night without booking separate accommodation.

A bungalow is the option to look at if you prefer a more self-contained feel, while the garden-view categories keep the focus on the trees around the resort. Some rooms and bungalows have balconies, and several categories offer a sea glimpse or a view. That matters here: the balcony is somewhere to sit with a cold drink, not just a line in a facilities list.

The better-equipped standard rooms and bungalows include air conditioning, a fridge, a private bathroom with shower, towels, toiletries, drinking water, tea or coffee-making facilities, a television and Wi-Fi. The fridge is useful for keeping water cool when you come back from the beach; the air conditioning gives you somewhere properly cool to recover. Family and quadruple categories are also available with private bathrooms, while the double categories include double-bed options and twin beds in selected bungalows.

The restaurant covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Thai cooking at its centre. Fresh fish from the sea features alongside regional Thai dishes, and the kitchen works directly with local fishermen for its seafood. That gives the evening meal a clear local direction rather than the usual international menu that could have been printed anywhere.

Breakfast is served as a buffet and is included in the breakfast plan. The practical detail for divers is simple: food is available on site in the morning, and the restaurant also serves lunch and dinner when the day has run on longer than planned.

There is one named bar, Unplug beach bar, set by the beach. It serves coffee and cocktails, with the sea breeze doing the heavy lifting on the atmosphere. Room service is available as well, useful when you want food without changing out of the clothes that have already seen enough of the day.

The beach is the main activity here, and direct access makes it easy to spend an hour in the water without turning it into an expedition. Kayaking and paddleboarding are available for a more active stretch on the sea, while snorkelling and fishing are also among the activities offered.

Back on land, bicycles give you another way to move around, and the garden and terrace provide places to slow down. The barbecue area is there for a more informal meal or evening, while the beach bar covers the coffee-and-drink version of doing very little.

There is no need to build a packed programme around the resort. A morning by the water, a short paddle, a cycle and a seat under the trees will fill the gaps between meals quite nicely. If your ideal afternoon involves a spa treatment or a timetable of organised classes, this is not the angle to book it for; the appeal lies in the shore, the garden and the freedom to keep the day light.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 19:00, and check-out is at 11:00. An airport transfer is available and should be arranged with the resort; parking is also available if you arrive by car. There is an electric-vehicle charging station on site, a useful detail for road travellers planning their stops rather than hoping to find a charger when the battery is already complaining.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort. Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available, and luggage storage is provided. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Smoking areas are provided, while the accommodation itself is non-smoking.

The resort is 16 km from Klaeng town, so plan around the on-site restaurant and beach bar when you want an easy evening. Foreign visitors arriving in Thailand by air, land or sea must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online three days before arrival. If you are travelling with a drone, Thai registration requirements apply before using it.