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Region: Eastern Thailand> Province: Trat> Location: Ko Chang/Lonely Beach and Bailan Bay
Gecko Garden
Terrific for the tightest of budgets
Lonely Beach, Ko Chang
Trat Province
Tel: (089) 153 6664
Description
The cheapest bungalow option in the Bailan Bay/Lonely Beach area, Gecko Garden is one of the only guesthouses to be on the non-beach side of the road. In a nice hillside setting, the large, attractive chill out zone encompasses a laid back, funky bar which serves late night food and pizzas and boasts a British chef. Miniscule bungalows have no room for anything much more than a mattress. Not all have fans, but will do before the next high season rolls around. Shared bathrooms have a hot shower and western toilets.
Total rooms: 30
Bungalow fan share b'room
100 THB (low season)
150 THB (high season)
Added to Travelfish on: 23rd June, 2005
Last visited or updated on: 1st February, 2007
Guest feedback
Apologies - No rating given
By kareman ( total comments: 3 
)
Sorry, I don't know how I put this in the wrong place. The below review was intended for the Treehouse, and not for the Gecko Garden, of which I know nothing.
Over-rated - 
By kareman ( total comments: 3 ) Stayed here 1/2006
Yes, the Treehouse is still open and apparently going strong. Blindly following the Lonely Planet (Treehouse is actually their only listing for Lonely Beach) we headed for the Treehouse. It strikes me as the kind of place that was probably pretty decent when it first opened, but has lost its way and its values as it has gained in popularity, relying on its review in Lonely Planet rather than good old qulaity of service to bring in the guests. Although at first glance this place seems pretty cool, especially the communal restaurant/ bar area overhanging the water, we ended up having to leave as it drove us crazy. As another of these reviews mentions, the bungalows are crappy, and I could not imagine a less relaxing place if I tried. Now, I enjoy socialising as much as any other, but I'd rather not be kept awake by loud music and voices until six in the morning EVERY NIGHT, and spend my days sleeping. I think I got less than two hours sleep each night I was there, and that was not without trying. To make matters worse, they made us pay for our first night when we arrived, and then insisted that we hadn't paid this money when we tried to leave and were forced to pay again when we checked out. The toilets, though quirky, were not cleaned often and smelt bad, as did the huge piles of rubbish bags sitting in mountains and rotting under the hot sun. The staff were rude, especially the guy working behind the desk. Perhaps the sole redeeming feature is the restaurant which is cool place to hang out, especially when the tide is in. It has a cool atmosphere in the evening, and the food is generally ok (though not good enough to justify staying here, in my opinion, and besides, you can still hang out here if you are staying elsewhere). The quality of food and service is pretty variable however, with breakfast verging on awful. In short, this place will do at a pinch, or if your idea of a good holiday is partying until dawn every night and sleeping all day, although if this is the case, frankly,you might as well not leave your home country. We ended up moving to the Oasis, which is across the road and up the hill a bit. Although it was 50 baht more, the bungalows were infinitely nicer, they come with your own shower and western-style toilet and are much quieter and more peaceful. Although not right on the water, they do have a fantastic view and are only 5-10 minutes walk from the beach. We stayed January 2007, but there is not an option to enter that below.
not the only western food - 
By furixx ( total comments: 12 ) Stayed here 7/2005
did this reviewer even go to lonely beach? every place there serves western food, and the ''british chef'' at this place is just some guy who has overstayed his welcome and makes crap food. the area is nice, but the bungalows are crappy. i just left there yesterday.
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