There seems to be no shortage of hotels and bungalows in Ko Lipe, but hearing, “We’re fully booked!” a few times when you’re actually trying to find somewhere on foot after you’ve arrived can be a bit disheartening for the spontaneous-minded traveller. We’ve covered budget guesthouses on Ko Lipe in some detail before, but here we find or revisit a few Robinson Crusoe-style bungalows that we hope you’ll have luck snaring a bed at.

All you need to know.

In Sunrise Beach, Varin Village appears like a private resort with its clean landscaped grounds and surrounding fence, but a well-worn path to the beach indicates it’s publicly accessible. And although the area of beachfront in front of Varin Village is relatively small, more spacious beaches lie nearby. The village itself is made up of separate bungalows perfectly laid out from A through F. Row F bungalows start at 500 baht a night going up to 800 baht a night for waterfront Row A. Each bungalow has a double bed and private bath in addition to a fairly spacious veranda (including hammocks). All have some variation of sea view.

A is for beach front.

Although Varin Village has no on-site eateries, several places to eat are located nearby. Just down the beach is Coco Resort Restaurant and outside the village grounds are several markets as well as small local cafes.

Unassuming reception desk and kayak rentals.

Across the island on Pattaya beach near the walking street is Seaside Resort. This beachfront hideaway is almost identical to next door neighbour Green View Resort but prices are just 500 baht a night here. The bamboo bungalow idea seems to be quite popular, but the less greedy seem to stick with a reasonable non-seasonal average price.

Looks can be deceiving at this beachfront haven.

Seaside Resort’s bungalows have twin and double beds, private baths and adjacent verandas as well as a few items for sale at their tiny reception. There is Family Restaurant next door and you’re just a short distance from Walking Street. The grounds are spacious, allowing a bit of personal space between bungalows and their location is also perfect for those evening sundowners.

Your very own Seaside dream house!

Another open-year-round hot spot is Lipe Cafe, located beachfront between Seaside Resort and Walking Street. Primarily a popular cafe serving food from 07:00-17:00, they also have walk-in traffic accommodation, though with only five bungalows available guests become more like a small community. This is a great overnight option, but the owners are happy to oblige longer staying guests. The guesthouse grounds are intimate and maybe not the best option for loud and boisterous travellers, but the location can’t be beat.

Another not-so-hidden gem.

Cafe Lipe gets many return guests who appreciate their quiet home-y ambiance as well as that 500-600 baht a night price tag. The owners are also quite helpful as a local information source and they even have WiFi access (depending on the wind direction), so whether you’re looking for an inexpensive place to sleep or just a cup of coffee Café Lipe is well worth checking out.

More still
» Previous post: New Year’s Eve on Phuket
» Next post: New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai

Disclaimer
Travelfish.org always pays its way. No exceptions.