Region: Eastern Thailand> Province: Rayong> Location: Ko Samet/Ao Hin Khok

Ao Hin Khok

Hin Khok is home to a couple of fine places -- so popular in fact that backpackers wander in from surrounding beaches in the evenings.

With tables set right in the sand under a massive casuarina tree lit with lanterns, Jep's is one of the most alluring spots to eat on Ko Samet. The huge menu has Thai and Western standards, but also offers Indian, Mexican, and Japanese dishes, all well-prepared. They have a pastry counter and espresso machine on the beach, making this a good place for breakfast or an afternoon coffee. At night, their BBQ excels, with a range of exotic Indian and Korean dishes in addition to the standard beef, chicken and seafood kebabs. Service is usually slow -- sometimes painfully -- so come prepared for a leisurely meal.

Surrounded by painted concrete picnic tables and tall palm trees, Tok's has a good, subdued atmosphere for early evening, enhanced by the efforts of an experimental DJ. Keng, the tiny bartender with a Cockney accent, has been running the place for years and loves to chat about football. There is always a game of some sort happening here -- cards, chess, football, Frisbee... there are also the fire twirlers at night. Tok's still runs the coin toss drink specials (call it right and you get a free drink).

Set on the hill overlooking Hin Khok, Naga Bar, with its long list of cocktails, impressive selection of beers and great drinks specials is a good place to get the party rolling. Buckets sell for 300B and Jell-O shots just 20B. While the music is typical of any Thai tourist bar, its pool table, small dance floor, several picnic tables and a few hammocks scattered about on the sand make Naga a good place to meet other travellers. Should you not like your new friends, a muay thai ring opens in the early evenings to spectators or wanna-be fighters. Fire shows start around 22:00 in the small dirt lane behind the bar. One disadvantage of Naga is that there is no bathroom in the near vicinity -- you'll have to climb the hill to the restaurant out back.