Ban Phe

The tiny grey port town of Ban Phe sees a stream of visitors, but purely because it's a launchpad for nearby Ko Samet. Cooled by a sea breeze that smells slightly of drying fish, Ban Phe doesn't charm many visitors, and few people spend more than a mandatory 30 minutes or so waiting for a bus or ferry connection out.

You can however eat, sleep and check your email at Ban Phe, so don't panic if you get stranded. Businesses catering to travellers are clustered in the sois across from the pier. Most travellers congregate at Christie's, a popular bar and restaurant, with many popping into Blue Sky Books next door (and behind Christie's) to browse their large selection of used titles – an ideal spot for snapping up a light beach read.

Though nowhere near as inviting as the beaches waiting on Ko Samet, exploring the town will show you life in a typical Thai port town. Head away from the bus station and the seashell stands and you'll get a different sense of Ban Phe -- the further you walk, the more interesting and local it becomes. Take a stroll down the beach to the east of town if time allows -- it's a pleasant tree-lined stretch of sand, and beats sitting in a traveller cafe waiting for your boat or bus connection. Enough Thais visit Ban Phe for weekend breaks to support a few upmarket hotels, but tourists tend to only sleepover if they're waiting for a boat to the island.

Accommodation choices are limited, with most options staggered along the town's main drag, or on the sois around the pier. Should these all be full by some bizarre circumstance, you can rent a basic if slightly seedy room above one of the town's massage parlours.

Ban Phe is also a popular way station for potential English teachers in Thailand, as the TEFL International has a school here. For more info, or to arrange a tour, call them at (038) 652 280 or check http://www.teflintl.com.

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