Bang Saphan Yai is probably one of the more low-key, relaxing, and pleasant destinations in Thailand. Regular visitors here relish the fact that it's a foot note in most guide-books, and dread the day the tourist community at large gets wind of it.

This small town some 80kms south of the provincial capital Prachuap Khiri Khan and 100kms north of Chumphon has several nice beaches, and apart from the beaches there are caves, a freshwater lake, waterfalls and even a goldfield to visit in the area. The nearby island of Ko Thalu also has reasonable snorkelling and diving.

Most of the bungalow operations offer plentiful information and maps of the surrounding area, which offers some good snorkelling from January onwards and constitutes an all round 'nice kind of place to hang out for a few days' kind of place. Bang Saphan Yai is an 'off-the-beaten-track' resort area, too far for the Bangkok mobile phone set and well off the Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao route so it is quiet at present though slowly developing as a tourist destination and has several bungalow resorts.

Bang Saphan is actually two separate towns with Bang Saphan Yai situated at the northern end of the bay and Bang Saphan Noi some 15km to the south. Most resorts lie near the beach some halfway between the two towns off route 3374. While popular guidebooks tend to steer their readers towards the northern beach, we'd highly recommend the southern beach -- it is far better.

Travel Advisory
The sleepy destinations in and around Bang Saphan Yai come life during Songkhran, Chinese New Year, and some other long-weekend, Thai holidays. Normally deserted beaches fill with literally thousands of people, prices for accommodation double and triple, and rooms are booked far in advance. Keep an eye on the calendar before you show up here expecting peace and quiet and affordable rooms.