Ao Manao

a beautiful clean beach

What we say:

Description: With its gorgeous beach, lined with cool, shady trees and beach umbrellas, Ao Manao embodies what the resort beaches to the north would like to be when they grow up. At the same time it has more of the feeling of a National Park than a beach resort, no doubt because it's located on a military base, the 53rd Air Division, about 4km from the centre of town. There are plenty of food stalls, and even a food court, on the beach road, but few other services or tourist-oriented businesses. There are a two hotels on the northern-most section of the beach, with no roman script signs and 800 THB doubles--but they definitely feel like government buildings making an effort to approximate hotels. You can stay there if you like, but you'll probably have a more enjoyable time in town or on the beaches to the north or south.

More details

How to get there: To get to Ao Manao, you have to follow Sala Cheep Road and go through the gate to the military base. Slow down and acknowledge the guard -- sometimes he'll stop you and have you sign in. You used to have to leave your passport, but not nowadays -- though it might make sense to bring it just in case the rules change. You'll receive plenty of smiles and salutes around here, though they can still be a bit sensitive about cameras. A motorbike taxi should cost you 30 or 40THB, or you could walk there by continuing along the beach and check out Way Dolak, around halfway, for its forest of stupas.

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