Centrally located Ban Sulaida has a small collection of bungalows overlooking the cross-island lane just up the hill from Panka Noi Bay.

The small huts come with light-pink siding and metal roofs, or woven bamboo walls with thatch roofs set further back along the shaggy hillside. Both go for the same reasonable price and come with front porches, hard beds propped off the floor with mosquito nets, fans, windows and cold-water bathrooms with small sinks and Western toilets.

Another of Ban Sulaida's options. Photo: David Luekens

Most of the bungalows are worn down, with quite a few cracks and scuffs, but the value is solid and we like the location if you don’t mind the lack of a sea view. You may want to go for a room further back to avoid having a porch within clear sight of passersby.

The place was going through changes during our last visit, replacing the old restaurant and reception area with a newly built pavilion set beside the cross-island lane. No staff was around and we had to call the owner for information, though we’d expect her and other family staffers to be more present once the new reception is completed. You may even get WiFi access too.

An especially good choice for long-stayers, Ban Sulaida is worth checking out if School Bungalows are full and you don’t want to walk over to places like Chao Lae Homestay and Jungle Huts.