Panka Bay Resort
Sea views and more
More on Ko Bulon Lae
Long-running Panka Bay Resort had upped its game since our last visit, adding free WiFi, all-night electricity and complimentary breakfast to its fan bungalows with sea views.
Travelfish says:
A row of simple white concrete bungalows with green metal roofs and plastic chairs on porches overlook a shaded lawn that opens directly to the beach. A few more rooms are set further up the hill and also afford sea views—these are newer than the beachside rooms but they were full on our last visit.
Inside the older rooms you get a soft bed raised off the floor, mosquito net, tiny make-up desk and standard cold-water bathroom with Western flush toilet. You'll also find a couple of old bamboo huts closer to reception. These are dusty and come with hard beds and squat toilets in dark cement bathrooms; we’d skip them in favour of Chao Lae Homestay or Jungle Huts unless you’re set on a sea view.
The resort shares the seafront with only a fisherman's house; the sedate atmosphere pulls you in and makes it easy to forget the day of the week. On the spacious lawn you’ll find swings, chairs and a shower and sink attached to a tree. There’s also a large cement-floor pavilion serving as reception as restaurant. The owners speak minimal English but have always been welcoming to us.
Panka Bay attracts some long-term repeat guests, though prices did jump since our last visit. To get here, walk straight north through Chao Lae Homestay and go left when you hit the sand.
Contact details for Panka Bay Resort
Address: Panka Yai Bay, Ko Bulon Lae
T: (090) 067 6041 ; (080) 541 5770 ;
Email: pankabayresort@gmail.com
Coordinates (for GPS): 99º32'1.11" E, 6º49'52.15" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: 600B to 1,500B
Room rates
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Bungalow fan private bathroom 500 for bamboo hut; 1,000 for hilltop room. | closed or n/a | 800 baht |
Reviewed by
David Luekens
David Luekens first came to Thailand in 2005 when Thai friends from his former home of Burlington, Vermont led him on a life-changing trip. Based in Thailand since 2011, he spends much of his time eating in Bangkok street markets and island hopping the Andaman Sea.