Thailand Guide
The east coast
Ao Wong Duan
The horseshoe bay of AO WONG DUAN is Samet's second most popular beach after Hat Sai Kaew. Though it's not as pretty and suffers even more from hordes of day-trippers, it does offer some attractive upscale accommodation; most guests are either package tourists, Pattaya overnighters, or weekending Bangkokians so shoestring travellers aren't well catered for. Although the beach is fairly long and broad, the central shorefront is almost lost under a knot of tiny bars (many with irresistibly comfy armchairs) and tourist shops, and the main stretch of beach all but disappears at high tide. Facilities include minimarkets, ATMs, money exchange and internet access. At least two direct boats a day should run from Ban Phe to Wong Duan, and vice versa.