Two nights so far, staying at P&P Resort on Cheweng beach. Have stayed here a few times, nothing special but it's mid range (1150/night) for a beach place but still 3 minutes from Soi Green Mango.
It's about 2 years since I've been here. Lots has changed. The really busy bit of Chaweng has been made one-way - heading SE. You come back on a new road by the lake - a nightmare at night - no lights.
As in Pattaya, lots of places have changed or simply disappeared! Upmarket restaurants have replaced the mid-range pubby places. My favorite - Ninja, is still here but it's cleaner, new menu and staff. No sign of the Japanese guy who used to run it (presuambly the Ninja) or his wife. But they might still run the place, they now have another in Lamai and a "Garden Resort" to boot.
The new "terminal" is in operation - still unique and a tribute to Bangkok Airways who had the balls to build the airport in the first place. I'm split between admiration and resentment for them. They did, afterall, open Samui up - but are now harvesting the rewards. Same as their flight to Siam Reap - they are the only ones to fly and can therefore charge about a 30 percent premium. Their travel service is even slicker than AOT - you simply don't think to choose another taxi service - but their taxi to Cheweng was 500 baht - it should be 2-300!
I love Chaweng - fantastic beach (except Dec - Feb), good style in Soi Green Mango (even 3, very shy, Go-Go's) but the rest of the island is getting really bad. It's just being turned into luxury resorts and housing. You can buy your own piece of beach frontage - but since everyone else is doing it - it's the only beach you can go on! All the little coves, headlands and views are now fenced off. Yesterday I got up at 05.30 (yes, really) to look around on a motorbike and had to fit a really long lens to take pictures - I couldn't get within 500 meters of the sea!
The corruption is also obvious. Thai law prevents building on slopes in excess of 45 degrees. Here, it resembles the stuff that was built in Spain (before they fell down), houses hanging off cliffs and mountain slopes. I took the bike up a peak near Lamai - the road was so steep that eventually I was so scared that I got off and walked! But everywhere new villas were being built - terraces hanging out over the mountain-side. How long these places last will be very interesting (to me) and tragic for the investors. If they don't collapse, the Thais will take them back - they have probably got illegal Land Documents.
The "Influential people" will simply wait for the money to be laundered (buy a football team?) , check which haven't collapsed and then arrange for them to be taken over again. The prices are so high that probably the buyers are Bank Robbers or Casino owners - so no harm done. Just hope someone hasn't sunk his pension into them!
Q Bar (ex Bangkok) has also opened since I was here last. A couple of Klicks out of Chaweng and near the peak of a hill. Magnificent position. I arrived as they opened at 6pm - really just wanting to take pictures from their terrace. I left at 7 - the only customer. I was surprised, I thought the smart set would be there for 'Sundowners'. Maybe there is somewhere better? Or they were all checking their Land Documents?
Enough already. Time to get on the beach - can't stay long - lots of friends are due in the next few days.
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