Thapwarin Resort

Thapwarin is a resort of bungalows on the northern part of Koh Ngai's main beach, next door to Coco Cottage, with beachfront huts on the sand and more set back in the trees, so it feels like the jungle and the sea at once. Returning guests say the rooms have been renovated and are better sealed against insects than they were.

It runs as a green hotel, with conservation work on the island's hornbills, mangroves and seagrass, and hornbills are often seen in the trees around it. The reef in front of the resort is good for snorkeling, kayaks are there to rent, and the restaurant's bill is the thing to keep an eye on. At high tide the sand at this end of the beach disappears, so the walk south along the beach is easiest at low tide.