This beautifully tranquil resort is a nature lover’s dream come true.
Peacefully slumbering on a prime patch of Sunrise beachfront, the visitor gets a great view of the turquoise waters interspersed with dark patches of live coral, among with reef fish dwell, only a few metres from the excellent swimming beach.
Constructed almost entirely out of wood and thatch, there is hardly a sign of the concrete, plastic or metal anywhere to be seen. This natural look blends in perfectly with the exquisite surroundings to create a harmonious whole which will ease the mind and soothe the senses.
It’s not only the mind that Castaways puts at ease though, as the reception, relaxation and restaurant area offers several spots which are as restful for the body as the soul.
In this very restful place, the biggest challenge of the day is choosing between one of the hammocks strung between wooden beams, and one of the Thai cushions on a large platform overlooking the shimmering sea, over which large birds skim and out of which fish jump only a few yards from the viewer.
This resort has a highly unusual style for Thailand. There are many simple, rustic places made of wood, but almost all of them are cheaply constructed to a low standard, so only attractive to budget travelers.
The Castaway is pretty unique, in that it is constructed almost entirely of wood, and yet built to very standards of taste and quality. An eco-resort with a great future, this is a place where you feel that, by coming here, you are enhancing rather than detracting from the natural environment, as so many tourism businesses do. During the high season the Sunrise beach is much quieter than is Pattaya beach, due to both its much lower human and longtail boat traffic volumes.
There is only one reason not to stay at the Castaway, which is that it currently doesn’t offer any rooms with air-con. The resort management plan to add air-con to some of the units during the May – October 2011 low season, contact us for an update.
Many people find that air-con isn’t really necessary except during the hottest month of April, as all the rooms in the resort have a wide gap at the top of the walls, covered in mosquito netting, to let out excess heat.
Accommodation
Sea-breezy
The relatively high price of these 2-storey units is fully justified, for those who can do without air/com, by their beachfront locations. The upstairs of each unit contains the bedroom, which is kept cool by sea breezes, and also by the mosquito-netting-clad gap at the top of the walls, which lets the breezes blow the heat out of the rooms. Except in the hottest month of April, most visitors will be perfectly OK without air-con. A major benefit of sleeping without air-con is that the body rapidly acclimatizes to the heat, making the visitor more comfortable when out and about during the daytime. The downstairs part of each of these units is the bathroom, in front of which there is a sizeable terrace, complete with a Thai lounger and a hammock.
Garden View
These are the same as the Sea-breezy units, but have small or non-existent sea-views. Whilst they lack the sea breezes that keep the seafront units cool, they are more shaded by trees, so stay just as cool, except during April.
Comfy Bungalow
These single-storey rooms are as simply tasteful as all the units in this resort. Some may soon have air-con, contact us for an update.
The House
The upstairs floor of this 2-bedroom house is a covered verandah which makes a perfect spot for a group of 3 or 4 people to relax and enjoy each other’s company in one of the most atmospheric spots on the island. The verandah comes complete with a fan, 2 chairs and 2 hammocks. The house has fans in both bedrooms.
