Malibu Garden Resort Koh Samet

Malibu Garden Resort—Ao Wongduean (“Orb of the Moon Bay”), Koh Samet, Thailand—the perfect place for old and young.
Having arrived after many hours of travel it was a relief to find our rooms at Malibu Garden Resort, where I immediately dropped on the bed and slept until evening. We found excellent rooms with air conditioning and adjacent bathrooms. Each room has a cupboard and TV, bed-side lamps on either side of the bed. On the balcony in front of the door we found two chairs and a table to sit on in the mornings and evenings. The resort is laid in a quiet setting—a beautiful garden as the name suggests—not far from the beautiful beach of the picturesque Ao Wongduean Bay which is easily reached by ferry from the Ban Phe Pier on the mainland or pick-up-taxi from the Na Dan Pier (10-15 minute drive on a bumpy, for the most part unpaved, road). The ferry ride takes between 45 minutes to an hour. The ferry only goes directly to the Wonguean Bay if seven passengers are destined for this place. Another possibility is to rent a speedboat to go directly to the desired beach, though this is more expensive. All in all, Malibu Garden Resort is easily accessible, either by speedboat, ferry, or a combination of ferry and car…
The bay is not overfilled with people, and is especially nice in the evenings and nights, when the water recedes several meters and the restaurants (which operate during the day also) “expand” onto the beach where tables and chairs are set to sit or lay for a quiet, possibly romantic dinner of an assortment of fresh seafood and all manner of Thai or continental food. The quality of these restaurants is exquisite and definitely satisfying. At around nine pm there are breath-taking fire-shows where fire-dancers perform, showing off with fire-breathing and fire-juggling. The overall atmosphere is splendid and relaxing, with music of various genres and histories, serene lighting, and a splendid view of the ocean with numerous fishing vessels far out at sea.
The food at the Seahorse Resort restaurant near the Malibu Garden Resort was of outstanding quality from the others. A noteworthy note in regard to the Malibu Garden beach is that it is under the shade of magnificent, broad-leafed trees and palm trees, which give shade so one can relax without the direct glare of the sun in the eyes. This aspect adds to the beauty and comfort of the beach. Swimming is good from the Malibu Garden Resort, though we found the water hoses used to pump fresh water from the ships to the island, which lie in the water, somewhat irritating, but only in a minor fashion. The waves were splendid—never too high, but always rolling—and swimming was quite enjoyable.
During the day deck chairs are set out on the Malibu beach and beach towels can be rented at the reception counter. People with fruit-filled baskets traverse the beaches selling fresh fruit to holiday-goers. On either end of the sand beach there are traditional Thai massage stands; these are very relaxing and inexpensive. Early mornings the beach is relatively void of people, but not for long. Tour groups from Pattaya and other places arrive on the “Malibu 5” to spend the day at the beach, which is nice, as they fill the scene with life. These people leave again promptly at four on the same ship they arrived on. Now the evening has come, and the island residents are left to their evening activities. As mentioned already, the restaurants expand onto the beach and food is ready to be served. As the night progresses, fireworks shoot and Thai lanterns float into the night-sky. Despite the exploding fireworks on the beach, the houses were quiet and peaceful, allowing early sleepers to fall asleep soon, while the beach-parties continued on into the night at full blast.
Coming back to the Malibu Garden Resort: With a buffet breakfast included in the boarding price, our days were off to an excellent start. There is also a pool available for the guests at the resort. Rooms are cleaned by the Malibu staff each day, and every other day bedding is changed. Other toiletries including towels and shower-gel/shampoo, shower caps, soap, q-tips are provided. We found the cleaning staff reliable and trustworthy, and nothing went missing while we spent the day at the beach. However, there are lockers available at the Malibu Garden Resort Office at the entrance, where valuables can be safely stored. Here speedboats can be booked and tickets purchased. The Malibu Garden Resort Restaurant is also very nice; a Thai-style open building overlooking the sandy beach, providing lunch or dinner as desired. Breakfast is served here too. Internet is also available in various places along the bay.
Near the Malibu Garden Resort there is a shop where one can buy all kinds of goods ranging from Thai ramen to Dutch or Thai beer, and bug-repellent to t-shirts. At the north end of the bay there is a possibility to have tattoos done by professionals, both permanent and temporary (henna). Not far from the resort is the Samet post office and post-box (postal code 21160) with cards and postage stamps available nearby. Inflatable mattresses are available for rent at the Malibu Garden Beach, as well as kayaks for two or three people. Jet skis can be rented also, and rides on a banana-boat are possible with a maximum capacity of five passengers per ride. In front of the Seahorse Resort office one can book various day tours around the island or to other nearby islands. It is easy to organize, and the trips are definitely memories worth making.
Samet village is not far away, and a five to ten minute drive will take you there. Motorbikes can be rented near the Malibu Garden Resort. The central location of the Ao Wongduean Bay on which the Malibu Garden Resort is situated is optimal for walks along the beaches. It is easy to go from one beach to the next by foot, and the tips of the island (south as well as north) are relatively equally distant and accessible. We would recommend a stroll to the southern-most tip of Samet Island for a breathtaking sunset view. One particularly remarkable bay near the Malibu Garden Resort is the Ao Cho bay which has its own pier, about five minutes by foot. Here the waves come in high on windy days making it an especial pleasure for those who prefer rough waters to calm waters. Waves get up to three meters high at this almost abandoned bay, and it is one of the most calm and soothing beaches on the island despite the occasionally rough water.
I can say that we were very happy with our choice to stay at the Malibu Garden Resort. Though we have no little children there were several families there at the time also, and the quiet, safe area of the resort is the perfect place for families, not too close to the high-life of the youth (the majority of which usually stays at the Saikaew beach further north), yet not too boring either. Looking at the other resorts while on the island we decided that we really did choose the best option for an excellent and memorable holiday! (And don‘t forget to book in advance—for in-season you must book well in advance6-12 months if you want to assure a spot!).

Except that the A/C did not provide fresh air, the bungalows are good