Can anyone comment on their experience at Paradise Pearl on Long Beach during high season? I see it was recently recommended on this forum ("Mid range accom in Koh Phi Phi"), but that seems to be based on experience during the low season, and the online reviews include some complaints about unfriendly staff and longtail noise throughout the night. Also, some specific questions:
1. Is the Paradise Pearl close enough to any night clubs for that kind of noise to be an issue at night? (We'll be traveling with children, so are not interested in the party scene.)
2. Are the beach front rooms worth the extra price? Is the longtail noise (if it really is a significant problem) noticeably worse?
asawyer
1
anonymous
I've delayed answering this, hoping someone who has stayed recently in high season would reply. My recent visit has been low season - I stayed in a Paradise Pearl beachfront bungalow (no longer there) high season in 1997!
Even then, Phi Phi was a party island with a fair few people coming back from the Ton Sai bars etc in the early hours. I can't say the longtail noise bothered me, but longtail noise is an individual call. I reckon the most distrurbing is a really really really quite place like Poseidon Bungalows lovely estuary near Khao Lak where the ONLY local fisherman decides to fire up his longtail at 0400.
I reckon the present beachfront rooms are worth the extra and as far as I know, there are no nearby nightclubs - although development happens so fast in Thailand some-one may have a bit of a scene going (I consider it unlikely - any extra development there is likely to be accommodation - it is one popular beach in high season). Longtail noise IS going to be a BIT noisier front row, but back row aint a long way back here.
On my latest trip I actually stayed in the adjacent Paradise Resort but used Paradise Pearl's great beachfront restaurant daily and computer facilities frequently - can't say I found the staff abrubt.
I have some pix and more info on the area and Phi Phi in general in the first link below which may be of some use to you.
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asawyer
Thanks Tezza, I think we are going to go ahead and book. Your blog has been a great help with our trip plans. We are also going to be going to Railay Beach for 6 nights, staying at the sunrise paradise resort. We were there last in Krabi in 2002, do you know if things have changed substantially?
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