Our approach to Thai-West and advertising is that we would rather have 2 people at our resort who really want to be there than 20 people who would rather be in Phuket but are trying to get the Phuket experience for a Koh Siboya price. So, all of the pictures on our website are taken by us, at Thai-West or at the actual attractions we discuss. We recently had a family stay with us for several days during a 3-week vacation to Thailand and they passed on a very nice compliment when they told us that of all the places they stayed, ours was the only one that actually looked like the website.

So, what is Thai-West and what it isn’t? It is quiet and peaceful. There are only three resorts on our island and other than that, it is just fishermen and rubber tree plantations. We just got electricity and paved roads in the last 5 years. The loudest noise you usually hear on the island is a troop of monkeys who will, on occasion, run through the resort making monkey noises as the move from one coconut palm to another. For those who want a relaxing time, it will probably be a very pleasant destination. For those who rate vacations based on number of bars and karaoke places, they will want to leave after a day. We have no bars, no karaoke clubs, no nightlife whatsoever other than our 12-year old who puts on his own fire show, and the sound of frogs in the river.

If you like the ocean, Thai-West has a very nice calm slice of the Indian Ocean offshore. All of our bungalows and houses have ocean views, and are between 20 and 100 meters from the ocean. We have kayaks, a stand-up paddleboard, a windsurfer, and 85-degree water. About a mile offshore is a small, deserted island called Koh Kah, which has a nice sandy beach. Koh Kah makes a great destination for a kayak trip. Take along a lunch and make a day out of the paddle and snorkeling around the island

Kanchanaburi is about 2 hours out of Bangkok.  Most famous for
the “Bridge on the River Kwai”, Kanchanaburi offers some great train trips.
They are cheap ($3 for a 6-hour trip) and take you across the famous bridge, and
along the Kanchanburi River.

In addition to the beautiful scenery along with river,
and the great (and cheap) food on the train, you can visit the outdoor
train museum and climb on some ancient trains.

For a bit of history on Kanchanaburi, per Wikipedia,   “In 1942 Kanchanaburi was under
Japanese control. It was here that Asian forced labourers and Allied POWs, building the
infamous Burma Railway, constructed a bridge; an event immortalised in the film
Bridge on the River Kwai. Almost half of the prisoners working on the project died
from disease, maltreatment and accidents.”

At Kanchanaburi, there is a memorial and two museums to commemorate the dead.
In March 2003, the Thailand-Burma Railway Museum opened and the
JEATH War Museum dedicated to the bridge and the Death Railway. The city is also
home to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.
Near Kanchanaburi, about 3 km from Wat Tham Phu Wa is the Chong Kai allies cemetery.” 1
It is definitely a place worth visiting, very educational and interesting.  Consider a reservation
at Thai-West Resort.

1: see Wikipedia for more on this amazing destination.

If you’re looking for a great reason to visit Thailand, how about the fruit?  Thailand is a paradise for fruit lovers…especially “tropical fruit lovers”.    Thai fruit is grown in all parts of Thailand and has many delicious varieties that grow both seasonally and all year round.    A diverse selection  is easily found at a number of supermarkets, street vendors, and local markets.   Local people like to use the many varieties in making refreshing fruit juices as well as in various delicious deserts.

Among our favorites are Durian, known as the “King of Fruits”.  Durian is about the size of a small watermelon and covered with extremely sharp spines.   It truly looks like the damage end of a medieval weapon. Cutting into it is not fun, so when you purchase one, as the seller to slice through the skin for you so that later on you can peel it open.

Another favorite is the Dragon fruit.  Dragon fruit grow on a cactus-like vine and are beet red on the outside, with a bright white interior sprinkled with tiny black seeds. Amazingly enough, the dragon fruit is native to Mexico and Latin America , but is exported to Thailand and it grows there very well.

There are many reasons to visit Thailand, not only is it very beautiful and warm, the fruit and local cuisine make the trip that more special to see.  Please consider visiting us very soon!

Directions| Timetables | Weather | What to Pack

We suggest you bring:

• Sunscreen
• Sun hat, cap
• Rain gear (particularly in June–February)
• 1 Pair long pants.
• 2 Pair or more shorts
• 4 T-shirts or blouses
• Bathing suit
• Board shorts
• Water sandals
• Tennis shoes
• 4 pairs socks
• Sunscreen and lip protection (Thai-West Resort gets plenty of sun)
• Sunglasses
• Mosquito repellent with DEET
• Swiss army knife
• Camera with rechargeable batteries and charger
• Laptop
• Headlamp and batteries
• Personal first aid kit
• Personal water bottle

The United State Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that you be up to date on all of your routine immunizations. See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

Download CDC 2007 Childhood, Adolescent, & Catch-up Immunization Schedules

Download CDC 2007 Adult Immunization Schedule

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The CDC also recommends consulting with your health-care provider about immunizations for travel to Southeast Asia. You can get more information by calling the CDC Travelers’ Health Automated Information Line at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) or going to the CDC website.

We recommend you purchase travel insurance for your trip to Thai-West Resort. Some sites where you can purchase travel insurance include totaltravelinsurance.com, travelguard.com, csatravelprotection.com, insuremytrip.com, travelinsure.com, travelinsured.com, and travelex-insurance.com.

If you get a little island fever, Thai-West offers guided tours of Krabi, Railay Beach, Phi Phi Island and other nearby attractions and can arrange for excursions off the island. We are happy to arrange longtail boat excursions to nearby islands and snorkeling destinations either before or during your visit. Off-island excursions are not included in the price of your stay. We suggest making reservations for these trips at the time of your booking.

Here’s a sample of off island excursions we can arrange:

• Shop or eat in Krabi, Railay Beach, Phi Phi Island or Ao Nong at the night markets.
• Soak in a hot water river and the Emerald Pool in Krabi.
• Ride an elephant.
• Rock climb at Phra Nang.
• See trees over 100 years old at Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple).
• Snorkel at Phi Phi Island, Railay Beach or other exotic destinations.

• Spend some time worshiping the sun on Thai-West Resort’s pristine beach.
• Nap in a hammock by the sea, right in front of your own beachfront bungalow.
• Visit other beaches on Koh Siboya Island by bike, kayak or scooter.
• Mountain bike around Koh Siboya Island.
• Hike along the beach in front of your own Thailand beach resort.
• Kayak or windsurf on the Andaman Sea.
• Eat delicious Thai food at Thai-West’s own restaurant or order room service (same price) and have your meals delivered to your own private oceanfront bungalow.