If you have time to get farther away from Phuket on your holiday, DO!

The Coral Island "Resort" charges quite a healthy premium (we paid BHT4500) but doesn't remove you from the madding crowds. In fact, it delivers them to you every morning. The huge cruise boats arrive packed with tour groups by the hundreds. The best thing about these day-trippers is that they all seem so wiped out by the journey that they crowd into tightly-packed beach chairs in a sheltered area and go to sleep! Bizarre- but at least they were mostly contained to one area of the beach.

The Good:
- Simple clean huts (not bungalows, these are concrete and tiles) are fine.
- I found the food quite good and reasonable value (buffet lunch for THB200, dinner for THB300)
- Only 20 min bum boat ride from Phuket....
- Good small fish life in knee-high water
- Hornbills seem to be flourishing. Lovely birds with a taste for bananas

The Bad:
- Very crowded during the day
- Lots of trash on the beach - much of it in old piles (why don't those tour boats have to take their trash with them!!?)
- Coral is very broken and damaged from so many people treading on it.
- Hotel makes a halfhearted attempt to get people out of the water at lowtide (to prevent further damage) and does not include fins in snorkel kits (careless fin usage causes the majority of coral damage) but does not enforce the ban if you bring your own.
- Most of the staff are brusque if not downright rude. Found the front desk attendant very rude and he lied to us about room availability

Overall, suggest you look farther afield to find your bit of paradise.

Coral island is paradise! To us, it was the beach itself, just the sheer natural beauty, that made the location so special.
- The sand was white powder.
- The shoreline had a great variety of ever changing coral/shells for some great coral/shell scavenging.
- There was a constant breeze that kept things cool and plenty of trees for shade.
- The water was warm, salty, buoyant & refreshing.
- The "hotel" beach is just a part of the beach the day-trippers use, but MUCH less crowded and well groomed.
- Some beach vendors in the hotel beach area, but not aggressive or obnoxious.
- Snorkeling was certainly good, though not as good as other areas we have been to. Lots of fish, but not too much variety. The coral is fabulous though! We had pancakes from breakfast to feed the fish which was a lot of fun! We could not figure out why they recommended a lifevest for snorkeling – it’s really not needed.

The sound of the ocean, the sailboats in the distance, the other green lush islands – all of it was just GREAT. All about the swimming & snorkeling. We were constantly in & out of the water. The days just slid by so fast.

Originally we had planned only 2 days, but we could not leave: it was just too beautiful! I booked an additional 3 nights instead. For the 1st two nights we were in a bungalow overlooking the pool. We noted that some oceanfront rooms were unoccupied & asked the front desk if they would give us an upgrade & they did at no extra charge! With the oceanfront room, we were totally hooked! We had an unobstructed view of the ocean from our room 24/7! What a treat!

The hotel staff here were much better than the staff at the 4.5 star we stayed in when we first got to Phuket! We were nice to them and they went out of their way for us! A smile and a little patience goes a LONG way!

The little bungalow rooms are basic and rather dated. Very firm bed, small fridge/mini bar, only 1 bedside table, and an outside sitting area. The oceanfront room was a clear upgrade from our original poolside room. The windows screens enabled us to enjoy the ocean breeze all night. The room décor was also a bit more up to date (though still quite basic) & pleasant including a wall print with a cool back-light that made the scene come to life! The only negatives: (1) shower in BOTH rooms did not have hot water & water pressure was terrible! (2) every day we had to battle ants that invaded everywhere! But what’s that compared to an ocean view? Nothing really! We considered it like upscale camping!

Resort has no electricity for about 6 hours a day (couple hrs in AM/few more in the PM). No inroom TV, internet. Our perspective: who CARES? We were at the beach! The lobby area was the “communal center” with pool table, book “swap” (in MANY languages!), comfortable chairs & couches, and TV & internet access (when there is electricity!). The hotel staff were attentive, helpful & very pleasant.

Buffet breakfast was served oceanfront. Sometimes eggs to order/sometimes not. Omelets cooked to order were great but eat it FAST (breakfast often cold due to the heavy ocean breeze). Fruit was fresh & good and there was always hot coffee & tea. As the week progressed, breakfasts improved. The outside egg station was enhanced with a little grill where ham, bacon, french toast, pancakes were cooked fresh & hot!

The lunch & dinner were significantly better than breakfast. Most nights had both a menu & buffet (differing themes). Meals & drinks were reasonably priced. At lunch & dinner, there was a musician playing a wide variety of pleasant music.

Access is via boat only. We took the speed boat (arranged ahead by the hotel – 1000Baht pp round trip). We had read about some ferry, but could not FIND it & suspect it is no longer running. The easy ride took about 15 minutes. Expect to walk through ankle-calf deep water to get ON the speed boat – That was a HOOT! The guys on the boat handled our luggage door to door.

My husband also tried (and LOVED) the massage service provided by the hotel. A 1 hour Thai massage (400 Baht), under the ocean front pavilion, was the perfect way to conclude a day of swimming & snorkeling. He was a very happy man.

All in all, we found it hard to leave! What a wonderful, relaxing time!

We chose this resort as it was a little away from the mainland. A good choice. The speed boat ride was fun as the waters were a little choppy. We spend 3 days on the island and didnt want to leave. The service was very good, they even went out of their way to make for us something that was not on the menu. The breakfast was great with a lot to offer for vegetarians too. Must try the Thai massage we both loved it. All in all a great place to relax.

A beautiful experience, right from the location to food, activities, etc.

The rooms are basic but clean & the service was satisfactory. The room rates too were affordable.

However, watch out for the waiters who always seem to be in a hurry to clear your plate.

Also, watch out for the speedboat transfers, which costs a whooping THB500 per head - one way. It's therefore recommended to stay on the island once on it.