Kerton Hostel

Kerton Hostel's rooms are dormitory-style, with capacities from one to eight guests and a mix of single beds and bunk beds. Rooms can have air conditioning, blackout curtains, linens, a reading light, a locker and a socket near the bed.

Some rooms come with a private bathroom and a walk-in shower, which suits solo travellers who want their own space, while the larger dormitories are shared by groups of travellers.

The front desk is open 24 hours, and 24-hour security is on the property. Guests have a shared lounge and TV area, lockers for their belongings, a laundry service, and air conditioning in the public areas.

Food and drink options include a coffee shop, restaurants, a shared kitchen, a breakfast takeaway service and food delivery. Free parking is available, and English and Thai are spoken at the property.

Non-smoking rooms are offered, and the lounge and TV area gives guests a place to spend time together. Restaurants and a coffee shop are on site, and the shared kitchen is available to guests who prefer to cook their own meals, and the front desk can answer questions about the area.

Lamai is a long beach on the eastern coast of Koh Samui, a more tranquil alternative to the busier Chaweng Beach further along the coast. The sand is the draw here, with crystal-clear water and palm-fringed hills behind the shore, and the atmosphere is more relaxed than at the main resort area. The hostel sits on Lamai Beach Road, close to the sand, and the beach is the main reason to stay here.

Lamai has a distinctly local side. The Lamai Night Market, 400 m from the hostel, offers street food and handmade crafts, and the beach bars and restaurants along the shore serve Thai dishes and cocktails as the sun sets. The Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks, Hin Ta and Hin Yai, are 1.7 km away, with unusual rock formations and folklore attached to them. Big Buddha, 11.7 km away, is one of the island's best-known landmarks, and the Dipabhāvan Meditation Centre is a short walk from the hostel.

A good day could start with a swim at Lamai Beach, continue to the rock formations at Hin Ta and Hin Yai and finish at the night market. Samui Airport, 9.3 km away, is the closest airport to Lamai, so the island's own airport is the practical choice for most journeys into the area.