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The 8 Best Koh Jum Resorts

Koh Jum is not nearly as well known as some of the other famous spots in the area, such as Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Krabi. In fact, you could be forgiven for not knowing much about Koh Jum or even where it is exactly. It is easily overlooked. However, seasoned Thai travellers love this peaceful this little island for its off-the-beaten path vibe and the many great value Koh Jum resorts.

While it remained relatively untouched for years, recently they have been building quite a few more hotels in Koh Jum. Almost all of the Koh Jum resorts are concentrated along the west coast and despite the impressive variety, most of themare fairly small and unobtrusive, allowing the island to retain its serenity and charm.

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To help plan your Koh Jum stay, check out our Best Things to Do on Koh Jum

Long flat beach in front of the best Koh Jum hotels

Now here are our picks for the 8 best Koh Jum hotels and resorts.

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Best Luxury Koh Jum Resort

1. Koh Jum Beach Villas

For high-end luxury on Koh Jum, look no further than the exquisite Koh Jum Beach Villas, a decorated member of the exclusive Secret Retreats club consisting of boutique Asian hotels dedicated to preserving culture, tradition and the environment.

This 5-star Koh Jum resort provides a hotel shuttle to its gorgeous beachfront property where you’ll find a lovely outdoor pool, huge villas and terrific amenities. Each unit has a kitchen, terrace and excellent wifi. Some of the units even feature their own private swimming pool.

The garden is lush, the views stunning and the staff at Koh Jum Beach Villas get rave reviews. There are worse ways to splash some cash.

Check prices and availability at Koh Jum Beach Villas

Best Secluded Koh Jum Resort

2. Banyan Bay Villas

Pool and loungers in a garden setting in Thailand

Looking for a secluded slice of tropical paradise? Banyan Bay Villas fits the bill perfectly. With luxury villas tucked away on a gorgeous private beach at the very northern tip of Koh Jum, this is the place to go if you are looking for your own private beach away from the main groups of visitors (calling them “crowds” would be excessive on a place like Koh Jum).

Woman going down a set of stairs through trees to the beach at one of the top Koh Jum hotels
Banyan Bay Villas

While not cheap in Thai terms, Banyan Bay Villas is still much more affordable than Koh Jum Beach Villas while offering many of the same perks – spacious private villas, balconies with views, impressive greenery, a terrific outdoor swimming pool.

Wooden Koh Jum hotel on a hill behind trees

The restaurant is one of the best on Koh Jum and the place has managed to retain a very natural feel, from the pretty crescent beach to the giant, sacred banyan trees that give this wonderful Koh Jum resort its name.

Check prices and availability at Banyan Bay Villas

Best Mid-Range Koh Jum Resorts

3. Koh Jum Delight Beach

Line of wooden bungalows backed by trees

At the far southern end of the island, this would be our top recommendation for a mid-range Koh Jum hotel. Boasting a very convenient location right on Andaman Beach, close to the town of Ban Koh Jum and several other restaurants, Koh Jum Delight Beach is the kind of place where the days can just melt away.

Loungers and umbrellas next to a small pool

Their nice outdoor pool is surrounded by neat villas and beautiful forest while the beachfront location is the perfect place to watch the sun drop behind the nearby off-shore island.

Beach with trees and beach bungalows at a Koh Jum hotel
Koh Jum Delight

The big, empty beach here seems to stretch forever and there are plenty of loungers for guest use. Every villa has a comfortable terrace, wifi, a TV and some even have beach views. The restaurant is terrific as well. A great place to stay without breaking the bank.

Check prices and availability at Koh Jum Delight Beach

4. Cha Cha Bungalows

This small collection of simple bungalows is located halfway up the west coast close to both Golden Pearl Beach and Ting Rai Beach, two of the most popular spots on the island. The beach directly in front of Cha Cha Bungalows is semi-private and all the units offer sea views, although those in front are better.

The staff is tremendous, the restaurant is good value and delicious and the entire place has a knack for providing just the right balance between convenience and relaxation.

Check prices and availability at Cha Cha Bungalows

5. Oon Lee Bungalows

Koh Jum bungalow in the trees

A little harder to reach but worth the trek is Oon Lee Bungalows, a lovely, unique place with a peaceful, off-the-beaten path location at the very end of the western “road”. This is where we stayed during our time on Koh Jum and we were quite impressed with the amount of thought they put into these traditional bungalows with nice views and comfortable balcony hammocks.

Man having breakfast in a jungle restaurant

While they don’t have air-conditioning and you have to keep an eye out for thieving monkeys, the surroundings are gorgeous, the restaurant offers a large selection of exceptional meals and they are happy to help with everything from day trips to moped rental.

Woman in lounger watching sunset over the ocean

Where Oon Lee Bungalows really shines, though, is at their spacious beachfront bar, where you’ll find fantastic views and variety of lounging areas. The beach itself is a bit rocky and much better at high tide than low but there’s a good chance you’ll have it all to yourself most of the time.

Check prices and availability at Oon Lee Bungalows

Best Budget Koh Jum Resorts

6. Sun Smile Beach

Located on Ao Si Beach, arguably the nicest beach on Koh Jum, Sun Smile Beach is a phenomenal budget choice with a good variety of lounging areas and a popular restaurant. You really shouldn’t be able to get a spacious bungalow with a private bath and balcony with ocean views for this price anymore, even in Thailand, which is why Sun Smile is considered one of the best Koh Jum resorts.

A beach with trees and huts

The place is kept spotlessly clean, the staff is wonderful and the sunsets featuring tall palm tree silhouettes are to die for. There is plenty of space and very little activity besides relaxing and enjoying the amazing surroundings. Of course, popular Ting Rai Beach is also just a few hundred metres up the beach for those times when you feel like seeing what is happening in the outside world.

Palm trees and beach at Koh Jum Sun Smile Resort

Check prices and availability at Sun Smile Beach

7. Ban Ban Bungalow

Located just across the road from bustling Ting Rai Beach, the classic Ban Ban Bungalows are right in the heart of the action, yet tucked away among lush gardens and palm trees, making them feel far more remote.

The bungalows are fairly simple and are set back from the beach a bit but they all have balconies, private bath and the constant serenade of cicadas. The restaurant is outstanding and good value, and the beach is only a short walk away.

There is no wifi but that, along with the traditional bungalows and affordable price, will make you feel like you’re visiting the Thailand of 20 years ago.

Check prices and availability at Ban Ban Bungalow

8. Jungle Hill Beach Bungalow

Another place that offers absurdly cheap, basic bungalows with balconies, private baths and fans, this one even has wifi (not great wifi, necessarily, but still). Just north of the main concentration of Koh Jum resorts, Jungle Hill Beach Bungalow isn’t just a budget place as it actually has a wide range of units, including some relatively posh bungalows with huge balconies and spectacular sea views.

The restaurant is both exceptional and affordable, and the bungalows are spread throughout the jungle on a steep hill, as you might guess from the name.  A very tranquil place other than more of those pesky monkeys.

Check prices and availability at Jungle Hill Beach Bungalow

Calm water near a beach
North Beach

Other Koh Jum Resorts

Side by side just south of Oon Lee Bungalows, you’ll find two popular places – Koh Jum Ocean Beach Resort and the even more simply named Koh Jum Resort. Both provide a quiet beach, fabulous views, nice outdoor swimming pool and decent restaurant.

Koh Jum Resort sign

They each offer a range of units from basic bungalows to deluxe cabins but most people agree that both are somewhat overpriced compared to other Koh Jum Resorts in the area. However, it may still be worth checking your dates to see if there are any discounts on offer (especially for Booking.com Genius members).

A Map of the Best Koh Jum Resorts

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Summary

Well, that should give you a pretty good range of Koh Jum resorts to choose from. Not too long ago that would have been the entire list but slowly the secret is getting out. Nonetheless, Koh Jum is one of the few Thai islands with actual tourist facilities that still retains that classic Thai beach bungalow charm.

While everyone we talked to on Koh Jum seems determined to keep it that way, overdevelopment tends to be a way of life in Thailand so I’d suggest getting there soon.

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