Lazy Day The Resort — 12 beachfront bungalows on Ao Kao that reviewers rank #1 on Koh Mak
Ask which place on Koh Mak scores highest with guests, and the answer that keeps coming up is Lazy Day The Resort — just 12 white bungalows on Ao Kao Beach, spaced apart for privacy, every one facing the sea on the side that catches the sunset. It is not a luxury resort, but a small, quiet hideaway that guests return to for owners and staff who look after you like a friend, a genuinely good breakfast, and views many call the best on the island. From approx ฿2,200/night including breakfast.
Lazy Day sits at the southeastern end of Ao Kao Beach on the south side of Koh Mak. It was once a low-budget hut resort, since torn down and rebuilt as well-kept white air-conditioned bungalows. There are only 12 bungalows, spaced apart across roughly 150m of beachfront, each facing the sea with a private balcony and two lounge chairs. That small scale is exactly what guests love — the quiet and privacy a bigger resort simply cannot give you.
Ao Kao is a long beach on the south coast, white sand backed by coconut palms. Lazy Day's stretch faces the side where the sun sets straight into the sea — which is why the rooms are named Sunset Bungalow. In the evening guests carry a drink down to the sand in front of their bungalow to watch the sun go down, an image that recurs in review after review. The resort lends out kayaks and snorkelling gear for free, and the water out front is clear enough to paddle around easily.
"Small place but everything just works — the owner and staff look after you like you are staying with friends. We watched the sunset from our bungalow every evening. The kind of place you want to come back to."
The beach restaurant, Eat Lazy, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a sea view. Breakfast is included and draws plenty of praise for being fresh, with good coffee and several options to choose from — even though it is a set menu rather than a buffet. There is a spa/massage room offering Thai massage, aromatherapy and body scrubs. Other activities run to beach yoga, a small library and bicycle rental — all very much in the lazy spirit the name promises.
What lifts Lazy Day's scores is not luxury but owners and a team who genuinely care. Nearly every review mentions the warm, personal service — help arranging boats on and off the island, booking snorkelling trips, and small touches handled without being asked. On a Koh Mak where many places are still simple family-run resorts, service at this level is what pushes it to the top of the island in real guest reviews.
To be honest, per the reviews: the bungalows here are simple, not fully-loaded luxury rooms. Some guests note sparse furnishings and limited seating, and that fittings like taps, showers and door locks show wear. As for the beach, you should expect more rock than sand at low tide, and Koh Mak has sandflies (midges) that can bite at certain times. But most visitors feel the views, the atmosphere and the care more than make up for those limits.
The honest verdict from real reviews: Lazy Day suits couples and anyone who wants a quiet seaside break over a full set of facilities — you get sunset views, warm service and the privacy of just 12 bungalows. From around ฿2,200/night for a single bungalow in normal periods, rising in high season and for twin rooms to roughly ฿2,800–4,500, breakfast included. It scores about 9.3 from real reviews and ranks as the #1 place to stay on Koh Mak. If you can live with simple rooms and a shallow low-tide beach, this is one of the most repeat-booked stays on the island.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Quiet and private — only 12 bungalows spaced apart
- ✓ Sea and sunset views from every bungalow
- ✓ Owners and staff are warm and very attentive
- ✓ Tasty breakfast, good coffee, free kayaks and snorkelling
- ! Simple rooms with sparse furnishings, natural feel
- ! Some fittings (taps, showers, locks) show wear
- ! More rock than sand at low tide; sandflies can bite at times
- ✓ Beachfront on Ao Kao, clearly on the sunset-facing side
- ✓ Warm service — helps arrange boats and snorkelling trips
- ✓ Peaceful atmosphere ideal for a slow break
- ✓ Clean bungalows cleaned daily, each with a balcony
- ! Breakfast is a set menu rather than a buffet
- ! Some spa staff have limited English
- ! Very quiet in low season; some island services close
- 💡If you expect a fully-loaded luxury room — bungalows here are simple and natural, with sparse furnishings → if you want polish and full facilities, look at Seavana or Mira Montra on the Ao Suan Yai / Ao Pra side instead.
- 💡If a perfect sandy beach with deep water matters most — Ao Kao shows more rock than sand at low tide → check the tide times before swimming and pack water shoes.
- 💡If you are travelling in low season (Jun–mid-Oct) — many places on Koh Mak close and the sea can be rough on some days → confirm with the resort that it is open and that boats are running before you book.