Racha Kiri Resort & Spa — Gulf-view villas on the hillside above Nai Phlao Beach, Khanom
Drive along Nai Phlao Beach to the end of the road, then climb a low rise that looks out over the Gulf of Thailand — that is the setting of Racha Kiri Resort & Spa, a Thai-styled 4-star resort many travellers choose in Khanom precisely to wake up to the sea without the crowds. Almost every villa and suite faces the bay, with Koh Samui visible on the horizon on a clear day. From approx. THB 2,300/night for a sea-view room.
Racha Kiri opened back in 2007, set on a hillside above Nai Phlao Beach on the Khanom side of the coast — a stretch southern locals know for sea that stays quieter and clearer than many better-known beaches. The buildings step down the slope, so most rooms get an unobstructed Gulf-of-Thailand view. The point guests agree on most is the morning: the resort faces east over the bay, so you wake just in time for sunrise over the water.
Rooms run from the Superior Sea View Suite up to sea-view Villa Suites and a 76 sqm Family Suite for groups. Decor is contemporary Thai with timber furniture, and many rooms have a bathtub angled at the sea view. The private balcony is what guests love most — easy to sit out with a morning coffee or listen to the waves in the evening. Room sizes are generous for the price.
"Opened the curtains in the morning to sea and an orange sky filling the window, and even the bathtub looks out over the bay — that view paid for half the room already."
The grounds have two outdoor pools; the main one is fairly large, and several reviews call it the nicest pool to laze by with a sea view in this area. There is a spa for massages and treatments, and a poolside restaurant called Khanapnum serving Thai food and local seafood. Breakfast is a buffet that guests say is fuller than expected for a resort this size. Snorkelling trips and kayaks are available too.
The honest caveat: the resort is not right on the sand — you walk or take the resort buggy down to Nai Phlao / Ao Thong Yea beach a short distance away. Some reviews are disappointed if they expected true beachfront, though plenty feel the elevated view beats being at sea level. Confirm before booking that your room is a genuine sea view, as a few rooms face the garden or the hillside.
The most common complaint in reviews over the last couple of years is that the rooms are starting to look dated and upkeep is uneven — reports of stains in the bathroom, a light or two not working, or weak in-room Wi-Fi (stronger at the restaurant). It is a resort over 15 years old and the renovation has not reached everywhere, so cleanliness and freshness may not match a brand-new hotel. Weighed against the roughly THB 2,300 starting rate and the view, most guests still call it good value.
What keeps Racha Kiri's scores up is the staff. Almost every review mentions a friendly, helpful team who arrange transport, set up the Khanom pink-dolphin boat trip, and point you to good local restaurants. The overall mood is calm and quiet, well suited to couples or anyone escaping the bustle for a real rest — this is not a party resort. If you come to Khanom for peace, sea views and the pink dolphins, it makes a sensible base.
A tip from following Khanom reviews: request an upper-floor sea-view room at booking for an open outlook with no trees in the way. And if you are going to see the pink dolphins, go early and have the resort book the boat ahead — by mid-morning the swell picks up and sightings get rarer.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Beautiful Gulf views from the rooms and pool, great sunrises
- ✓ Friendly, helpful staff who arrange dolphin trips
- ✓ Calm, quiet setting ideal for an unhurried rest
- ✓ Spacious rooms, sea-view bathtub in many of them
- ! Not on the sand — walk or buggy down to Nai Phlao/Thong Yea beach
- ! Some rooms are starting to look dated and need a refresh
- ! In-room Wi-Fi is weak; stronger at the restaurant
- ✓ Sea view that's good value, relaxing private balconies
- ✓ Buffet breakfast fuller than expected
- ✓ Large pool with a pleasant sea view
- ✓ Quiet Khanom setting, good for couples and families
- ! Housekeeping is uneven, occasional bathroom stains
- ! Some rooms face the garden/hill — specify a sea view
- ! Restaurant prices are a bit high versus town
- 💡If you want a resort you can step straight onto the sand from — this one is up the hill, a short walk/buggy to the beach → if you plan to swim all day, look at places directly on Nai Phlao Beach.
- 💡If you're particular about brand-new, spotless rooms — the resort is over 15 years old and upkeep is uneven → ask for recent room photos and a renovated room when you book.
- 💡If you're set on the Khanom pink dolphins — go out early for better chances → have the resort arrange the boat ahead and check the swell before you set off.