FUNKY FISH HOSTEL
Long Beach | Koh Lanta | Thailand
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Date of Stay: December 2014
Room Type: Bungalow with fan and private bathroom Price per night: 700 Thai Baht Rating: 
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Funky Fish is perfectly located in the middle of Long Beach on Koh Lanta, close to a variety of restaurants, bars, convenience stores and only a 2 minute walk to the beach. Long Beach is a great beach for swimming, relaxing or having a meal and drink at any one of the many restaurants along the beach however we were there in peak season and it was absolutely packed with people everyday.
Funky Fish is on a dirt road along with a few other hostels and a some local restaurants and bars. The whole area has a nice relaxed vibe however when it rains, the whole street becomes almost impassable due to the slippery mud that is constantly chopped up by scooters and tuk tuks.
At the front of the property is a building with four 10-bed dormitories while toward the back of the property are two rows of private bungalows each with their own bathroom. The bungalows come with either a fan or air conditioning and the prices vary accordingly.
We chose a bungalow with a fan as they were all nicely shaded by trees, so did not get too hot day or night. The bungalow had a decent sized balcony with a small table and chairs as well as a hammock. This little area had the potential to be my favourite thing about the property, however the mosquitos made it almost unbearable to sit outside any time of day!
The only common area at Funky Fish is a few long tables outside the dormitories, and the Treehouse Bar located next door. However on further inspection, the Treehouse Bar is in fact a different business and in order to sit in there and use their Wi-Fi you needed to order drinks.
The bungalows are much older and run down inside than they look from the outside. While the bed was comfortable and there was a wardrobe for hanging space along with a table and mirror, the furniture was all in poor condition or broken in some way. The bathroom was huge with an open shower down one end and the toilet at the other which was great because it meant the toilet didn’t wet from the shower. The problem however was the ants. Ants seemed to be eating their way through the entire bungalow and every morning our bathroom was littered with piles of wood dust. The ants themselves didn’t bother us but the dirt everywhere was less pleasant. In the end, we used the shower to hose the bathroom down morning and night to get rid of all the dirt. On the upside the bungalow had a small fridge which was a huge plus and very rare in hostels as they try to avoid giving you the opportunity to have your own food or drinks in the rooms.
The reception of the hostel also doubles as a tour agency and the staff there can book any activities on the island, transport to and from the mainland as well as hiring out scooters.
We stayed at Funky Fish for six days and really enjoyed our time there despite the imperfect condition of the bungalows. Long Beach is the perfect base from which to explore Koh Lanta because regardless of where you actually stay, you generally need a scooter to explore this large island properly anyway.
However, on the other hand, if all you want to do is spend your days chilling on the beach, sipping cocktails, then Long Beach has the advantage of being one of Koh Lanta's more beautiful beaches that is still close to plenty of shops, bars and restaurants.
Funky Fish is on a dirt road along with a few other hostels and a some local restaurants and bars. The whole area has a nice relaxed vibe however when it rains, the whole street becomes almost impassable due to the slippery mud that is constantly chopped up by scooters and tuk tuks.
At the front of the property is a building with four 10-bed dormitories while toward the back of the property are two rows of private bungalows each with their own bathroom. The bungalows come with either a fan or air conditioning and the prices vary accordingly.
We chose a bungalow with a fan as they were all nicely shaded by trees, so did not get too hot day or night. The bungalow had a decent sized balcony with a small table and chairs as well as a hammock. This little area had the potential to be my favourite thing about the property, however the mosquitos made it almost unbearable to sit outside any time of day!
The only common area at Funky Fish is a few long tables outside the dormitories, and the Treehouse Bar located next door. However on further inspection, the Treehouse Bar is in fact a different business and in order to sit in there and use their Wi-Fi you needed to order drinks.
The bungalows are much older and run down inside than they look from the outside. While the bed was comfortable and there was a wardrobe for hanging space along with a table and mirror, the furniture was all in poor condition or broken in some way. The bathroom was huge with an open shower down one end and the toilet at the other which was great because it meant the toilet didn’t wet from the shower. The problem however was the ants. Ants seemed to be eating their way through the entire bungalow and every morning our bathroom was littered with piles of wood dust. The ants themselves didn’t bother us but the dirt everywhere was less pleasant. In the end, we used the shower to hose the bathroom down morning and night to get rid of all the dirt. On the upside the bungalow had a small fridge which was a huge plus and very rare in hostels as they try to avoid giving you the opportunity to have your own food or drinks in the rooms.
The reception of the hostel also doubles as a tour agency and the staff there can book any activities on the island, transport to and from the mainland as well as hiring out scooters.
We stayed at Funky Fish for six days and really enjoyed our time there despite the imperfect condition of the bungalows. Long Beach is the perfect base from which to explore Koh Lanta because regardless of where you actually stay, you generally need a scooter to explore this large island properly anyway.
However, on the other hand, if all you want to do is spend your days chilling on the beach, sipping cocktails, then Long Beach has the advantage of being one of Koh Lanta's more beautiful beaches that is still close to plenty of shops, bars and restaurants.
