Before going make sure you read all there is to know about this resort as this is a special place and for me it was like nowhere I have been before.
The basics you need to know are: most houses don't have hot water, no electricity during the day, very remote (not worth going out of your way for only couple of days), beautiful beach, nice food, below average rooms...
Now into more details....

Location (10/10): it took us over 4 hrs to get there from Phuket airport, 2.5 hrs drive and 1.5 hrs in noisy longtail boat. We were lucky that the weather was good as I am not sure how comfortable I would be in that boat in rough sea. But once you get there you are seriously rewarded. It is beautiful and their slogan luxury of nature is absolutely true, the nature is amazing. Beach is beautiful, vegetation is lush, animals walking around etc.

Houses / Rooms (3/10): there is certainly a wow factor when you first get to your house (we stayed in Baan Chang) but this wow factor soon dissapears as houses are not maintained that great. I am not even talking about big things, it's small cosmetic stuff that wouldn't even cost much to sort out. Houses are individually owned but they are managed by the resort so it was dissapointing to see missing handles, broken blinds, fag burns in cushions... and it wasn't only in our house, I've heard other guest saying the same. Beds are extremly uncomfortable and really don't provide good sleep at all. Bathrooms are open air which is a nice idea which turns into a nightmare when it's raining and you are trying to use the toilet. Baan Chang specific - the view they show on their website from the house is completely obstructed by bushes which didn't bother us but it may bother some.

Beach (10/10) - BEWARE! For us the beach was great, but it is not great for swimming as the waves are big and current strong. Snorkling is impossible due to current and waves. But again, for us that was irrelevant. What we wanted was a long deserted stretch of beautiful beach with amazing sand. And we got it! It is one of the best beaches I have ever been on, you can go whole day without seeing anyone.

Food & Bar (8/10) - we stayed full board and I strongly recommend to do so, as there is no other eateries near by. Food is very tasty, and portions are huge. It is basically all you can eat during the meal times as you can order as much food as you like. There is a reasonable big menu for breakfast and lunch (which does get a bit repetative after a week but not a big deal). Dinner is chef choice, so you don't get choice what you eat, but not to worry it is all very tasty. The reason why the score is only 8 is the fact that they bring you food straight away, so you don't reallt get a chance to have a drink or to before the dinner. Also the atmosphere at the club house was not that great, I have stayed in some All inclusive resorts that had better atmosphere. Drinks are not cheap: small beer - 330 ml is 105 B (£2.10) after tax, juices 95 B (£1.90) after tax, which is really London prices but acceptable considering they have to bring everything in boats.

Service (8/10) - generally good, there was a couple of staff members that were amazing (especially Pena, barman and the guy who I believe is a bar manager) but I have experienced better service elswhere in Thailand. Used their laundry service which was very reasonable priced but got laundry back damp and smelly after 3 days.

Conclusion: it is definetely a different kind of place and it is not for everyone. We loved it because of the beach, how remote it is and the food they serve.
Unfortunately there were a few things we didn't like and that is why I would not choose to go back. It was a good experience though. :-)

Finally, I cannot stress enough how important it is to take a very good mosquito repellent. The net keeps some away but you will get bitten to pieces. As houses are very open there is wildlife gallore (including in your room), we had: frogs, gecos, jungle rat and lizards all coming into our room, which for us was great cause it only added to the experience.

We visited Golden Buddha Beach for the first time last Christmas and have been back twice since. After 7 years living in Asia we have had holidays in many different parts of Thailand and other countries, but as soon as our longtail boat landed in the bay here, we knew we had found our perfect destination. Frankly we aren't interested in going anywhere else ever again! There just aren't many places like this left in the world: so beautiful, pristine and undeveloped, but where you can stay in comfort, eat fantastic food and relax totally.

However, GBB is not for everyone, luckily otherwise it would look like Phuket. You will love it if you appreciate nature, peace and quiet, swimming in the sea, yoga, diving and snorkelling, delicious Thai food and long stretches of beautiful empty beach where you can walk for hours and only see 1 or 2 other people. If you want a pool, bar or big social scene, fancy hotel, large choice of restaurants, western food, shopping, kids club etc. then it's not for you. It is an eco-resort so there's no pool or A/C or hot water in most houses, and only electricity in the evenings, but you really don't need any of these things as the air and water temperature are perfect. During three weeks we stayed this Christmas I never once wished for a warm water shower, cool water was perfect, and we didn't even use our fans in the evenings (this was December, it does get hotter later in the season.) If you really want hot water and fans all night, you can book a house with solar power, there are several.

The resort is very family-friendly, our kids love it, they dig in the sand, search for shells and bugs, swim, snorkel, kayak and just hang out and relax. But if your kids need a lot of entertainment laid on it may not be the right place for you. Also those with babies and very young children should consider the location, it's fine for the adventuresome but maybe not for very cautious parents.

The staff are all lovely and make every guest feel welcome. each house is different and far enough apart for complete privacy, so you don't feel like you're staying in a hotel at all. Meals are served in the clubhouse - delicious and super-healthy, all you can eat. There are also a few beach-front places around the bay where you can go if you feel like a change.

My other piece of advice is to stay for a while! I was astonished to meet people who were there for only a few days. It takes most of the day to get there from Phuket and a couple more days to wind down and get into the laid-back spirit of the place, so I would say you need at least a week to make the trip worthwhile.

The black flies and mosquitoes are the only fly in the ointment for us, you really do need lots of bug spray and to wear long sleeves after dark. We always leave with multiple bites and are trying to figure out how to reduce this in future. But it won't keep us away, this place really is idyllic! I can't recommend it highly enough if you like the outdoors and are looking for nature, simplicity and unspoilt beauty.

In a word: Incredible. If you are looking for a place to relax, enjoy nature and be surrounded by some of the nicest people ever, then look no further! A remote unspoiled island, Koh Phra Thong is an absolute gem! The houses are open, so yes, you will get to know some of the wildlife around you, but that is part of the beauty of this place. There are mosquito nets around the beds, so you shouldn’t be bothered during the night. The beaches are stunning, the food is FABULOUS, and staff are simply wonderful and will do their very best to help you in any way.
Waking up and enjoying yoga every day, while listening to the waves and lovely birdsong is what made this vacation simply unforgettable. I will certainly be making Golden Buddha Beach a regular vacation spot.

There can't be many places left in Thailand that are as unspoilt and peaceful as Golden Buddha. It takes ages to get here and it took us a day to get used to the peace and calm here and pace of life. The beaches are beautiful and completely unspoilt, which also means no sun loungers or waiters which we'd normally expect for a resort that costs this much but after a few days we realised that's the charm of this place. We spent hours sat on our veranda reading and watching the wildlife around us. Diving here is good with blue guru but expensive (expect to pay £200 per trip to the national park) but well worth it. morning yoga sessions were a great way to work up and appetite for breakfast. Food is great too, simple honest Thai food with a well stocked bar.

Yes, there's limited electricity, no wifi really and cold showers but if you see if as part of the charm it's fine.

We'd definitely return