Banpu Resort – White Sand Beach

Scorecard: Banpu Resort

Overall Rating: 7.7 / 10
An old-school, wooden bungalow resort in a handy beachfront spot. Some rooms are still stuck in the 90s, others are nicely updated. The beach is OK, the value is good, the pool is tiny.

Location: 8.8 / 10 – Central/southern White Sand, beachfront and very handy for shops and restaurants.
Rooms: 7.0 / 10 – Dark, dated wooden bungalows vs lighter, newer rooms in the extension. Very mixed.
Facilities: 7.0 / 10 – Small pool, gardens, restaurant and bar. Enough, but nothing fancy.
Beach: 8.5 / 10 – On the sand, but not the best section; some rocks and a narrower strip at high tide.
Breakfast / Food: 8.4 / 10 – Good buffet with decent Thai food; better than you’d expect for the price.
Service: 8.2 / 10 – Attentive, friendly staff and well-kept rooms.
Value for Money: 8.0 / 10 – Solid value if you pick the newer room types and aren’t too fussy.

What We Liked

Beachfront location with pleasant gardens
Newer rooms in the extension are bright and modern
Good Thai food and generous breakfast
Friendly staff and generally tidy grounds

What Could Be Better

Many of the original bungalows feel very dated and dark
Pool is tiny for the size of the resort
Beachfront here is not as nice as further north on White Sand
Overall look is more “aging 3-star” than “cute tropical hideaway”

Best For

Families and couples who want a beachfront base without paying KC Grande money
Travellers who value location and price more than interior design
Package-holiday types who just want AC, breakfast and the sea nearby

Summary:
Banpu is a very typical older Thai beach resort: great location, decent facilities, dated bungalows and a few newer rooms that lift the average. Pick the right room and it’s good value; pick the wrong one and you’ll be Googling “how to love brown wood panelling”.

See prices & available rooms

Banpu Resort – Full Review

Overview

Banpu Resort is one of the longest-established places on White Sand Beach. It’s a mid-range, mostly wooden bungalow resort set in leafy gardens, right on the seafront in the central/southern part of the beach. Over the years it’s been extended and partially renovated, so what you get today is a mix of very traditional, dark-wood bungalows and a newer, lighter beachfront block.

It’s not the sort of place to get excited about if you live on Pinterest, but it does offer a straightforward beach holiday with AC, breakfast, a small pool and easy access to everything on White Sand.

Location – Central/Southern White Sand Beach

Banpu sits on the beachfront a little south of the central strip of White Sand:

Direct access to the beach from the garden
Easy walking distance to shops, minimarts and restaurants
Songthaews passing on the main road behind for trips up and down the island

The section of beach here isn’t the best on White Sand, parts are rocky and the sand narrows at high tide but it’s still perfectly usable and you can wander up or down the coast for better swimming.

Atmosphere

The feel is “old-school Thai beach resort”: lots of wooden structures, mature trees, slightly random pathways and a small pool tucked into the middle of it all. It attracts a mix of package-holiday guests, families and independent travellers who value the location and price more than modern styling.

It’s busy enough to feel lived-in, but not as frantic as the larger four-star resorts on the beach. Staff are generally friendly and the place is kept neat, even if some bits are looking their age.

Rooms – Old Bungalows vs Newer Extension

Rooms at Banpu are very much a tale of two halves.

Original Bungalows

Traditional wooden interiors with dark panelling on floors, walls and ceilings
Basic but functional furniture and bathrooms
Plenty of character, but also distinctly dated
Best suited to travellers who grew up with “Thai beach bungalow” holidays and know what they’re getting into

Newer Beachfront / Annex Rooms

Lighter, brighter and more modern décor
Smaller in size but feel fresher and less cave-like
Better for guests who prefer simple modern rooms over rustic wood

All rooms have AC, minibar/fridge, TV, mosquito nets and private bathrooms. You’re not booking Banpu for cutting-edge interior design, but the newer room types do bring it closer to what many travellers expect in 2025.

Facilities

Pool

There is a pool, but it’s small for the number of guests. It’s fine for a quick cool-off or letting the kids splash around, but you won’t be doing serious laps here. In practice, most people use the beach instead.

Restaurant & Bar

Banpu has a beachfront restaurant and bar serving Thai dishes and a selection of Western staples. The Thai food is generally good and prices are reasonable for a resort on White Sand. The sea view does a lot of the heavy lifting at breakfast and dinner.

Other Facilities

Beachfront sunbeds and umbrellas (shared with other guests)
Tour desk for booking transfers and activities
Basic massage available nearby on the sand

The Beach

The resort backs onto a slightly rockier and narrower section of White Sand Beach. It’s still a proper beach. You can walk, sit and swim but it’s not as pretty or as wide as the northern end in front of KC Grande and White Sand Beach Resort.

There’s a sandy area directly in front of the resort where sunbeds are set up, and a path cleared through any stones out into deeper water. If you’re happy to walk a few minutes up or down the beach, you’ll find nicer bits for swimming.

How It Compares to Other White Sand Resorts

Kacha Resort: More facilities (two pools, larger grounds) and newer rooms overall, but also busier and noisier. Prices can be similar.
KC Grande: Newer, bigger and generally better quality across the board but also in a higher price bracket.
Grandview: Similar age and feel, but on a nicer stretch of beach with a bigger pool. Room quality also varies a lot there.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Beachfront location with pleasant garden setting
Newer rooms in the extension are decent value
Good Thai food and a proper breakfast buffet
Friendly staff and decent housekeeping

Cons

Older bungalows are very dated and dark
Pool is tiny for the number of guests
Beach section isn’t the best on White Sand
Overall look is “aging 3-star” rather than “charming rustic”

Who Should Stay Here?

Perfect for:

Families and couples who want a beachfront resort on White Sand without paying top-end prices
Travellers who don’t mind older rooms as long as the location is good
Package-holiday guests who value AC, breakfast and the sea more than décor

Not ideal for:

Anyone who hates dark wood and older-style rooms
People who want a large, impressive pool
Guests expecting a modern 4-star experience

Value for Money

If you choose one of the newer room types and accept that you’re in an older resort, Banpu can be very decent value for a beachfront stay on White Sand. If you end up in one of the darkest, oldest bungalows at high season prices, you may feel differently.

Final Thoughts

Banpu won’t win any design awards, but it still appeals to a certain type of traveller: people who want a straightforward beach holiday in a convenient location and don’t care too much about what the furniture looks like, as long as the AC works and breakfast is decent.

The main downside would be the very small pool – which now has to cater for twice as many guests. You can pay the same and stay in the nearby Kacha Resort which has two pools for guests to use.

If that sounds OK to you, and you pick your room carefully, Banpu is worth a look. If you’re more design-conscious, look at KC Grande, 15 Palms or one of the newer hillside hotels instead.