It has been quite some time since I last visited Mae Phim near Rayong.
I think the first time must have been about seven or eight years ago. Then I had no idea what to expect of Mae Phim, apart from I knew it was on the the coast.
I briefly visited there on the way to Ban Phe to catch the ferry to Koh Samet. I remember that it was about 20 minutes from Mae Phim to get to Ban Phe. I remember that then it seemed like a very quiet village with not much happening at all.
All the maps of Mae Phim seem to refer to its full name of Laem Mae Phim, although most people in the immediate area just call it Mae Phim.
Still looking at the Mae Phim map you can see the area which sticks out to sea is called Cape Mae Phim, the full Thai translation for its name.
My next Mae Phim visit was when I stayed at Villa Bali for a couple of days. That was nice, a small resort run by a Thai guy who had been educated in the US.
After that I didn't go near Mae Phim again for about five years, until a couple of years ago when I became an almost regular visitor.
I could see that although it had grown up since my earlier visits, it is still a very small and relaxed village, I could see why Mae Phim has all the charms that has made it attractive to the local Thai population for many years already.
Now it seems that it has captured the imagination of the small number of foreign tourists who have discovered it.
There are no night clubs or beer bars, there is not even a bank in Mae Phim, although there is now a 7-11.
If you get chance I would definitely recommend you have a look for yourself
