Fodor's Expert Review Centara Grand Beach Resort

This spacious resort has more amenities than any other resort on Chawaeng Beach. The main building is set back behind a large field separating it from the beach. Badminton, basketball (the hoop is hung from a coconut tree), and Ping-Pong cover one side of the field; a sunbathing area, which runs from the grass to the pool, occupies the other. Multiple happy hours run at different times at the indoor bar, the pool, and the beach. And there's an excellent Japanese restaurant, as well as two others serving Thai and Chinese dishes.