Kampung Gong Mak Som accommodation from AU$68

I feel this place has had some unfair and harsh reviews in the past. I can of course only base my review on our experience with the room we booked, a triple room with AC. Yes it is a bit of a walk from the long beach jetty and there is a bit of a broken up path with a small incline to the reception but from coral beach the hill is steep. We were greeted at reception by a friendly host and a bottle of water. We found our room to be clean and as the pictures stated, we had a fan and air conditioning and the room was quickly cooled after a hot walk. Our room was unfortunately at the top of another hill but can't be helped given the landscape of the property. The bathroom was acceptable the shower could have been slightly better as it didn't have much pressure but was enough to wash. There was no wifi in the room and the mobile reception is minor and patchy at best but this IS a remote island paradise. If you need entertainment in your room you'd be best to download a series or two but generally browsing internet and social media just about worked on mobile data. The property is a short and fairly easy walk from long beach and its restaurants, shops & bars about 5 mins. It's also a 5-10 minute walk from coral beach which is great for watching sunset but the steep hill is short but sweaty. I think the price of this room is more on the expensive side for basic accommodation but the AC is worth the upgrade as the jungle island is hot & humid. All in all we were happy with the stay

Avoid this place. We stayed here in July 2025 for 4 days and it was a disaster. Before arrival, no response from the property despite multiple attempts. They also provided wrong info about boat schedules from Kuala Besut (boats actually leave every 40 min). Day 1: The place looked abandoned,unfinished buildings, scaffolding, and garbage everywhere. No reception,just a guy at the bar watching loud videos on his phone. He didn’t speak English, so we used the translator. He refused early check-in, probably to sell us a drink during the wait. The sea view room was dirty: stained sheets, hair and dirt in the bathroom, sewer smell, a broken mirror, and no hot water. Complaining didn’t help. Day 2: The day after, we asked if the problem had been fixed. He told us he hadn’t been able to fix it and that a part needed to be ordered, which would arrive the following day. We asked for a different room, but that wasn’t possible. Other guests also stood waiting at “reception” for hours with no help. Day 3: A manager finally showed up and spoke English, but instead of fixing anything, he offered us snacks and a cocktail. He then said it was a public holiday and repairs would be done the next day. We were promised a room change if the issue persisted. Too late, we had only one day left and were showering using the bidet shower. Day 4: Shower was finally fixed. In short: Structure is falling apart, staff is incompetent, and hygiene is unacceptable. Save your holiday, book elsewhere.

This is one of two expensive places on the small island. The other is about the same in price but just a motel with a better location. This property is many classes above all the others and a strong competitor for hotels and resorts anywhere. The only issue is that unless you want a full service restaurant there are no real options for just snacks.