Where to stay in
Chaweng

It depends on your priority. The central stretch around Central, like Chaweng Regent or COSI, is handiest for restaurants, bars, and the mall, ideal if you want things to do nearby, but it's loud at night. The southern end, like Banana Fan Sea, or a beachfront boutique like Buri Rasa, is quieter with shallower water, better for couples and families. If you want the calmest spot and have the budget, look at a luxury resort toward the end of the beach like Centara Reserve.

Central Chaweng, the bar-and-club zone, runs loud into the early hours, since it's the island's main nightlife area. If you book within that radius, ask for a higher floor or an inward-facing room, which helps. A hostel like Lub d, right by the nightlife, suits party-goers more than anyone after quiet. If you don't sleep easily, move toward the southern or northern ends of the beach, where the calmer resorts are.

Within Chaweng itself, walking is easy since the restaurants, bars, and mall are close together. But for other beaches, the airport, or sights around the island, there's no strong public transit. Most people use songthaews (shared pickups where you agree the fare before boarding), taxis, Grab, or a hotel car. If you plan several days of island sightseeing, renting a scooter is more flexible and cheaper, though some roads are busy and traffic moves fast, so take care if you're not used to it.