"We were tired of watching travelers pay double for half the island."
RentWithLocals started with one bad Airbnb. A friend visiting from Berlin paid $1,400 for a month in a place that was 10 minutes from anywhere good. Down the road, the actual owner was renting an almost-identical home for $650 — but no traveler could find it.
Phangan is full of these places. Locally-owned, lovingly built, often passed down through families. They never make it onto Airbnb because the owners don't want to deal with the platform — the fees, the photos, the cancellation fights, the strangers.
So we built a different kind of platform. Not a directory. A matchmaker. You tell us who you are. We send 3–5 homes that fit. You message the local directly on LINE. Done. No middlemen. No platform fees. No corporate filter between you and the island.
60s
average match time
47%
average savings vs Airbnb
100%
verified local landlords
Our three brand directions
We considered three creative paths. We chose Sunset Local — warm, human, island-cozy.
★ chosen
Sunset Local
Warm coral + sand + handwritten accents. Human and cozy.
considered
Island Modern
Ocean blue + coconut cream + clean sans. Minimal and crisp.
considered
Jungle Playful
Leafy green + sunset coral + chunky rounded UI. Fun and bold.