9 Best Beaches in THAILAND You Should Visit

best beaches in thailand

Known for its white beach sands, palm trees, and crystal clear water, Thailand can offer you a one-of-a-kind experience. Once you visit it, you will be in amazement.

When you take a glimpse at what Thailand has to offer, you will want to stay at the beach as much as possible. If you are in Thailand for business, then a trip to the beach will be the perfect resting place to finish off the day.

To make the preparations for your trip to Thailand easier, we have compiled a list of the 8 best beaches in this beautiful country. So read on and get inspired for your next vacation.

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1. Sunrise Beach at Koh Lipe Island

Take a trip to Koh Lipe island in the southern part of Thailand. While there, you will come in touch with the whitest beaches and clearest water imaginable.

While Thailand has several beautiful beaches, Sunrise Beach at Koh Lipe is one example of this beauty, it will leave you breathless. Its white sand is the finest around and provides a smooth feeling as you walk along.

As you can expect from the beach’s name, the sunrises are the most beautiful ones in the area. This makes it a great reason to wake up early every day.

2. Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui

Chaweng Beach in the famed Koh Samui is another spot where you can relish amazing sunrises. Not an early bird? Don’t worry. You can party through the night and enjoy the first rays of the sun with your last drink.

Even though Chaweng Beach is mostly popular among party freaks, you can expect much more from it. In the northern part, there are plenty of fancy resorts and spas for those who love to relax, while foodies will appreciate the restaurants and beach bars that line the coastline.

Chaweng Beach also boasts various water activities to engage in, including jetskis, snorkeling, and diving. If you don’t mind a busy beach, this is simply a great place to be.

3. Klong Chao in Koh Kood

When your trip to Thailand includes relaxing at the beach, make sure that it includes Klong Chao Beach too. This coast is a definite must and has many reasons to visit it.

Its shore has fine sand and merges into the glistening water. The water is suitable for those who are looking to enjoy shallow water while relishing the complete tranquility that the area provides. You’ll also enjoy an array of activities in the water such as kayaking, snorkeling, or diving.

The Klong Chao Beach has a little bit of everything as well as provides a beautiful view of freshwater that makes its way to the awaiting sea via the river where the beach ends.

4. Railay West Beach in Krabi

Away from the islands, you will also enjoy some beaches that are beyond beautiful. One that comes to mind is Railay West Beach which is within the Krabi province in southern Thailand.

It is located among the jungle and limestone cliffs and is stunning surf. With rocks that protrude, the sea can provide a turquoise marvel to enjoy. This can create the perfect postcard photo to send back home.

While at Railay West Beach, you can expect to enjoy some outdoor activities along with water activities. These can include hiking and climbing so that you can get the most out of the area.

Although the Krabi peninsula is no secret, it is worth you bring it to your beach itinerary.

The beaches in Krabi allow you to visit one coast after the next one as well as to enjoy the sunrise on one beach and enjoy the sunset on another.

5. Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi

Maya Bay is beyond heavenly and situated within Koh Phi Phi Leh. There, you can enjoy the jungle, crystal clear water, and white sand beach.

You may recognize the Maya Bay shore from the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “The Beach”. This movie put Maya Bay on the list of the greatest tourist spots. However, the bay got closed in 2018 due to mass tourism.

While the bay stayed closed, the bay’s marine life and reefs recovered. Thanks to the successful restoration measures, the beach was reopened at the beginning of 2022. Ever since there have been regulations in place designed to keep the area in pristine condition.

6. Aow Leuk Beach in Koh Tao

Set in Koh Tao, Aow Leuk Beach is a destination popular for diving and a multitude of other activities. To visit Aow Leuk, you need to pay a fee.

Once paid, you will come in contact with a beach full of white sand and water that is further than crystal clear. If diving is your thing, then the underwater world will catch your attention with various fish.

The fee also includes complete access that includes a drink and chairs for the beach to enjoy your time.

For this reason, tourists come to enjoy snorkeling at this beach. The known Shark Island is in the distance and makes the scenic view even more beautiful. Aow Leuk Beach also provides a good amount of seclusion.

7. Sairee Beach in the Koh Tao

Within Koh Tao is Sairee Beach, a great place to enjoy from the very beginning of your day. You will see firsthand why this beach is so special – thanks to the sheer length of the sand!

If you are looking for a long walk on the beach, then Sairee Beach is a great option. Its length allows you to relish the start of the day with the sunrise and enjoy the sunset as soon as you get everything done in the day.

On the other hand, if seclusion is what you desire, then you may want to skip Sairee Beach because this beach has an ample amount of movement. This includes many shops offering underwater activities and area restaurants. Nevertheless, the restaurants along the beach offer great cuisine

8. Kantiang Beach in Koh Lanta

Kantiang Beach is a beautiful beach found within Koh Lanta. Not much tourism happens in the area, which makes visiting the beach perfect for a quiet getaway from other travelers.

You will love how you can relax in peace while enjoying a Thai massage or a nice book.

Compared to the famous Long Beach, Kantiang Beach is in a more tranquil location. The bad thing is that you will also have fewer types of amenities.

Many families enjoy bringing their kids to Kantiang Beach for its gentle slopes and ideal high-tide swimming.

If you make your way south of Kantiang Beach, you can take advantage of great snorkeling opportunities, too.

9. Thong Nai Pan Noi/Yai in Koh Phangan

When you are on the lookout for full moon parties, then you will love making your way to Koh Phangan. Nonetheless, you will not be experiencing much relaxation, although there are some parts of the area that provide peace.

Areas that can offer you tranquility are outside of Than Sadet National Park and include two beach bays. The first is the Thong Nai Pan Noi and the second is Thong Nai Pan Yai. Both of these beach coves are also close to everything that you need to enjoy your stay.

With a wide range of tropical rainforests, the beach sand is beyond white with water that shines as bright.

Having no reef makes the beach coves perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking.

Check this post for more Koh Phangan beaches.

Why visit Thailand?

As a popular tourist destination, Thailand continues to provide many visitors with extraordinary opportunities to enjoy their vacation. There are many reasons why tourists flock to Thailand, and below are a few of the most popular ones.

The Pristine Beaches

As you know from the list of beaches above, there is a multitude of beaches to visit in Thailand. Not only do you get a nice amount of sunshine at the beaches, but they also provide a whole new culture made up of tourists and locals.

The beaches allow you to enjoy one single beach that provides all-day activities or go to a closeby island for the day.

The Authentic Cuisine

Thai cuisine includes many dishes involving fresh ingredients and spices that are super aromatic. You will find that each region has a distinct taste that is unique to the area. But note that Thai street food can be spicy so you may not want to eat it if you do not favor it.

Enjoy a Beach Bar Drink

The beach bars can easily make for a memorable Thai vacation. You will see many options that will be playing great tunes from Bob Marley and where the bar owners easily become great friends. You may also find truly delicious drinks or a nice lounge where it is best to dress for.

Enjoy the Wildlife

The wildlife in Thailand involves a nice variety that is made up of many species. As you visit the beaches you can surely enjoy viewing monkeys in the trees. You may also be able to enjoy a trip to the beach on top of an elephant while on your way to watch the whales.