If you love to swim, sunbathe or simply relax on the beach with a great book, Koh Samui has you spoiled for choice. There are numerous great beaches on Koh Samui, ranging from busy watersports hotspots to quiet, isolated beaches that are largely untouched by mass tourism.
Koh Samui © Jon Rawlinson
Koh Samui’s three most popular beaches — Chaweng, Lamai and Bophut — are all located on the island’s northern and eastern coastline. In the north of the island, several quiet and chilled out beaches offer the relaxing atmosphere that originally made Samui a famous destination.
Travel to Koh Samui’s southern coast and you’ll find several isolated beaches that have been left almost completely undeveloped. Taling Ngam, on the island’s western coast, is a beautiful white sand beach that’s the location of many of Koh Samui’s most luxurious resorts.
Whether you like to visit the beach for swimming and sports or sunbathing and relaxation, Koh Samui has you covered. Below, we’ve provided overviews of Koh Samui’s best beaches to help you choose the perfect place to stay during your trip.
Chaweng Beach
Koh Samui, Chaweng Beach © travelourplanet
- Chaweng Beach is Koh Samui’s largest and most popular beach. Heavily developed with hotels and restaurants, Chaweng has maintained most of its natural beauty but can attract big crowds during the high season.
- Jetskis, beachside bars and fire shows make Chaweng an exciting place to spend the day but far from Koh Samui’s best beach for relaxation. Chaweng is also Koh Samui’s nightlife hotspot, with a great selection of bars, a large variety of international restaurants and several nightclubs.
Lamai Beach
Lamai Beach, Koh Samui © irumge
- Located south of Chaweng, Lamai Beach is a more laid back beach that’s maintained some of its backpacker charm over the years. Lamai is less developed than Chaweng but is still a major tourist destination, with several new high-end resorts lining the northern end of the beach.
- Like Chaweng, Lamai is a naturally beautiful beach that stretches over several kilometres. The great selection of affordable hotels and restaurants here make it a great base for exploring Koh Samui, while the beach itself offers a mix of water sports, seaside dining and fun.
Thong Ta Kian Beach
Ko Samui Crystal Bay © glowform
- Thong Ta Kian Beach, also known as Crystal Bay, is a small beach located north of Lamai. Just over 250 metres in length, it’s one of Koh Samui’s smallest beaches. Thong Ta Kian is regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches on the entire island.
- The short beach is bordered at either end with round rock formations, creating a very different environment from Koh Samui’s other beaches. The clear water and calm atmosphere make it a great alternative to the more crowded beaches of nearby Chaweng and Lamai.
Bophut Beach
Bophut Fishermans Village © chijs
- Bophut Beach is a popular beach located in the north of Koh Samui. Famous for its Fisherman’s Village — a small street market and restaurant area — Bophut is a calm white sand beach with a good view of Koh Phangan.
- Relaxed and peaceful, Bophut Beach offers a great mix of the convenience of Chaweng and the chilled out atmosphere of Koh Samui’s north coast. The Fishermen’s Village is also one of Koh Samui’s best dining areas, with an incredible variety of Thai and international restaurants.
Big Buddha (Bang Rak) Beach
Bells and view at Big Buddha © lindzgraham
- Bang Rak Beach is a long, sandy beach on Koh Samui’s northern coast. Located slightly to the east of Bophut, Bang Rak Beach has a less upmarket feel than its neighbour, with a selection of beachside bungalows, cheap guesthouses and boutique hotels.
- Wat Phra Yai, a Buddhist temple on a small island connected to the beach by causeway, is the home of a 12-metre golden Buddha statue that’s an icon of Koh Samui. Bang Rak Beach is also the location of the main ferry between Koh Samui and nearby Koh Phangan.
Bang Po and Ban Tai Beach
Ban Tai, Koh Samui, Thailand © webdesignsamui
- Bang Po and Ban Tai are two quiet, uncrowded beaches on Koh Samui’s northern coast. Both beaches are largely untouched by mass tourism, with just a few resorts and restaurants aimed at tourists and expats.
- Bang Po is the larger of the two beaches, stretching over six kilometres and made up of long sections of pristine sand interrupted by smooth rock clusters. Ban Tai Beach is a small beach with a single resort that’s perfect for sunbathing or relaxing with a good book.
Choeng Mon Beach
Choeng Mon Beach © diamondace
- Choeng Mon Beach is a collection of small bays in the far northeast of Koh Samui. Separated from nearby Chaweng and Bang Rak Beach by a rocky headland, Choeng Mon has a relaxed, quiet feel that makes it ideal for families looking to escape the island’s hustle and bustle.
- Most of the resorts on Choeng Mon are high-end and mid-priced, with few budget bungalows or guesthouses. Nightlife is also limited, with little more than a few beachside bars. If you’d like to relax and unwind on Samui away from civilisation, Choeng Mon Beach is a great place to do it.
Mae Nam Beach
Mae Nam Beach, Ko Samui © Daemyong Middle School
- Mae Nam Beach is a long, sandy beach on Koh Samui’s north coast that overlooks the nearby island of Koh Phangan. A short drive from Bophut, Mae Nam is far less developed and is one of the few beaches on Koh Samui to retain a variety of cheap resorts aimed at backpackers.
- One of Koh Samui’s longest beaches, Mae Nam is rarely crowded and attracts far fewer people than nearby Bophut. Although many of the bungalows are being replaced by upmarket resorts, it remains one of the cheapest places to stay on Koh Samui.
Taling Ngam Beach
Taling Ngam Beach © ijammin
- Taling Ngam is one of Koh Samui’s most geographically isolated and unspoiled beaches. This remote beach stretches over several kilometres in southwest of Koh Samui, with great views of Angthong Marine Park and a quiet atmosphere that’s unmatched by the island’s other beaches.
- Most of the accommodation options around Taling Ngam are high end, with two of Koh Samui’s best resorts located on the beachfront. Aside from a famous seafood restaurant, there’s little to do in Taling Ngam, which is perhaps the beach’s biggest attraction.
