Joanna James
With more than 40 beaches and a coastline that stretches across 50km, Koh Samui is an island of truly breathtaking proportions. Here are 8 striking Samui seaside spots visitors can’t afford to miss during a trip to the beach capital.
While it may be located in one of Koh Samui’s largest resort towns, Lamai Beach is a crescent-shaped paradise that’s ideal for sunbathing and relaxing. Home to the iconic Hin Ta and Hin Ya ( Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks) boulders, Lamai is a popular beach that’s suitable for those who love to shop and dine next to the coastline.
Tourists based at SAii Koh Samui Villas will find that this Choeng Mon beach hotel offers easy access to one of north-eastern Samui’s best beaches and bays. As a tranquil beach that’s largely deserted, it is the perfect destination to enjoy snorkelling activities or a sea kayaking adventure. Couples and solo travellers will also find Choeng Mon Beach a welcome respite from the island’s busier beaches.
As the most popular beach in all of Koh Samui, Chaweng Beach is in a bay area that’s tailor-made for extraverts. As a 5km stretch lined with shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, Chaweng is another half-moon-shaped seaside that offers holidaymakers the chance to wine, dine, and dance the night away in one all-encompassing and sun-kissed location.
Travellers on the lookout for a serene and quiet beach away from the hustle and bustle of city life will hardly find a more tranquil oasis than Maenam Beach. Providing breathtaking views of Koh Phangan from its shores, it is a little piece of paradise that’s suitable for couples and solo visitors in search of privacy.
As one of Koh Samui’s “secret” beaches, this 250m long beach in a small bay is officially known as Haad Thong Ta-khian. Although a handful of restaurants and hotels are found along the shoreline, it is a free-access beach that’s located to the north of Lamai Beach.
Although Bophut Beach is a well-known stopover for shoppers and foodies, those looking to wine and dine after splashing around in the ocean will hardly find a better location than this beach close to the Fisherman’s Village. While Bophut does tend to get overrun with tourists during the evening hours, those who head out to this white, sandy beach in the magical hours of dawn can have it all to themselves, at least for a while.
With a reputation as the most laid-back beach hub to the north of the island, Bang Por is a backpacker’s dream come true in Koh Samui. Stretching along a whopping 11km, it boasts the lengthiest coastline on the island. Situated to the west of Maenam Beach, Bang Por is a largely ignored public beach that every visitor should experience at least once.
Famed for its sunsets, Taling Ngam Beach is equally well-regarded for the captivating views it affords of Ang Thong National Marine Park. Ranked among Koh Samui’s most picturesque coastal areas, it is a sandy little piece of paradise fringed by a tropical jungle.
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A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
