Beaches Near Bangkok 2022 – 7 Best Options
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Looking for the best beaches near Bangkok? Bangkok is such a chaotic city that every once in a while, even the locals need a beach break. These best beaches near Bangkok will prove that you don’t have to travel all the way to the south to enjoy some amazing beaches. We categorized the beaches varying from the most beautiful beach near Bangkok to the drunkest beach near Bangkok so that we can guarantee there will be a good option to find for every type of traveller. Let’s jump into what we believe are the seven best beaches near Bangkok.
Koh Kood beach
Koh Chang beach
Koh Samet beach
Pattaya beach
Koh Larn beach
Hua Hin beach
Pranburi beach
What are the best beaches near Bangkok?
The best beaches near Bangkok can be found at Koh Chang (National Park), although there are decent alternatives such as Koh Samet and Koh Larn. Unfortunately, you must travel quite a bit in order to get to Koh Chang. Other options would be Pattaya and Hua Hin, although those are not the most beautiful beach Thailand has to offer.
In this article, we cover the seven best beaches near Bangkok of which each has its own unique features and different travel times, making sure that no matter how much time you’re willing to travel, a great beach near Bangkok can be found for just a day trip, a weekend trip or even spend a week or longer.
The best beaches near Bangkok are:
1. Koh Kood Beach
Koh Kood is one of the prettiest islands in Thailand. Also, the island hasn’t been discovered by mass tourism yet. This means you share the beautiful beaches with few others and the coastline remains undeveloped and clear from high-rise condos, keeping that laidback island vibe. Making Koh Kood one of our favourite places to go in Thailand, and one of the better options for beaches near Bangkok. Yes, the prettiest island on this list is certainly worth the hassle getting there.
Travelling time to Koh Kood from Bangkok: 7-8 hours
Koh Kood Beach
2. Koh Chang
Is Koh Kood too quiet for you? Then nearby Koh Chang might be a good option. Koh Chang is the second-largest island in Thailand, right after bustling Phuket. And even though the island is very popular, it hasn’t been run over by tourism yet like other famous destinations in Thailand. Koh Chang boasts a healthy mix of authentic island vibe as well as sights and activities to keep you entertained for a few days. And really, there is a lot to do here such as hiking, visiting waterfalls, island tours, floating villages, cooking classes, yoga, a ghost ship, zip-lining, Thai boxing classes, fire shows, diving and Koh Chang even offers some small nightlife as well. For more detailed information, we recommend you to check I Am Koh Chang, an ultimate guide to Koh Chang.
Yes, there is much more to do on Koh Chang than quiet Koh Kood. But you trade this for more tourists and hotels. And even the beaches in Koh Chang are nice, they aren’t as world-class as scenic Koh Kood. Are you looking for relaxing and beautiful beaches? Head to Koh Kood! Do you go crazy about just thinking about staying three days on a beach, then stay on more developed Koh Chang for some things to keep you entertained. It is easy to take a day trip from Koh Chang to Koh Kood, so you can still experience these world-class beaches.
Travelling time to Koh Chang Beach from Bangkok: 6 – 7 hours
Koh Chang Beach
3. Koh Samet Beach
Koh Samet is your best choice if you’re looking for beaches near Bangkok that are beautiful with clear waters, yet aren’t completely overrun by tourists yet. Koh Samet’s close proximity to Bangkok (3.5 hours) makes it a popular weekend getaway for Bangkokians looking for a weekend to relax with friends and family. Yes, there are beaches that are nearer to Bangkok than Koh Samet. But unlike Pattaya or Koh Larn, which are completely overrun by tourists and the beaches are not as spectacular. Koh Samet while being touristy, is the closest beach near Bangkok that still offers you that relaxing island feeling.
The island is small, and you can explore the island with an ATV or motorbike. Beware, Koh Samet’s muddy roads can be a bit difficult to navigate. You can take a snorkelling tour, jet-ski or have a seafood feast on the beach. At night, some restaurants volume up the music and transform into bars and beach parties at night where you can enjoy a bucket or two. Due to its close proximity to Bangkok, Koh Samet gets much busier on the weekends than on weekdays.
Note: Koh Samet is closer to Bangkok than the islands of Koh Chang National Marine Park. However, Koh Samet doesn’t match the beauty of Koh Kood, and even Koh Chang leaves Koh Samet behind. Also, 3.5 hours still doesn’t quite make it for a day trip.
Travelling time to Koh Samet Beach from Bangkok: 3.5 hours
Koh Samet Beach
4. Pattaya Beach
Dubbed as Asia’s “Sin City”, a visit to notorious Pattaya is not for the faint-hearted. With bars on every street corner, most travellers come here to party. And even though we suggest it as a beach near Bangkok, it really is the ugliest and noisiest on this list and we wouldn’t even recommend you swimming there. The beach and water are polluted and there are jet skis and speedboats all along Pattaya Bay. So many, that the government designated areas for swimming to avoid accidents. Also relaxing on the beach is not an option, as every few or so minutes locals try to sell you some of their merchandise and directly behind the beach you’ll find a busy, noisy road.
Not exactly what you have in mind when you think of a tropical paradise, right? So why do people visit Pattaya Beach? Well, along Beach Road, you can find plenty of bars that are ideal for single men or groups to enjoy a beer while and look to the horizon. If that is not your thing, the beaches further down south at Jomtien are much quieter and more beautiful where you can find plenty of lounge bars and enjoy a slice of beach life. For many Thai Bangkokians who want to escape the chaotic Bangkok for the weekend, Jomtien is one of the most popular destinations. If you’re planning to visit Jomtien, make sure to go to one of the restaurants listed in our article about the best restaurants near Jomtien Beach.
What Pattaya does offer, which not many Westerners know, is the huge variety of local and international restaurants located close to the beach with excellent views and tasty food. Check out our article about the best restaurants in Pattaya to find the best places to eat from local noodle shops to ex-Michelin Chef’s bistros. Check out our article about the best restaurants in Pattaya with a great view to find good food while enjoying a nice oceanside view.
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Pattaya Beach in the daytime and during sunset.
5. Koh Larn Beach
Does the nightlife of Pattaya appeal to you, but do you need a beautiful beach as well? Then nearby Koh Larn is a good option for your tropical beach cravings. The small island is just 7.5 km off the coast of Pattaya and while still being touristy, it is a better option to relax and swim than Pattaya Bay, as the water and beach are better in Koh Larn. The island has a village where you can find some amazing places to eat, while on the south and west side of the island, remote beaches can be found. Check out our article about the best restaurants in Koh Larn to find amazing food with oceanside views.
At Koh Larn, there are lots of options for jet-skiing, water-skiing and parasailing, just like Pattaya and it’s still far from that idealistic quiet tropical island you have in your mind’s eye. However, if you want to see Pattaya’s notorious nightlife and still have a bit of swimming and relaxation in the daytime, this is your best option as it’s easy combined. You can even stay here overnight, as the islands boast many hotels and guesthouses, but these hotels are not nearly as comfortable as the hotels in Pattaya. Besides, the hotels in Pattaya are often cheaper! The best way is to take the ferry or the speedboat back to Pattaya and sleep in a comfortable bed in a comfortable room.
The Ferry to Koh Larn leaves from Pattaya’s Bali Hai Pier and takes about 40 minutes. Costs are 30 THB and you can find the latest boat schedules on the Koh Larn website. You can also take the speedboat, which departures whenever the boat is full and costs you approximately 200 THB per ride per person. Another option would be to charter your own speedboat for 1,500 – 2,500 THB, depending on the size of the boat. The boat will pick you up whenever you want when you charter your own speedboat.
Travelling time to Koh Larn Beach from Bangkok: 3 hours
Koh Larn Beach
6. Hua Hin Beach
Hua Hin is one of two large beach resorts near Bangkok, the other one being intense Pattaya. It is the oldest beach resort in Thailand, with Bangkokians starting to visit in the 1910s. It became very popular after members of the royal family opened their vacation homes and the former King Bhumibol even had his main residence and palace here. Because of these royal roots, Hua Hin is cleaner and better organized than other towns in Thailand.
Hua Hin is a good mix of shopping, beaches, markets, a few bars and some activities, you have about everything here you can expect from a lively beach resort, but nothing really stands out. The beach is okay, the bars are very calm and there are better places in Thailand for shopping. But this diversity is what makes Hua Hin so appealing, it offers a healthy mix of things to do so you won’t get bored.
For the more adventurous among us, Hua Hin is a famous kitesurf destination. And you can take classes in one of the many kitesurf schools. Also, the food scene at Hua Hin is of a high standard, with tasty local food, international restaurants and seafood options. A lot of travellers who visit Hua Hin have a seafood feast in one of the restaurants that are stilted above the sea.
Travelling time to Hua Hin Beach from Bangkok: 3 hours
Hua Hin Beach
7. Pranburi Beach
Laid-back Pranburi sees fewer tourist numbers than other beaches near Bangkok on this list. This surprises us, as Pranburi’s beaches are nice, and definitely nicer than nearby and more popular Hua Hin and Cha-am. Pranburi is the quietest beach near Bangkok and it offers a worry-free, laidback beach vibe with not much going on. You go to Pranburi to relax. And next to chilling at Pranburi’s unspoiled beaches or reading a book at your hotel’s pool, you can also visit one of the nearby national parks. Sam Roi Yod National Park is our favourite national park near Pranburi, the park features nice views, hiking and a royal pavilion built inside a cave. Or take one of the two nature trails in nearby Pranburi Forest Park. Looking for something adventurous? It’s possible to camp on the beach in both parks.