Best Beaches in Koh Samui: The Honest Local Guide
A local's guide to Samui's best beaches, from the famous strips to the hidden coves most visitors never find.
- Chaweng has the best sand but the biggest crowds
- Lipa Noi faces west and has the best sunsets on the island
- Silver Beach is the top hidden cove but gets packed after 10am
Choosing Your Beach
Koh Samui has over twenty beaches, but only about six of them are worth planning your trip around. The rest are either too rocky, too remote, or too developed to feel like the Thailand you came looking for.
Chaweng Beach
The longest and most popular beach on the island. Three kilometres of soft white sand with the best swimming on Samui.
Ted's Tip
Walk to the far north end of Chaweng past the Amari resort. The sand is the same, the water is calmer, and you will have maybe ten percent of the crowd.
Lipa Noi
My personal favourite and the beach I keep coming back to after eight years. Faces due west, which means sunset views that will ruin every other beach for you.
Hidden Beaches Worth Finding
Silver Beach is the standout — a tiny cove between Chaweng Noi and Lamai with boulders framing crystal-clear water. It gets busy by midday, so arrive before ten.
Ted's Tip
Coral Cove is five minutes south of Chaweng by scooter and has some of the best snorkeling you can do straight off the beach.
