Chaweng · Beaches
Chaweng Beach
Koh Samui's longest and busiest beach: about 7 km of soft white sand on the east coast. Clear warm water, the most reliable swimming on the island, many public access lanes, and the island's main tourist town behind it. Sunrise beach, no sunset.
- Free
- Chaweng
- about 3 hours
Insider tips
- Samui's longest and busiest beach (~7 km); the central strip by Chaweng Beach Road is the most crowded, the northern and southern ends are quieter. Swim areas are buoy-marked because of jet skis.
The story
Chaweng Beach curves for about 7 kilometres along the east coast and is the longest, most developed and most visited beach on Koh Samui. The sand is fine and white, and the central and southern parts of the bay offer what several guides call the most reliable swimming on the island: a sandy bottom, gentle slope and clear, warm water (around 28-30 degrees C in season). The beach faces east, so it gets sunrise, not sunset.
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The central strip is the busiest and loudest; the further north or south you walk, the quieter it gets. There is no continuous beach road, so the beach stays fairly clean, but you reach the sand through public access lanes between hotels or along side streets from Chaweng Beach Road. Like all Thai beaches, the sand and the sea are public - you may use the whole beach.
The northern end (often called Chaweng Yai) has a shallow reef shelf and is very shallow at low tide; see the separate record. Best season for swimming is roughly February to April, once the northeast monsoon has eased. During the northeast monsoon (about October to December, worst November to January) onshore wind and waves can create dangerous rip currents; obey the red warning flags.
Water sports (jet ski, parasailing, paddleboard) are offered all along the beach; watch for jet skis near swimmers.
Good to know
- Open 24 hours, no gates
- Free
- about 3 hours
- December to April for calm, clear water; early morning (before 8:00) for an almost empty beach
- Fully weather dependent
- Family friendly: Yes
- Good for couples: Yes
- Good for groups: Yes
- Scooter access: Yes
- Car access: Yes
Plan a visit
Free route: you go by your own scooter, car or on foot and we work out the order. Private tour: a local driver picks you up and takes you.
Researched, not yet checked on site · 8 sources
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