Chaweng Beach
Chaweng is the islands most established. It attracts many
young travelers and families alike and remains good value
for money. The beach extends approx. 7 Kms where you can find
a wide selection of accommodation to suit every budget.
The beach itself is very relaxing and peaceful but noticeably
more touristy during the high season. The water is clean and
usually between 25 - 28 degrees Celsius.
Clustered in the middle of the 7 Km strip are the greatest
concentration of restaurants, bars souvenir shops and of course
fast food convenience stores. A good choice of music venues
range from traditional Thai to jazz, rock to reggae, and many
of them keep pumping until the early hours.
For a quieter evening, there are plenty of bars and restaurants
right on the beach, offering a dreamy view of the Gulf. Food
lovers can find just about anything, whether it be Thai or
western, and there are some very good seafood restaurants.
In spite of all the activity Chaweng attracts, it still retains
the classic image of a palm-fringed tropical beach.
Lamai Beach
Lamai offers a good selection of hotels, nightlife and picturesque
village scenes. Bungalow accommodation here is generally cheaper
than Chaweng. You can also find a number of good, comfortable
and value for money resorts.
Lamai's attractions are its open market and the old monastery,
which includes a local museum. If you want to get back to
nature, explore the paths just to the back of beach road.
Here, you'll find peaceful coconut and fruit plantations not
to mention paths and trails leading into the interior.
On beach road, your attractions include health and meditation
centres, dive shops and a Thai boxing school. Down the road
are the famous Grandfather and Grandmother
rocks, favorite amongst Thai and foreign tourist.
Maenam Beach
Meanam is about 2 Kms to the west of Boput, and still very
much a traditional Thai village in the true sense of the word.
Some of the wooden houses and shops are over 70 years old
and it's well worth taking a stroll down to the waterfront
to take-in the character and charm of the place. The beach
is calm, clean and runs for approx. 4 Kms.
The area is home to some of the more expensive resorts together
with countless small bungalows dotting the coastline. Most
establishments offer excellent value for money. The laid back
"FEEL" here attracts many couples and honeymooners,
whose priority is not the busy nightlife.
Bophut Beach
This is undoubtedly one of the most charming beach spots.
Bophut itself is perhaps one of the oldest villages and remains
a quaint little fishing village. There are several seafront
shop houses which have been converted into trendy restaurant
establishments. The beach itself encompasses some two kilometers
of white sandy shoreline fringed by coconut palms, and the
calm waters of the bay make this a popular spot for relaxing.
At night, the area is charming, even romantic and is the perfect
for a little quiet and privacy. Highly recommended !!
Big Buddha and Choeng Mon Beaches
Big Buddha Beach is East of Boput, and as the name suggests
- is home to the Big Buddha. Like Boput, it remains a peaceful
and relaxing interlude from the bustle of Chaweng. But as
relaxing as the beach is, don't get too close to the airport
for obvious reasons.
Further eastwards, past the airport turnoff is Choeng Mon
beach. The area is only about 15 minutes from Chaweng but
because it is in a protected cove the beach remains calm and
reasonably clean. There are a few small coves and bays to
be found some of which have been developed into self contained
resorts.
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