The Best Beaches near Bangkok


 

Image by Ahoerstemeier sourced from wiki media commons

Although Thailand is renowned as having some of the best beaches in the world, it is fair to say that the majority of them are likely to be found in the South of the country.

This may come as something of a surprise or even a disappointment to those visiting or staying in Bangkok, especially once they realise the extent of the trek involved in making the journey to the south of the country from the nation’s capital.

However, although it is probably true that the finest beaches in the country are indeed in the south, there are still a few not unreasonable ones to be found a bit closer to Bangkok.

There are, in fact, a good few coastlines and beaches worthy of a visit within 2 or 3 hours’ reach from Bangkok. Although some of the slightly better ones – or just better known (depending on what you might be looking for) — may include a short boat trip to a small island, for the most part, the purpose of this article will be focusing on the mainland.

Most people are likely to think of the standard getaways such as Pattaya and some of its small islands in the Chonburi district, or maybe the small island of Samet (Koh Samet) in Rayong when seeking an escape whilst staying within a couple of hours’ travelling distance from Bangkok.

Many of the beaches featured here are indeed within a few hours’ travelling distances, and are also likely weekend and short holiday gathering places for Bangkokians in the know.

However, featured here are some of the perhaps lesser-known (or maybe just considered more for ‘domestic use only’) type beaches.

This means that as far as crowds of tourists go, some are relatively untouched – which is good news on a variety of levels, not least of all in terms of cost. In fact, many of the following featured beaches near to Bangkok are not even that well known by many Thais in the city!

So don’t expect too much in the line of shopping malls and entertainment or nightlife in any of these places – in fact, these are probably the last things that families or even couples heading away from the thrall of the capital are looking for – but you will find nice beaches, seafood, and a healthy dose of coastal relaxation in these best beaches near Bangkok.

So sit back, relax, and consider some of the best kept alternative secrets of Thailand’s getaway spots, in the form of the best beaches that you may be likely to find that are quite near to Bangkok.

HUA HIN

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Hua Hin is probably the most popular weekend and short holiday seaside getaway destination for people born or a resident in Bangkok. With its impressive and clean-looking beaches and coastline, and with a tinge of a Royal pedigree, the area is vastly superior in many ways to the equally near Pattaya in the Chonburi region of Thailand.

Accessible in as little as 2 hours by road (depending on traffic) and around 4 hours by train, Hua Hin is the most visited and hence crowded destination included in this report.

This is mainly because it has the best of the nearest beaches to Bangkok, it is family-friendly, it has a range of activities, and it is also developed enough to have a few malls and such like.

With night markets, temples on mountains, and ranges of restaurants, hotels and resorts on offer, it is no wonder that this is the ‘go-to’ escape point for many Bangkokians.

Accessible by bus, minivan and train the place is usually packed during holidays so booking accommodation beforehand is a good idea.

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN

Prachuap Khiri Khan is a province that contains some of Thailand’s least discovered destinations, and certainly some of the best beaches near Bangkok.

Those prepared to travel further past Hua Hin for a couple of hours to get to Prachuap Khiri Khan Town (and some of the province’s other delights) will be pleasantly surprised on a number of levels, but not least of all due to the fact that the extra distance largely keeps the Bangkokian weekend escapists away.

Image by Josef Knecht sourced from wiki media commons

It is also a relaxed area, and inexpensive as beach regions in Thailand go. There is a beach in the town itself, but for a slightly better option head down to ‘Ao Manao’ beach, which is situated on the Wing 5 Airforce Base stretch. It will be necessary to present ID at the checkpoint and sign in – but no big deal there, and this is undoubtedly one of the most pristine stretches of beach to be found.

Access to the nearby ‘Khao Lommuak Mountain’, is possible via a fairly steep rock trek which is made accessible via ropes during busy periods, and provides stunning panoramas from the top for those adventurous enough to go for this route.

Top seafood and a night market along the beach are other selling points of this place, and for those without wheels it is actually possible to take a bus from Bangkok’s Southern bus terminal to get here, and there is also an express train that leaves in the morning that is a faster option.

More information is available HERE: https://www.tourismthailand.org/Destinations/Provinces/Prachuap-Khiri-Khan/231

BAN KRUT

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Ban Krut is to be found in the Prachuap Kiri Khan Province of Thailand, around 350km southwest of Bangkok. Heading out of the city towards Hua Hin will take you in the right direction out of the capital, and then Ban Krut is another 150km further south.

The closest town to Ban Krut beach is called Bang Saphan, which will get you well within reach of the area. This may be a region that is popular with clued-up Bangkokians (on weekends and holidays), but it is still largely unknown to the average tourist. Typical of this kind of getaway spot, there is a distinct lack of bars or shopping malls, which is what makes it appealing to those making the trip there.

The sandy, 5km beach is close to a few resorts that are reasonably priced. There really isn’t much to do here though except enjoy the peace and quiet and the great outdoors, although many people take a short trek up to ‘Khao Tong Jai’ a lovely pagoda, located on top of a mountain which has sweeping views of the northern stretch of the beach.

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This beach is probably a maximum of 4-5 hours driving from Bangkok and is the perfect retreat from the city. This may be a little longer than some locals want to spend driving, especially when Pattaya is a mere 2-hour trip – and maybe one of the reasons that Ban Krut is still largely undiscovered.

If you don’t have your own wheels, it is possible to get an express bus out of Bangkok will put you into Ban Krut in time for lunch, and is the most convenient way to access the town. Other possible options include VIP minivan which is slightly more expensive, but the area is also accessible by train check out more details on travelling to Ban Krut HERE: https://www.bankrutguide.com/

PRANBURI BEACH

Again heading out of Bangkok in the general direction of Hua Hin, Pranburi is another district in the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, this time in the Northern part. To get to Pranburi though, you won’t have to go quite so far out as our previous recommended destination, this one being within 30 km of Hua Hin.

Pranburi beach is a world away from the capital, with its warm, clean-looking water and a forest backdrop. It is also close to a National Park and an Estuary (more on that later).

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Not unsurprisingly, the resorts here are usually full of Bangkok locals on weekends and holidays, but even then there is peace and quiet a-plenty. The surrounding bays also contain reasonably pristine beaches, and towards the Southern end of Pranburi is Sam Roi Yod National Park (which is covered later).

During the slightly cooler weather in Thailand (November-January), Pranburi is a popular place for kite-surfing and other wind-oriented activities. There is a plethora of small family-friendly resorts that make this peaceful beach escape not too far from Bangkok.

For more information on activities and bookings etc., check HERE: http://www.bangkok.com/huahin/pranburi/

KHAO SAM ROI YOT NATIONAL PARK

Khao Sam Roi Yot is as close to some of Thailand’s beaches in the South as you can get without hopping on a plane.

Image by BJinchutha sourced from wiki media commons

About 30km along and a 40-minute drive from Pranburi beach, it covers approximately 100km squared of the coastal area. It is easy to access from Pranburi town, and there is actually a train here from Hua Hin which takes around 1.5 hours, making it an ideal day trip for those holidaying in either Hua Hin or Pranburi.

Khao Sam Roi Yot is comprised of some nice beaches, along with excellent hiking opportunities with sea views for the more energetically-minded.

The beaches here are scenic and quiet and again are not plagued by hordes of tourists and the accompanying background noise. This area is actually a massive nature reserve containing hundreds of species of birds due to its mountainous ranges that also contain caves.

On the Northside of the National Park around the Phu Noi Beach area can be found the largest selection of available accommodation. These include bungalows, resorts, villas and small hotels, and are family-friendly.

For more information check HERE: https://www.thainationalparks.com/khao-sam-roi-yot-national-park

CHA-AM

Cha-Am, being even nearer to Bangkok than Hua Hin (just one train stop before, in fact) is one of the quickest beach getaways from the capital.

Very similarly to Hua Hin and not surprisingly, Cha-am is packed on the weekends, especially long ones, as multitudes of city-dwellers make their way down in search of fresh seafood and to escape the heat and poor air quality.

Image by Ahoerstemeier sourced from wiki media commons

Like some areas of Hua Hin, the main beach here is nothing to shout about, but if you venture out further north there are likely to be fewer people and some better stretches of white sand.

Cha-am is a little more on the quiet side of Hua Hin, although there is still a decent range of accommodation to choose from, including private resorts.

More excellent seafood can be found here, along with a range of activities such as kiteboarding kite flying, as the winds that sweep the region are quite gusty. There’s even an annual kite festival in Cha Am.

Again you can get to Cha Am via a range of travel options such as a train, bus or minivan from Bangkok, and even a private taxi won’t be much more than 2,000 baht.

KOH SI CHANG

The only destination on our list requiring a boat to get to it, the somewhat sleepy Koh Si Chang sees few tourists, and especially foreign ones.

The area serves mainly as a port, and so has many shipping barges docked in its vicinity. If it ever gets busy it is only likely to be on weekends, when Bangkokians seeking a quick city escape make the reasonably short drive down to the district of Tha Thewawong in the Chonburi province.

Image by Ekeidar sourced from wiki media commons

There is actually just one beach here (Hat Tham Phang). This is situated in the Western region of the island, and comprises nice stretches of white sand, albeit it a bit rocky in some areas.

There are also a few points on the island worth exploring like its rocky temples (some with meditation caves), sunset views from clifftops, and an old colonial palace. There are a few tuk-tuks available for hire that will happily ferry you around all day for a reasonably low, pre-agreed fee.

Of course, there is the usual abundance of good seafood at reasonable prices, without any of the annoyances that might come with the scenery on some of the more well-known islands. Tourism is not a major factor on Si Chang, so the locals just get on with their daily business without taking too much of an interest.

It is possible to get to Si Chang from Bangkok’s Ekkamai Eastern bus station, by travelling for a couple of hours to Sri Racha. Then a tuk tuk or motorcycle taxi to the Si Chang pier is necessary, and it’s a 30-odd minute ferry ride over to the island.

For more information look HERE: www.kohsichang.net

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