Best beaches near Bangkok: Quick and easy beach getaways from Bangkok

Where are the best beaches near Bangkok? This is a question with various answers, so this article lists the best beaches that are easy to get to from Bangkok.

This list is for quick and easy beach getaways from Bangkok and not a list of the best beaches in Thailand (which are not near Bangkok). This list is for those who want an overnight trip or weekend getaway, or if you have a short amount of time in Bangkok (such as a stopover, finishing a conference early, Bangkok broke your spirit, etc).

For the purpose of this article, near is defined as being about 4 hours of travel by public transport from Bangkok to the beach. This means you can leave Bangkok in the morning and be at the beach by lunchtime.

Best is harder to define, depending on your taste and the time you have to travel. When searching for the “closest nice beach to Bangkok“, the results are a jumble of incomplete answers from forums and listicle websites.

Beaches in this list are sorted by their most defining features, with estimated travel time and travel friction involved (such as transfers and convenience of bus stations). From this list, you can choose what beach fits your style and travel limitations.

And I repeat, this is not a list of the best beaches in Thailand. Those beaches require more than 4 hours of travel (or flying, which is not counted in this list). That will be the topic of another article.

With those disclaimers out of the way, here are your options for beaches near Bangkok.

Index

Map of beaches near Bangkok
Beaches near Bangkok
Closest beach to Bangkok: Bang Saen
Quickest beach break from Bangkok: Pattaya
Best beach near Bangkok: Hua Hin
Islands near Bangkok
Closest island to Bangkok: Ko Si Chang
Easiest island getaway from Bangkok: Ko Lan
Best island near Bangkok: Ko Samet
Other beaches and waterfronts near Bangkok
Bang Saray (south of Pattaya)
Cha-am (north of Hua Hin)
Closest waterfront to Bangkok: Bang Pu
FAQs about beaches and waterways near Bangkok
Is there a beach in Bangkok?
Are there any ferries from Bangkok?

Map of beaches near Bangkok

[Map of beaches near Bangkok.]

Mainland beaches near Bangkok

These are the easiest mainland beaches to get to from Bangkok.

Closest beach to Bangkok: Bang Saen

The closest beach to Bangkok is Bang Saen. This beach is popular with Bangkokians looking to escape the city and catch a sea breeze while eating cheap seafood.

The beach itself is of low quality compared to most beaches in Thailand, so if you’ve never seen a Thailand beach before then please don’t make this your first beach. Here is my trip report for Bang Saen.

How to get to Bang Saen
I got the train from Bangkok (Hualamphong) to Chonburi, which was excruciatingly slow. Train 283 leaves Bangkok at 06:55 and arrives at Chonburi at 9.56 (3 hours!). There is a slightly quicker train on the weekends, but still much slower than a bus. The train is only recommended for train nerds who have time to spare. From Chonburi Station, I got a Grab Taxi to the beach, which took about 15 minutes.

If you still want to go to Bang Saen after reading this, there aren’t a lot of direct options anyway. You can get a bus from Ekkamai to Pattaya or Rayong and ask if they can drop you off on the highway, then get a taxi to the beach. You can also get a private car to Bang Saen.

Accommodation in Bang Saen
Search for Bangsaen beach hotels.

Quickest beach break from Bangkok: Pattaya

The quickest beach break from Bangkok is Pattaya. A bus or minivan from Ekkamai or Mochit to Pattaya takes about 2 hours, depending on the traffic.

Pattaya has a beachfront in the city centre, though it’s not a good beach by Thailand standards. The beach has had issues with erosion, and the beach had to be restored with imported sand. Pattaya is also in the Bay of Bangkok, so it’s not the best water quality here.

[Pattaya Beach rehabilitation (January 2019).]

Pattaya is a polarising destination among travellers. It’s a city of about 120,000 people famous for its nightlife of massage parlours and beer bars (also known as girly bars). Not everywhere is like this though, so anyone who says that “Pattaya is filled with bars” is just admitting that they only hung around in those areas. Pattaya is trying to reposition itself as a destination for families and kids (or at least inclusive for families and kids).

[The urban beach front of Pattaya.]

Pattaya feels more like Bangkok by the beach. It has the same layout with long main roads congested with traffic. I like walking along the beachfront promenade and catching the sea breeze, but the beach itself doesn’t appeal to me. Here is my trip report for Pattaya.

[Pattaya Beachfront walk.]

An alternative to staying on Pattaya Beach is Jomtien Beach, which is also within Pattaya City. Jomtien is south of Pattaya Beach, separated by Pattaya Hill (Khao Phra Tamnak). Crossing the hill makes Jomtein Beach feel distinctly different to Pattaya Beach. This is a quieter area that is popular with retired expats, and people say they live in Jomtein rather than being associated with living in Pattaya (even though it is in Pattaya).

How to get to Pattaya
There are numerous buses and vans from Bangkok to Pattaya, which makes Pattaya the easiest beach break from Bangkok. Buses and vans depart from Ekkamai, Mochit, and Victory Monument throughout the day. You can usually just turn up at the station and get a ticket. You can also book tickets online here.

[Pattaya bus tickets at Ekkamai.]

Another option is to get a taxi or private car to Pattaya.

There is also a train (the same train that goes to Chonburi) but that is so slow and inconvenient that it doesn’t qualify as a mode of transport for a quick beach break from Bangkok. This will change in the future when the high-speed train linking Bangkok’s two airports to Pattaya is built. This train will effectively turn Pattaya into a beach suburb of Bangkok.

Accommodation in Pattaya
Search for hotels in Pattaya, or read first about where to stay in Pattaya.

Best beach near Bangkok: Hua Hin

The best beach near Bangkok is Hua Hin. This is of course a subjective statement, and it depends on the definition of near. I call it the best beach near Bangkok because it’s outside the Bay of Bangkok (thus better water quality) and it’s easy to get to by train.

Hua Hin is where the beaches start to improve in the Upper Southern Gulf area of Thailand. The beach may not be lined with palm trees, but the sand is soft and white. On a calm sunny day the water is clear with pleasing shades of blue that you would expect from a tropical beach. It was good enough for the royal family, with Klai Kangwon Palace being on the beach just north of the city centre.

How to get to Hua Hin
What makes Hua Hin the best beach break is that it’s the most accessible beach from Bangkok by train. You need to plan ahead though because there is only one train a day in each direction that makes this trip work.

The Sprinter Train from Bangkok to Surat Thani travels during the day and doesn’t stop at every station.

Train #43
Departs Hua Lamphong, Bangkok: 07:50
Arrives Hua Hin: 12:05
Travel time: 4h 15m

Train #40
Departs Hua Hin: 16:23
Arrives Hua Lamphong, Bangkok: 21:10
Travel time: 4h 47m

[Inside the Bangkok-Surat Thani Sprinter Train service.]

There are slower trains that leave later in the day, so those would work for a proper weekend break by arriving at night. Search all trains from Bangkok to Hua Hin here.

Train times should improve in 2023 with the double-tracking of the Southern Line to Hua Hin. The double track will enable trains to run more frequently as trains in both directions currently share a single track. Train speeds will also be increased, which should reduce the trip to under 4 hours. I will update this post once those services are operating.

[New Hua Hin Station viewed from the old Hua Hin Station.]

There are also minivan services from Bangkok to Hua Hin throughout the day, which take about 4 hours. It’s important to check what bus station in Bangkok the minivan or bus is at. There are services from Ekkamai, Mochit, and the Southern Bus Terminal. The Southern Bus Terminal is deep in the suburbs of Bangkok and not near any public transit lines, so that will defeat the purpose of this being a quick beach break.

Search for buses and vans to Hua Hin.

If the return train is inconvenient you could mix and match by getting the train there and a minivan back. Another option is to hire a private car or taxi.

Search for private cars to Hua Hin.

Accommodation in Hua Hin
Read the guide on where to stay in Hua Hin.

Search for hotels in Hua Hin.

Islands near Bangkok

Closest island to Bangkok: Ko Si Chang

The closest island to Bangkok is Ko Si Chang, off the coast of Sri Racha. There is a beach (Haad Tham Phang) so the island qualifies as a beach break from Bangkok. It’s not a great beach though, otherwise, there would be more hotels and you would have heard more about it by now.

How to get to Koh Si Chang
Even though it’s the closest island to Bangkok, there is travel friction. The bus from Ekkamai Bangkok to Sri Racha takes about 2 hours, then you transfer from the bus station to the pier. Ferries depart hourly (or every two hours in low season) and take about 40 minutes.

Accommodation in Koh Si Chang
Search for hotels in Koh Si Chang.

Easiest island getaway from Bangkok: Ko Lan

The easiest island to get to from Bangkok is Ko Lan. The island is about 7 km off the coast of Pattaya city. The beaches here are better than you would expect considering that it’s an island in the Bay of Bangkok.

Its proximity to Pattaya makes Ko Lan a popular day trip for Pattayans and tourists alike, so don’t expect any lonely beaches here.

How to get to Ko Lan
Boats to Ko Lan depart from Bali Hai Pier (near the Walking Street in central Pattaya). The speed boat takes 15-20 minutes and the ferry takes about 40-45 minutes.

To get to Ko Lan most efficiently from Ekkamai Bus Terminal, get the minivan that goes to Bali Hai Pier, and not to Pattaya bus station which is further out of town. The minivan might also be advertised as Koh Larn, though it doesn’t physically go to the island.

When searching for transport, look under the van section for vans to Bali Hai pier.

Here is the report of my visit to Koh Larn.

Accommodation in Ko Lan
Search for hotels on Koh Larn.

Best island near Bangkok: Ko Samet

[Sai Kaew Beach – Ko Samet.]

The best island near Bangkok is Ko Samet. I’ve defined near as being able to get to within 4 hours by land and boat. On a busy day, it can feel like everyone knows that this is the best island near Bangkok.

Ko Samet is outside of the Bay of Bangkok, so it has better water quality. That said, it is also near the largest industrial port in Thailand (Map Ta Phut), where there have been oil spills before.

Most of the action in Ko Samet is around Sai Kaew Beach. If you don’t want to deal with crowds, then the further down the coast you move the less crowded it gets.

[Ao Phai – Ko samet.]

There are no public cars on Samet, but you can get around by scooter to visit the quiet beaches and go for walks in the national park.

Read my trip report: Notes on Ko Samet – The closest beach-break island from Bangkok.

How to get to Ko Samet
The minivan from Ekkamai to Ban Phe Pier takes 3 hours (which includes a rest break). The minivan is advertised as Ban Phe or Koh Samet, but it doesn’t go to the island.

[Bus to Ban Phe at Ekkamai Bus Station.]

There is a slow boat that takes 30 minutes or a speed boat for 15 minutes. If you take the speed boat you will be able to get the trip done in 3 and a half hours from Ekkamai.

Book bus+ferry tickets to Ko Samet.

[The big boat to Ko Samet.]

If you want to maximise your time, you can shave some time off this trip by hiring a private car from Bangkok to Ban Phe pier.

Accommodation in Koh Samet
Search for hotels on Ko Samet.

Other beaches near Bangkok

Bang Saray (south of Pattaya)

If you prefer laidback town life over the bright lights and big city vibes of Pattaya, then Bang Sarey is for you.

Bang Sarey (or Bang Sare) is about 20 km south of Pattaya. It is a working fishing port with a beach. It’s at the bottom of the bay of Bangkok, which accounts for why it’s considered the best beach on the Chonburi side of the Bay of Bangkok.

Further reading: Bang Saray: A slice of peace and quiet near the urban sprawl of Pattaya.

How to get to Bang Saray
To get to Bang Saray from Ekkamai, get the bus to Sattahip and ask to be dropped off at Bang Sare. Alternatively, get a bus/minivan to Pattaya and transfer to another minivan to Bang Sarey

Accommodation in Bang Saray
Search for hotels in Bang Saray.

Cha-am (north of Hua Hin)

Cha-am is a beach resort area 25 km north of Hua Hin. It’s closer to Bangkok, but the express train doesn’t stop here. Cha-am is a popular getaway with weekenders from Bangkok. It is not as developed as Hua Hin, and the beaches aren’t as good as Hua Hin either.

How to get to Cha-am
The express train that goes to Hua Hin doesn’t stop at Cha-Am, so the only rail options are the slower evening trains that arrive at inconvenient hours. Cha-am will become a more popular beach break destination when the double-tracking project makes way for more trains to the south.

A minivan from Ekkamai to Cha-am takes 3h 20m. Alternatively, get a private car to Cha-am.

Accommodation in Cha-am
Search for hotels in Cha-am Beach.

Closest waterfront to Bangkok: Bang Pu

The most accessible waterfront to Bangkok is at Bang Pu Recreation Centre in Samut Prakan Province. Sometimes it’s referred to as Bang Pu Beach, though this near the muddy mouth of the Chao Phraya River where there is definitely no beach. Bang Pu is a place to see mangrove forests and birdlife by the sea.

Bang Pu is 8 km away from Kheha Station (the last stop on the Sukhumvit BTS Line), so get a taxi the rest of the way. You could make a full day trip out of it by visiting nearby Samut Prakan Ancient City.

There is a plan to extend the BTS from Kheha to Bang Pu, making it possible in the future to get the Skytrain to the sea.

FAQs about beaches and waterways near Bangkok

Is there a beach in Bangkok?

There is no beach in Bangkok. Of the 50 districts of Bangkok, only Bang Khun Thian district has a waterfront on the Bay of Bangkok. Looking at the map, Bang Khun Thian looks like it is tentatively sticking its toe in the water before deciding against jumping in.

[Bang Khun Thian district (via wikipedia).]

The coast of Bang Khun Thian is a 5 km stretch of mud with mangrove forests and shrimp farms. Here is what the Gulf of Thailand looks like underneath Bangkok (as viewed when flying into Suvarnabhumi Airport).

[Gulf of Thailand coast under Bangkok.]

Bang Khun Thian district is tucked away from the rest of the city, and it is hard to get to by public transport. A visit to Bang Khun Thian is best for people living in Bangkok who are looking for a new urban adventure in Bangkok by the sea.

Further reading: A Secret Beach in Bangkok.

Are there any ferries from Bangkok?

There are no ferry services from Bangkok to any beach.