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Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui

Long white-sand Chaweng Beach on the east coast of Koh Samui with beach umbrellas, jet skis and green hills behind
Photo: User: (WT-shared) Wipkinger at wts wikivoyage, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free; loungers and umbrellas for a fee or at hotels
Hours
Open 24 hours; swim by day
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
3 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Length
≈ 6–7 km of white sand
Sections
North, Central Chaweng and Chaweng Noi
Season
January–September; waves October–December
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
From the airport
≈ 5 km, about 10 minutes
Evenings
Restaurants and bars along the beach road
Coordinates
9.52335, 100.05980YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

≈ 6–7 kmlength of the beach — Samui's longest
Sourcetravel guides
3 sectionsNorth Chaweng, Central and Chaweng Noi
Sourcetravel guides
Reefoff the north end — the water there is calmer and shallower
Sourcetravel guides
Chaweng Noi'Little Chaweng' — a quiet bay south past the headland
Sourcetravel guides
Oct–Decmonsoon on the east coast: waves and currents
Sourcetravel guides
≈ 5 kmby road to the airport
SourceOSRM
≈ 6 kmto Fisherman's Village in Bophut
SourceOSRM
White sandfine and pale along the whole beach
Sourcetravel guides

What is Chaweng Beach?

Chaweng is Samui's longest and best-known beach: about 6–7 km of white sand along the east coast. It has more hotels, restaurants and shops than anywhere else on the island, with a busy road of cafés and bars running behind it.

The beach has three parts. North Chaweng is sheltered by a reef — the water is shallower and calmer, good with children. Central Chaweng is the liveliest, with loungers, water sports and nightlife. South past the headland is Chaweng Noi, a small, quiet bay with hotels.

How the beach works

The beach is public and free along its whole length; there are paths to the sea between hotels and from the beach road. Loungers and umbrellas are rented out, and many hotels keep them for guests. Cafés, massage spots and equipment rental line the sand.

Mornings on Chaweng are quiet and fresh, the centre gets busy by day, and in the evening restaurants set tables by the water. The sun rises over the sea — sunrises here beat sunsets.

Things to do

  • Swimming — calmer in the north, livelier in the centre.
  • Sunrise over the sea — the beach faces east.
  • Water sports in the central section.
  • Dinner by the water at beachfront restaurants.
  • A walk along the shore from North Chaweng to the centre.
  • The quiet bay of Chaweng Noi to the south.

How to get to Chaweng Beach

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. From Samui airport — ≈ 5 km, about 10 minutes by taxi or Grab.
  2. From Bophut — ≈ 6 km, about 10 minutes.
  3. From Lamai — about 15–20 minutes north on the ring road.
  4. By songthaew — the blue shared trucks on the ring road and beach road.
  5. Reach the sea via paths between hotels and from the beach road.

Which part of Chaweng is best

Northyou are hereShallow and calm behind the reefFewerHotels and quiet cafésFamilies and relaxing
CentreDeeper, can be wavyThe mostRestaurants, bars, shopsActivities and nightlife

How long do you need?

Give Chaweng half a day or a whole one — it's a beach for relaxing, not a quick stop. A walk along the whole shore takes about an hour and a half.

If you're staying elsewhere on the island, come for a morning swim and stay for dinner. Next door in Bophut is Fisherman's Village with its Friday market, and the Big Buddha is to the north.

Is Chaweng Beach worth visiting?

Yes: it's Samui's longest beach, with white sand and everything on hand — from cafés to water sports.

The YesGo take: central Chaweng is noisy and crowded, especially at night. For a quieter time pick the northern end or Chaweng Noi, and from October to December keep a close eye on the waves.

Before you go: checklist

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Koh Samui beaches: compare and choose

Beaches, waterfalls and islands on Koh Samui rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Chaweng Beachyou are here333 hFree—
Na Muang Waterfalls281 h 30 minNa Muang 1 free; Na Muang 2 ≈ 30–50 baht8.9 km
Ang Thong National Marine Park164 hpark fee ≈ 300 baht; tour extra43.6 km

Samui in a day: beach and the north

Chaweng Beach in the morning, the Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem in the afternoon, and Fisherman's Village in Bophut in the evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Chaweng Beachyou are here3 h · free
  2. 92 min walk from the previous stopBig Buddha45 min · free
  3. 12 min walk from the previous stopWat Plai Laem40 min · free
  4. 71 min walk from the previous stopFisherman's Village, Bophut2 h · free

4 places · about 9 h 20 min with walks · 175 min on foot in total

Go · my route

How to do it right

  • With children, head to the northern end.
  • Sunrises here beat sunsets.
  • Check the beach flags before swimming.
  • It's quietest in the morning.
  • In the evening: Fisherman's Village, 10 minutes away.

Questions

How long is Chaweng Beach?

About 6–7 km.

Is there an entrance fee?

No, the beach is public; loungers cost extra.

Which part of Chaweng is best?

The north is calmer and shallower, the centre livelier, Chaweng Noi quieter.

When is the best time to swim?

January to September; October to December can bring waves.

Is it good for children?

Yes, especially the northern end behind the reef.

How do I get there from the airport?

About 10 minutes by taxi, ≈ 5 km.

Where's best for sunset?

The beach faces east, so it's better for sunrises; sunsets are on the west coast.

What's nearby?

Fisherman's Village in Bophut and the Big Buddha.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Travel guides (Frommer's, Travel Dojo, Nasha Planeta, Hotels.com and others) — length, sections, reef, monsoon season (unofficial)
  • Wikidata Q2094487 — coordinates; OSRM — road distances
  • YesGo general facts for Thailand — payment, transport
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 08.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThere's no official website or Wikipedia article. Sources give the beach's length as 6 or 7 km — we say 6–7. The sections and the northern reef are from guides. Sources date the east-coast monsoon anywhere from 'October–November' to 'mid-October to mid-December' — we give October–December and mark it unconfirmed. We don't describe Chaweng Lake — there's too little data. Distances are from OSRM: 5.2 km to the airport, 6 km to Fisherman's Village.

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Big Buddha

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Wat Plai Laem

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Na Muang Waterfalls

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