# Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui > Chaweng is Samui's longest and liveliest beach: about 6–7 km of white sand on the east coast. The north is calmer and shallower, the centre has hotels, cafés and nightlife, and quiet Chaweng Noi lies south past the headland. Entry is free. It's about 10 minutes from the airport. Swim January to September: October to December brings waves. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/chaweng-beach - City: [Koh Samui](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui), Thailand - YesGo score: 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Opening hours: Open 24 hours; swim by day - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; loungers and umbrellas for a fee or at hotels - Length: ≈ 6–7 km of white sand - Sections: North, Central Chaweng and Chaweng Noi - Season: January–September; waves October–December - From the airport: ≈ 5 km, about 10 minutes - Evenings: Restaurants and bars along the beach road - Coordinates: 9.52335, 100.05980 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 6–7 km** — length of the beach — Samui's longest (source: travel guides) - **3 sections** — North Chaweng, Central and Chaweng Noi (source: travel guides) - **Reef** — off the north end — the water there is calmer and shallower (source: travel guides) - **Chaweng Noi** — 'Little Chaweng' — a quiet bay south past the headland (source: travel guides) - **Oct–Dec** — monsoon on the east coast: waves and currents (source: travel guides) - **≈ 5 km** — by road to the airport (source: OSRM) - **≈ 6 km** — to Fisherman's Village in Bophut (source: OSRM) - **White sand** — fine and pale along the whole beach (source: travel 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. > **Waves and currents in the monsoon** From October to December the winds pick up on Samui's east coast, bringing high waves and strong rip currents. In those months watch the beach flags, don't swim out far and stay out of the water in storms. The rest of the year the sea is usually calm. Jet skis and boats keep to the centre of the beach — swim away from them. ## 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 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 | | North | Centre | | --- | --- | --- | | Water | Shallow and calm behind the reef | Deeper, can be wavy | | Crowds | Fewer | The most | | Nearby | Hotels and quiet cafés | Restaurants, bars, shops | | Best for | Families and relaxing | Activities 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 - [ ] Sunscreen and water - [ ] Cash for a lounger and cafés - [ ] Checking the beach flags before swimming - [ ] The northern end — if with children - [ ] An early start — for the sunrise ## Koh Samui beaches: compare and choose Beaches, waterfalls and islands on Koh Samui rated by YesGo. - [Chaweng Beach](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/chaweng-beach) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free - [Na Muang Waterfalls](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/na-muang-waterfalls) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Na Muang 1 free; Na Muang 2 ≈ 30–50 baht - [Ang Thong National Marine Park](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/ang-thong-marine-park) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · park fee ≈ 300 baht; tour extra ## 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 Beach](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/chaweng-beach) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · free 2. [Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/koh-samui-big-buddha) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free 3. [Wat Plai Laem](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-plai-laem) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · free 4. [Fisherman's Village, Bophut](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/bophut-fishermans-village) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · free ## Good to know Chaweng and Chaweng Noi share one coast, but Chaweng Noi is a separate small bay to the south. Hotels with 'Chaweng' in their name aren't necessarily on the beach itself. ## Tips - 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](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/bophut-fishermans-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. ## How we checked There'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. ## Sources - 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 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.