Best Beaches near Bangkok

Bangkok is one of the most popular tourist destinations not only in Thailand, but in the entire world. It’s filled with bustling night markets, amazing food and a whole host of places for you to go and see. But the one thing that Bangkok doesn’t have is a good beach particularly close to it.

Seeing as Thailand has some of the best beaches in the world, many people want to experience a visit to the coast, but an area like the beaches of Krabi are a better choice for this. Although a beach may not be a necessity for some people, most of us wouldn’t mind spending a couple of days relaxing in the Sun, away from the City. But where can you go to if you’re in Bangkok and don’t want to travel too far?

Whether you’re already in Bangkok and you’re looking for somewhere to take a day or two off, or you’re looking for the closest resort to have a holiday with both city life and beach relaxation, here are some of the best beaches in Bangkok.

Best Beaches near Bangkok

Bangkok beaches are a good way to relax after Bangkok sightseeing. This guide will help you find Bangkok’s best beaches and their location so that you can easily get there from Bangkok. The beaches listed below are the most popular Bangkok beaches, which means it is going to be crowded during the weekend but not as crowded as Pattaya. Bangkok beaches are much better looking and cleaner than Pattaya too.  

Hua Hin Beach

Hua Hin may not have the appeal of many other Thai towns, but for many people close to Bangkok, it’s the perfect place to getaway. In fact, for centuries Thai’s have used Hua Hin as the ideal location to escape the business of the capital.

One of the longest beaches in the country, Hua Hin has pretty much everything you’d expect of a scenic town in Thailand. It has a good variety of night markets in the area too, with the best one probably being Cicada market. This is a night market that’s open on the weekends, and it’s the perfect place to grab some food after a long day at the beach.

Out of the beaches in the area, it’s the one with the most activities, including horseback riding, water ski-ing and much more. It’s the perfect balance between relaxation and having enough for the kids to do in the area, too.

Best for: Delicious seafood | Time from Bangkok: 2h 30m

Cha-Am Beach

In fact, you don’t even need to go all the way into Hua Hin to find one of the better beaches in the area. One beach between Bangkok and Hua Hin is Cha-am, which is around 20km North of the town, and a few hours drive from Bangkok. Cha-am doesn’t have a lot going on in the area, but for many people, that’s exactly what they’re looking for.

It’s a good spot to be be during the day time, although the water there is not particularly deep. In the evenings, tons of street vendors will appear to serve up some of the best seafood the local area has to offer. This beach isn’t one of the best beaches overall, but the area as a whole make it a good choice. So, if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful, Cha-am might be the perfect place to stop.

Best for: Peace & Quiet | Time from Bangkok: 2h

Jomtien Beach

Whilst there’s nothing wrong with Pattaya itself, Pattaya beach is not one of the better beaches in the area. You can find great nightlife in Pattaya, but if you want the best beach in the area, you’ll want to travel a few kilometers South. Here, you’ll find Jomtien beach, which is much better in terms of clear water and for swimming. If you want a more relaxed environment, then this is the better beach to visit (though it can still get pretty packed).

Unlike the rowdy Pattaya, evening times around this area tend to be a lot calmer, so it’s not a bad place to be with your family. There are a ton of spots around to grab some great seafood, and this 6km long beach is the perfect place to unwind.

Best for: Relaxation | Time from Bangkok: 2h

Bangsaen Beach

Like Cha-am is to Hua Hin, around the other side of the coast towards Pattaya you’ll first come to Bang Saen, which is located in the Chonburi Province. This is only around 100km or so East of Bangkok along the coast, so you can make the journey in little over an hour.

This is another primarily local beach, so you won’t find too many tourists here – on the weekends, it’s mainly filled with City workers trying to escape the built up lifestyle of Bangkok. One frustrating thing about this beach is that it’s not particularly clean, and a lot of people seem to leave their rubbish here too.

Overall, Bangsaen might be a great place to have a day trip out of Bangkok, as you can get there and back easily within the same day. However, it’s probably not the best place to be spending a whole holiday or a full week there.

Best for: Daytrips out of Bangkok | Time from Bangkok: Around 1h 15m

Sai Kaew Beach (Koh Samet)

If you’re looking to go somewhere a bit further out, then visiting Koh Samet is somewhere you need to visit. Although it’s further than both Hua Hin and Pattaya, the beaches here are much better.

The most well known of the beaches around Koh Samet is definitely Sai Kaew, which has pretty much everything you’d want in a beach. The soft sand is great for relaxing on, and the clear seas are ideal if you want to go for a swim. Although it’s much more touristic than it was in the past, it’s still not as busy as Thailand’s other islands.

To get there, obviously as well as the drive from Bangkok you’ll also need to take a shorty ferry. This is only 30 minutes, and you can get to the beach and relax as soon as you get there.

Best for: Weekend Adventures | Time from Bangkok: Around 3-3.30h

Conclusion

In conclusion, although Bangkok isn’t the best place in Thailand for beaches, that doesn’t mean to say that you can’t get to one if you want to. There are many different options, whether you only want to travel an hour to your destination, or you’re happy to day a weekend trip away. There’s still some great beaches in the area for you to visit.

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