Ban Tai Beach is considered one of the most suitable beaches for mums and little ones on Koh Samui. It’s located next to Mae Nam, another beach that has already firmly established its reputation as family-friendly.
Despite the fact that both Ban Tai and Mae Nam are on the same side of the island and separated only by a small rocky cape, the difference between them is huge.
Beach Overview
Ban Tai stretches for 0.6 miles (1 km) from Bang Po to Maenam. From the only road that leads to it up to the dead end near the colourful houses of the beachfront resort, it’s covered with amazingly fine white sand with shells.
The beach is kept clean opposite the residential complexes and the Mimosa restaurant, which sometimes lends its name to this part of the beach. But there are some vacant areas where construction is underway, and the beach opposite these areas remains untouched.
There’s generally very little rubbish from the sea, unlike human litter left after picnics and recreation. During high season, thanks to its popularity as a children’s beach, Mimosa attracts a large number of kids with parents, and the colourful houses and bungalows of the neighbouring resort are always full of mums and children.
Ban Tai beach itself is further divided into two distinctly different halves. If you look at the sea from where the boat channel is dug, the right half is completely covered with rocks and boulders, and the beach there is, to put it mildly, only good for walks.
But the left half, which runs along the Thai cafรฉ, resort and Mimosa restaurant, is sandy and crowded. In case anyone is interested in reading about other places, I have a brief overview of all Samui beaches that will help you decide which beach to choose.
Swimming
With the tides, the sea recedes 33-39 feet (10-12 meters) from the shore, but nothing dramatic happens. The depth at Ban Tai balances between shallow and normal conditions. An adult needs to walk about 100 feet (30 m) to be waist-deep in water, and such a slope of the shore is just right for children.
Judging by the fact that in some places the shore is reinforced with concrete rings, and by how badly the soil is washed out between the palms on the shore, waves really batter Ban Tai during the rainy season. But on calm, windless days, there is no strong surf on the beach.
Entering the water is made difficult by underwater vegetation and stones, but there is a whole section of Ban Tai with a completely clean sandy bottom, which all the local residents use.
Those who aren’t in the know about the secret might stop halfway, finding a good tree with shade, and swim while carefully watching their step.
Sunbeds and Shade
Sunbeds on the beach are only at its very end, where the beach widens to 130 feet (40 m) and forms a sandy area, just opposite the clean water entrance, where the main crowd usually gathers.
But nothing’s perfect. Along the entire beach, everywhere except the sandy area, there are palm trees and deciduous trees, with hammocks and swings hung on some of them. And in the open area, you’ll have to either ignore the sun or bring a beach umbrella with you.
Beach Photos
Amenities
All the infrastructure around Ban Tao is scattered along secondary streets and the edges of the ring road. Right at the turn from the ring road, there’s a 7-Eleven mini-market, laundry, water dispenser and motorbike rentals.
Thai shops are located on the road to the sea. To reach the nearest hypermarkets, you’ll need to take a car and drive for about forty minutes, provided there are no traffic jams, which have become common on Samui recently. On the shore of the restaurant following Mimosa, there are palm shelters right in the water.
There’s also a leaning palm tree with a sign “This is Samui” for a photo souvenir. There are no more attractions on Ban Tai.
Accommodation
Within 0.6 miles (1 km) of Ban Tai beach, there are about fifteen different types of accommodation. The largest of them are:
- Koh Samui Resort 3
- Mimosa Resort & SPA 4
- Baan Kuasakul Resort 2
- Baan Tai Tara 1
- Lotus Samui 4
Private houses for rent are available outside the ring road, towards the centre of the island.
How to find the beach
Since there’s only one road to the beach, you need to be attentive when looking for the turn-off to the sea. Driving along the ring road, look out for the brown sign with the name of the Mimosa restaurant, which hangs directly opposite the secondary road.
Just in case, it’s marked with a blue sign “This is way to the public beach”. After turning onto the secondary road, don’t turn anywhere until you reach the sea and massage huts. Turn left and drive to the restaurant after Mimosa.
Be sure to find parking that won’t obstruct traffic. The thing is, the road along the sea is bordered by barbed wire and signs saying “Do not enter, private property”. And the width of the road doesn’t allow two cars to pass each other.
And if you leave your bike along the barbed wire or in the Mimosa parking lot, you risk finding your motorbike seat slashed upon return. There have been precedents; this is no joke. But these aren’t all the ways to get to Ban Tai.
For those who fancy a walk through the jungle and underground tunnels, I’ll tell you about a secret spot on the island. Turn off the ring road where it’s marked on the map, and then drive straight until you reach a gate.
This is private territory of a house under construction, but the construction is frozen, and nobody will stop you. Go around the gate on the right along the path, and after 330 feet (100 m) you’ll see a T-junction of dirt roads. Then it’s like in a fairy tale: go right and you’ll climb a mountain. Go left and you’ll end up in a tunnel.
The tunnel is long, about 330 feet (100 m), passes inside the rock and leads to a secret beach that can’t be seen from Mimosa, and during high tide, access to it is closed by the sea. The beach will be littered with stones, between which you can find a place for yourself, or walk to Mimosa about 650 feet (200 m) to the right.
