Mae Nam Beach is spelled differently by our compatriots: Menam, Maenam, Mae-Nam, Mae Nam, but most people pronounce it incorrectly as “maEnam” when it should actually be pronounced “menam”.
The beach got its name from the village Ban Mae Nam which is located along the ring road on this part of Koh Samui island.
Beach Overview
If you’re not too fussy about differences in sand texture and vegetation on the shore, the beach is equally lovely along its entire length. It only becomes almost twice as wide in the eastern part.
At Maenam, like at Lamai, the sand is very loose and remarkably similar to sugar, only golden-yellow in colour. The sand is soft, forming small dunes, and you can’t simply run barefoot across it because your feet sink ankle-deep.
The beach is kept clean almost everywhere except for three wild sections:
- at the eastern end of the beach near an abandoned resort;
- in the middle, next to Buddha Beach, where there’s also a suspended construction site;
- at the westernmost edge of the beach, near the Black Rose bar.
On stormy days, you might find a small amount of sea debris on the beach, but the morning after the Thai festival of Loy Krathong it’s better not to walk on the sand without shoes.
This is because one of the festival’s activities involves launching homemade boats with candles, incense and food into the water. These boats are made of palm leaves, bamboo and pins, which quickly fall apart once they reach the open sea.
By morning, the entire shoreline of Bang Rak, Bo Phut and Mae Nam is littered with leaves with needles sticking out of them. Maenam is a popular beach. From May to December it’s as deserted as all Samui beaches during the low season, but from December to May there are indeed many people here.
People aren’t exactly sitting on top of each other but finding a comfortable secluded spot is only possible in the wild sections. Maenam has three smelly river mouths so when choosing accommodation you must walk to the sea and make sure you haven’t been unlucky enough to end up next to one of them.
From March they all dry up except for one knee-deep river. In case anyone’s interested in reading about other places, I have a brief overview of all Samui beaches which will help you decide which beach to choose.
Swimming
Menam is one of the few beaches whose quality doesn’t change with the tide. This is one of the reasons for its popularity. The sea recedes 16 to 23 feet (five to seven metres), leaving levelled sand under the palm trees for people.
The slope of the shore is quite steep here with chest-deep water just 16 feet (five metres) from the water’s edge. Mae-Nam has no stones or coral fragments, the water entry is clean and convenient, even, without surprises. Waves occur during the rainy season and they can be quite strong and serious.
With a good wind the sea reaches right up to the roots of the first row of palm trees, gradually eroding them. It’s better to buy inflatable armbands for children in advance and not let them go far from you. Especially in the evening when marine life starts to swim closer to shore.
Sunbeds and Shade
From the east of Maenam all the way to Lomprayah pier, the shore is a palm grove with plenty of natural shade. This is another reason for Maenam’s high popularity among holidaymakers with children.
It’s a big deal when the little ones have plenty of space for activities rather than a sad patch under an umbrella. There are sunbeds opposite the hotels but they’re only for guests, while at Buddha Beach there’s a bar with about a dozen bamboo gazebos around it.
In this spot you can both sunbathe and order a cocktail. I generally recommend this place because the atmosphere of the old island there is impressive and there are almost no compatriots.
Beach Photos
Amenities
Unlike the ever-sleepless Chaweng, the main life at Maenam quietens down with nightfall. Most establishments and shops close, only cafes, restaurants and food stalls remain open. Simply going out for a night walk at Mae Nam isn’t possible. It’s dark and boring.
However, it has all the conveniences and services of Koh Samui. Banks, ATMs, laundries, vehicle rentals, car and motorcycle repair shops, petrol stations, markets, night markets, cafes, restaurants, water dispensers, water pumping stations, Thai shops and large hardware stores, furniture and leather workshops – Maenam has everything.
And this also makes it attractive to many. There are standalone bars on the beach itself but they’re mainly on hotel grounds. There are kayak and jet ski rentals but not in the same quantities as at Chaweng and Lamai, probably due to the family nature of the beach.
Nearby attractions include:
- a Chinese temple in Ban Mae Nam;
- Secret Falls waterfall;
- a pagoda on the rock at the westernmost edge of the beach, with a view of Mae Nam;
- the Maenam-Lamai road which starts at Soi Maenam1 and crosses the island in the middle all the way to Lamai;
- a golf club.
Accommodation
- W Koh Samui – Sha Extra Plus 5
- Shangrilah Bungalow
- Palm Point Village 3
- Thiptara Resort 3
Along the entire beach there are loads of houses for rent both inside the Ring and beyond it. For all tastes, from concrete rooms for 3,000 baht per month to luxurious villas on the hillside.
How to Find the Beach
Access to Mae Nam beach is unrestricted; you can turn onto any street leading to the sea. The boundaries of the Menam area are considered to be the Buddhist gates beyond which begins the road to Lomprayah pier and the Family Mart mini-market (on the left side of the village).
And Family Mart on the main road near which hangs a banner with the name of Theeparatpittaya School, under which begins the road to W-Retreat Samui.
