Samrong Bay is a cove on the northernmost edge of Koh Samui island, home to Samrong Beach. The beach stretches approximately 755 feet (230 metres) from cliff to cliff between which it’s nestled. The width of the beach remains consistent throughout its length – about 65 feet (20 metres) of sandy strip.
Beach Overview
The sand at Samrong is fine with flecks of coarse golden grains and in texture very similar to the sand at Lipa Noi Beach. The stretch along the surf line has been compressed by waves to the consistency of a marble slab but walking on the dry coarse sand isn’t a walk in the park.
The seabed is muddy with corals and occasional large boulders. Closer to the northern edge there are more corals and rocky obstacles underwater. The beach is maintained by The Bay Samui hotel. Because of this Samrong is kept spotlessly clean and tidy with rubbish promptly collected and sand smoothed out.
Due to Samrong’s remote location and exclusive nature there are few people on the beach any time of year. Occasionally tourists who aren’t shy about entering the grounds of an upmarket resort to ask to see the beach do visit but these are rare.
If anyone’s interested in reading about other locations I have a brief overview of all Koh Samui beaches to help you decide which beach to choose.
Swimming
At low tide the sea recedes 20 feet (5-7 metres) slightly affecting the appearance and swimmability of the beach. The depth here is the same as at Lipa Noi – to get chest-deep water you need to wade through the coral seabed for about 165 feet (50 metres). Waves occur when there’s strong wind but during the rainy season they’re particularly nasty.
Sunbeds and Shade
There are almost no sources of natural shade on the beach. The main shelter comes from beach umbrellas set up along the sunbeds but there’s no sunbed rental service. And if you bring your own umbrella you likely won’t be able to stick it into the packed beach sand.
Beach Photos
Amenities
The beach offers kayak and jet ski rentals and for fans of active recreation there’s a volleyball net. The nearest Thai shop is 0.3 miles (half a kilometre) away. Right by the shop there’s also a water dispensing machine. To reach the nearest 7-Eleven mini-market you’ll need to travel almost 0.6 miles (a kilometre) to the junction with road 4171.
On the way to the ring road you’ll frequently spot laundries water dispensers and Thai cafes. Major supermarkets are about 6 miles (9-10 km) away which is a twenty-minute drive if there’s no traffic and you’re not in a hurry.
The nearest attractions for those staying in the Samrong area are a ten-minute drive from the beach: Plai Laem Sor Temple and Big Buddha.
Koh Samui Airport is located 3 miles (five kilometres) from Samrong. You can’t hear planes at the beach itself and there’s no discomfort from having this neighbour. But the cost of a taxi to the airport is the most reasonable on the island.
Accommodation
The Bay Samui hotel buildings are located directly on the beach. The bungalows of Idyllic Samui are situated on the cliffs at Samrong’s northern edge and further beyond is Six Senses Samui. The southern end of the beach is currently under construction. Within 1.2 miles (two kilometres) of The Bay Samui there are several private resorts and a condominium.
- The Bay Samui
- Idyllic Samui Oceanfront Resort and Villas 4
- Six Senses Samui 5
- Tse Residence by Samui Emerald Condominiums
Do check (and I insist) for discounts or special offers on dedicated services. In Asia for example there are plenty of deals on Agoda.com that are much better than for the exact same hotels on Booking.com.
How to Find the Beach
Navigate to Samui Bayside Luxury Villas. This is the simplest approach as if I tried to explain each turn verbally with the number of forks in the road you’d get lost faster than you could say “paradise”.
