Lamai is Samui’s second beach, on the east coast a few kilometres south of Chaweng. It is a broad arc of slightly coarser sand, and because the seabed drops away faster than at Chaweng, it stays swimmable at every state of the tide.
The town behind the beach is smaller and more relaxed than Chaweng, with a good spread of mid-range hotels, cafés, massage shops and a lively night market. The southern end of the bay leads to the island’s most photographed rocks, Hin Ta & Hin Yai.
Top things to do at Lamai Beach
Swim and laze
The central part of the beach has the best sand and the most restaurants; the northern end is rockier and quieter. As everywhere on Samui’s east coast, the sea can be rough in the rainy season.
Eat your way round the night market
Lamai’s night food stalls sell grilled seafood, pad thai, fruit shakes and mango sticky rice at local prices, and on Sunday evenings the centre of town turns into a walking street with clothes and souvenir stalls as well.
Take a cooking class or a spa afternoon
Several of the island’s cooking schools and wellness retreats are in and around Lamai. A Thai cooking class is a good plan for a wet afternoon.
How to get to Lamai Beach
- From the airport: around 25–35 minutes by taxi or transfer, depending on traffic through Chaweng.
- By songthaew: daytime songthaews on the ring road link Lamai with Chaweng to the north and Nathon via the south of the island.
Insider tips
- Lamai suits travellers who find Chaweng too hectic but still want restaurants and bars within walking distance.
- The ring road through Lamai is busy — take care when crossing and when riding a scooter.
- Hin Ta & Hin Yai are walkable from the southern end of the beach.
Best tours & tickets for Lamai Beach
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Lamai Beach:
Sightseeing tour from €22 Koh Samui: Half-Day Highlight Tour + Elephant Camp Option
A quick, inexpensive orientation loop of the ring road’s best-known sights, ideal for your first or second day. We would skip the optional elephant-camp add-on and visit one of the island’s observation-only sanctuaries separately instead.
- The island’s main landmarks by air-conditioned minivan
- Temples, viewpoints and the famous rocks in one loop
- Low price and thousands of reviews
Cooking class from €66 Koh Samui: Thai Cooking Class with Samui Local Family
The top-rated food experience on the island. You cook a full Thai meal with a local family and eat what you make — a good choice for a rainy day, and something you can actually take home with you.
- Hands-on cooking in a family home
- Classic Thai dishes made from scratch
- A perfect 5.0 rating from hundreds of reviews
Half-day boat trip from €37 Pig Island by Speed Boat with Buffet Lunch
The most-booked short boat trip from Samui, with several thousand reviews. A speedboat runs from the south coast to Koh Tan for snorkelling and on to Koh Madsum, where the resident pigs trot along the sand. It only takes half a day, so it fits easily around beach time.
- Meet the pigs on the beach at Koh Madsum
- Snorkelling stop off Koh Tan
- Buffet lunch included
