Table of contents How we ranked them
Ask a first-timer about Pattaya's beach and they'll usually wince. The main city strip on Beach Road has a reputation - boats anchored over the swimming line, jet-skis buzzing, sand that's fine rather than spectacular, and water that isn't the turquoise you came for. All true. But "the beach in Pattaya is bad" and "there are no good beaches near Pattaya" are two completely different statements, and the second one is wrong.
I've spent five years up and down this coast for things to do in Pattaya, and the honest truth is the good beaches are a short hop away - a 45-minute ferry, a 10-minute drive north, or a half-hour run south. Below are the 12 best beaches near Pattaya, ranked, with the prices and travel times I actually paid in 2026, and a blunt note on who each one is for.
How we ranked them
This isn't a beauty contest. I ranked these on four things that decide whether a beach day is worth it: water and sand quality (is it actually nice to swim and sit?), how easy it is to reach from central Pattaya, crowds and noise, and what's there - shade, food, loungers, toilets. A gorgeous beach that takes two boats to reach loses points; an average beach two minutes from your hotel keeps a few.
Every beach here was visited as a regular paying traveller. Ferry and lounger prices are 2026 figures checked at Bali Hai pier and on the islands themselves. Where a beach is genuinely not worth your time, I say so - there's no upside in sending you somewhere disappointing.
No pay-to-play
Nobody pays to appear on this list. The ranking is based on real visits and the four criteria above, and every ฿ figure was checked at street and pier level in 2026 - the same standard across every trip-planning guide we publish.
The 12 beaches at a glance
The quick verdict first - the three beaches most people should actually prioritise - then the full ranked table. Distances are from central Pattaya (Beach Road); ferry times are from Bali Hai pier.
| # | Beach | Where | Getting there | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tawaen Beach | Koh Larn | 45-min ferry · ฿30 | Clear water + facilities |
| 2 | Samae & Nual | Koh Larn | Ferry + ฿20–50 ride | Quieter island swimming |
| 3 | Wong Amat | Naklua (north) | 10–15 min · ฿20–60 | Calmest, cleanest city beach |
| 4 | Jomtien Beach | Jomtien (south) | 15 min · ฿20–40 | Long swimmable strip |
| 5 | Cosy Beach | Pratumnak | 10 min · ฿30–60 | Sunset & couples |
| 6 | Bang Saray | 30 min south | 30 min · ฿300+ Grab | Local, seafood, calm |
| 7 | Ta Yai Beach | Koh Larn | Ferry + ride | Snorkelling, fewer crowds |
| 8 | Sai Kaew | Sattahip (45 min) | 45 min · car/Grab | White sand, day trip |
| 9 | Dongtan Beach | South Jomtien | 20 min · ฿20–40 | Shaded, relaxed |
| 10 | Pattaya Beach | Central | Walk · free | Convenience only |
| 11 | Koh Sak beaches | Off Koh Larn | Speedboat tour | Snorkelling, clear water |
| 12 | Naklua / Wong Phrachan | Far north | 15–20 min · ฿40–80 | Very local, low-key |
The top picks ranked
The full list is above; here are the four I'd send almost anyone to, with the honest detail that decides whether they suit your day. If you want the islands in more depth, our Koh Larn ferry vs speedboat guide covers how to get out there.
1. Tawaen Beach, Koh Larn
This is the answer to "where's the nice beach?" Tawaen is the main, most developed beach on Koh Larn (Coral Island), a 45-minute, ฿30 ferry from Bali Hai pier (or a 15-minute, ฿300–450 speedboat). The water is the clear turquoise Pattaya city doesn't have, the sand is properly white, and there's everything you need - loungers (฿100–150), umbrellas, beachfront seafood, banana boats and parasailing. It's the busiest beach on the island, especially with day-tour groups before noon, so come on an early ferry or stay until the boats leave around 4pm and it calms right down.
It's the best all-rounder near Pattaya: genuinely beautiful water with full facilities, all for the price of a ฿30 boat. The trade-off is the crowds - Tawaen is no secret. For the ranking and tips on every island beach, see our best beaches in Go To Pattaya.
Local tip
The public ferry runs from Bali Hai pier roughly every hour from 7am, with the last boat back around 6pm - but times are weather-dependent and the last boat fills fast. If you miss it you're paying ฿1,500+ for a private speedboat home. Always confirm the return time when you land, and don't cut it fine.
2. Samae & Nual (Monkey) Beach
Once you're on Koh Larn, the better swimming is away from Tawaen. Samae Beach on the island's western side is smaller, prettier and calmer - clear water, a sheltered bay, a handful of seafood shacks and far fewer day-trippers. Nual Beach (locals call it Monkey Beach) is the most relaxed of all, a quiet cove that's a favourite for a slow afternoon. Both are a ฿20–50 songthaew or motorbike-taxi ride across the small island from the pier, or about ฿200–400 to hire a motorbike for the day.
I rank these second only because they take one more hop to reach than Tawaen. For sheer swimming and calm, Samae actually edges it. If you want the island without the crowds, skip Tawaen at the pier and head straight across.
3. Wong Amat Beach, Naklua
The best beach you can reach without a boat. Wong Amat sits at the north end of the bay in Naklua, away from the city centre, and it's a different world from Pattaya Beach - softer sand, cleaner water, no anchored boats over the swimming area, and a calmer, more upmarket crowd from the surrounding hotels. It's about a 10–15 minute hop north of central Pattaya (฿20–60 by songthaew, or a short Grab) and it's where I'd send anyone who wants a city beach they'll actually enjoy.
It's not a wild, empty stretch - there are resorts behind it and beach clubs at the ends - but for a swimmable, pleasant mainland beach it's comfortably the best. If you're choosing where to base yourself, our where to stay in Go To Pattaya covers Naklua and the quieter north.
4. Jomtien Beach
Jomtien, just south over Pratumnak Hill, is the long one - a 6 km sweep of sand that's far more relaxed than the city strip and genuinely good for a full beach day. The water is better than central Pattaya's, loungers run ฿100–150 with food and drinks brought to you, and the southern end towards Dongtan is quieter and greener. It's a 15-minute, ฿20–40 songthaew ride (the dark-blue Jomtien baht buses) from central Pattaya.
This is the best mainland choice if you want length, loungers and the freedom to walk - busier and louder than Wong Amat, but with more life and more food. For how it stacks up against the city beach directly, our complete Go To Pattaya has the area breakdown.
Watch the jet-ski hustle
On the busier mainland beaches, agree the jet-ski price and condition in writing before you ride. The old "you damaged it, pay ฿20,000" scam still surfaces occasionally. Film the craft first, or simply skip it - the islands have cleaner operators and clearer water anyway.
5–12. The rest of the ranking
The full picture, in order, with one honest line on each so you can match a beach to your day.
A small, pretty cove on Pratumnak Hill below the resorts. Calm, scenic and great at golden hour. Limited space and loungers, so come early.
A fishing-village beach 30 minutes south. Quiet sand, superb seafood, almost no tourists. The most authentic beach day near Pattaya.
A quieter Koh Larn beach with clearer water and decent snorkelling. Fewer facilities than Tawaen, more peace.
Navy-managed white-sand beach 45 minutes south. Clean, beautiful and low-key - but a genuine day trip, not a quick hop.
The tree-lined southern end of Jomtien. Shade, calm water and a more local, family feel than the main strip.
The famous central strip. Busy, boat-lined, only average for swimming - but free and a 2-minute walk from most hotels.
The little island off Koh Larn, reached on speedboat island-hopping tours. Clear water, good coral, no crowds.
A low-key strip at the far north end. No facilities to speak of, but quiet and real if you want to escape the crowds.
Beaches by area & how to get there
If you'd rather pick by where you're staying than by ranking, here's the coast broken down by direction from central Pattaya.
For getting around, the cheapest option everywhere on the mainland is the shared songthaew (baht bus); for the far-south beaches and door-to-door comfort, a Grab makes sense. Our Bangkok to Pattaya transport guide also helps if you're arriving and beach-bound the same day.
What a beach day costs
A beach day near Pattaya is one of the cheapest good days out in Thailand - especially the islands. Here's roughly what a relaxed day works out to per person in 2026 baht.
Public boat from Bali Hai pier, ฿30 each way. A speedboat is ฿300–450 each way if you want speed.
Per person on Tawaen, Jomtien or Wong Amat. Often waived if you order food and drinks.
Fresh seafood, rice or noodle plates and a couple of drinks at a beachfront shack.
Songthaew rides to Jomtien or Naklua. Grab to Bang Saray runs ฿300–500 each way.
All in, a Koh Larn island day comes to roughly ฿500–900 per person including the ferry, a lounger and lunch - cheaper than almost anywhere comparable in Thailand. A mainland beach day is even less. For a wider sense of daily spend, our 7-day Pattaya budget guide shows how far your baht goes here.
Frequently asked questions
So if someone tells you Pattaya has no good beaches, they only saw the city strip. The real answer is a 45-minute ferry away: Koh Larn for the clearest water, Wong Amat for the best mainland swim, and Jomtien for a long, easy day on the sand. Pick by your day - islands for postcard water, north for calm, south for local - and the coast around Pattaya delivers far more than its reputation suggests. Plan the rest of your days with our trip planner, or browse the things to do in Pattaya pillar for what to pair with a beach day.