Sanom Beach
Koh Lipe, Satun, Thailand
Sanom Beach sits at the far southern end of Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe, Thailand, reached by a wooden walkway over the rocks once the main beach runs out. The sand is quiet compared to Lipe's busier strips, backed by shade trees, and the resort here is run by local Urak Lawoi sea gypsies rather than an outside chain.
A quiet, family-run alternative to Lipe's crowded main beach, though the walkway access and lack of amenities keep it a deliberate side trip rather than a first stop.
Walk the plank walkway at low tide when the rocks underneath are dry and the footing is easier. At high tide the boards get slick with spray.
There's no vehicle access to Koh Lipe itself. Ferries run from Pak Bara pier on the mainland, and once on the island everything is on foot; Sanom is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the main pier along Pattaya Beach.
The final stretch to the beach is a narrow wooden walkway built over rocks, not stroller or wheelchair friendly, and the sand beyond it is soft and uneven.
The dry season from November through April brings the calmest seas and clearest water for diving out of Sanom's onsite dive center. The southwest monsoon from May through October brings rougher crossings from the mainland and more rain.
More Asia Pacific beaches
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