Koh Samui is a popular island, and nowadays it attracts thousands of holidaymakers every year looking to enjoy its considerable charms. But you can still get off the beaten track and find the hidden Samui – Koh Samui boasts beautiful, unspoiled beaches just waiting to be discovered (just don’t tell everyone about them!)
Many of the best beaches in Koh Samui are a little hidden from public view. Some are available only to visitors who stay at the luxury hotels which own the private beach. Some require a little trekking to reach. Find out where you need to go to discover a perfect, tranquil Koh Samui beach. You may not get it all to yourself but you will certainly get away from it all in style.
1) Four Seasons Samui Beach
You may feel like you have wandered onto the shores of a Pacific island when you visit this beach attached to the luxury Four Seasons resort on Samui. The beach is very beautiful, with swaying palm trees and white sand. You also have easy access to the amenities at this excellent resort – if you can splash out, this is one of the best places to stay on the island.
Image via Sarah_Ackerman/Flickr
2) Silavadee Beach
Located on the east coast of Koh Samui, Silavadee Beach is a gorgeous gem that is accessible only by boat or by staying at the exclusive Silvadee Pool Spa. This beach is exquisite, with gorgeous clear waters, beautiful white sand, and lots of palm trees. Accessing the beach from the resort you step over a wooden walkway that reaches across the granite boulders – these granite rocks are a surprising natural feature creating some lovely swimming holes.
3) Centara Villas Samui Beach
Another classy resort with a great hidden beach, the Centara Villas sands are dotted with huge boulders which cut off the beach into smaller, tranquil spots. There is a long stretch of beach in front of the resort, and the forest fringing the beach is perfect for retreating back into nature. There is also a deeper area in the ocean which is perfect for swimming, and this is, therefore, one of the best resort beaches on the island.
4) Samrong Beach & Tonson Bay
These two beaches are next to each other in the northeast of Koh Samui. The beaches, near Choeng Mon, are out of the way and perfectly peaceful. They are not attached to any resorts so you can easily access them, but you do need to know which paths to take to get to the shore. Many people miss them, meaning these beaches are never crowded.
5) Kamalaya Beach
Stay at the Kamalaya Koh Samui resort and gain access to this perfect little beach. The resort occupies the beachfront forest and the beach has some large boulders and some lovely palm trees fringing the edges. The water is clear and beautiful, and the resort manages the beach very well. The water is shallow, and therefore not ideal for swimming, although these waters are ideal for kayaking. If you do not access the beach through the resort you can take a rough track over rocky ground from the Centara Villas Samui to the beach, although it is a difficult trek.
6) Coral Cove Beach
The amazing granite boulders on the east coast of Samui enclose several beaches in perfect tranquility, including the picturesque Coral Cove Beach which boasts white sand, clear water, and lovely vegetation. There are a couple of resorts at either end of the beach but they are not very developed and you should find a patch of sand all for yourself.
7) Beach at Banyan Tree Samui
The Banyan Tree resort in Samui is private and highly tranquil, tucked away so it is only accessible by boat or from the resort itself. The beach is enclosed in an attractive bay and there are great views from the resort across the beach and the water. The beach is narrow although it is perfectly pretty, and the water is good for swimming at high tide.
Image via Ricki Lee/ Flickr
Check out more Koh Samui beaches and resorts with the help of PhuketOn. The PhuketOn blog is your destination for news and tips for travel to Koh Samui, Phuket, Bangkok, Hua Hin, and Pattaya.
