What Is The Best Beach In Koh Lipe? 11 Amazing Options
What is Koh Lipe’s BEST Beach?
Welcome to my guide to the best beach in Koh Lipe!
After spending a week exploring this slice of Thai paradise, I’ve discovered that each beach offers something different. From the lively atmosphere of Pattaya Beach to the peaceful vibes of Sunrise Beach, I’ll help you find your perfect beach spot.
While I mainly cover Koh Lipe’s main beaches in this guide, I’ve also included a secret beach on Kla Island – just 300 meters away – that’s totally worth checking out. You’ll see why when we get there!
Since I’ve explored every corner of the island, I’ve put together detailed guides about the 15 best things to do in Koh Lipe, accommodation options, and how to get there. Think of this beach guide as part of your complete Koh Lipe travel toolkit.
Also, check out my post on the Best Time To Visit.
Ready to find out what makes each beach unique? Let’s get started!
Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that if you make a booking through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Koh Lipe Beaches Map
North Point Beach
My personal favourite is North Point Beach.
The beautiful curved beach is located at the northernmost point of the island. The sand is honestly perfect in my eyes. The beach has character and features a great place to have a cocktail around sunset time.
Zodiac Sun Resort is perfectly located at the top of the island. You can move between the sea and the beach too to snorkel or swim.
If you one day return to Koh Lipe I would stay on North Point Beach.
But be aware, it’s the most expensive part of the island for hotels.
Bulow Beach
As you move across from North Point Beach you come to what some people Bulow Beach.
I feel it’s essentially the same beach as North Point Beach and that it just continues.
You can have a beautiful time here as well. There are several restaurants and accommodations to choose from if your budget allows. Mountain View Resort overlooks Bulow Beach and provides stair access to the shore.
While part of the beach does have some rocky parts you can swim here without ay major problems.
Sunset Beach
I stayed right beside Sunset Beach and it did not disappoint.
The beach is long and though narrow it is magnificent to experience a sunset out over the Andaman Sea.
Based on my experience, this beach tends to attract more couples. I saw some families spend time here too but anybody can obviously visit.
There’s a charming beach bar and restaurant I passed daily. Though it was closed during the low season, renovations were underway to prepare for high season.
Stop by for a cocktail and soak in the perfect tropical beach atmosphere.
Pattaya Beach
When you arrive at Koh Lipe on the south of the island, you will first step onto Pattaya Beach.
It gave me an extraordinary first impression because the sun was high in the sky and the sand and water were perfectly clean and clear. It was simply epic.
Walking along the beach is a nice way to settle in and you can see all the ferries come into the port packed with eager beachgoers.
About one kilometre in size you can swim and snorkel here in crystal clear waters.
Sunrise Beach
Sunrise Beach is epic for seeing the sun come up to wake the island.
Stretching across most of the east side of the island you can rent kayaks along the beach, eat lunch with amazing views or do some Yoga as the sun starts to rise.
Be aware that the beach tends to be packed with longtail boats that operate as taxis or bring people on day tours to the National Park.
Appreciate the footed islands in the sea close by. Koh Kla is a great place to explore for a few hours and Koh Usen sits pretty only a few hundred metres off the coast.
Sanom Beach
When I flew my drone over Koh Lipe, I wanted to run straight to Sanom Beach and hide away.
During my visit, I saw only two people on the beach. Don’t expect crowds here—but keep in mind that the beach is less than 100 meters long.
If you’re lucky like the couple I saw, you’ll have the entire beach to yourself.
Guests who book Sanom Beach Lipe Resort likely choose it for this very reason: private beaches are rare, and having one entirely to yourself is even rarer.
Lipe Secret Beach
Koh Lipe’s most southwesterly beach is Lipe Sectret Beach.
While I didn’t visit this beach I know some people have visited and were not so impressed.
Going from the pictures it looks small, remote and potentially a cool place to spend a morning sunbathing.
I was a little peeved that we didn’t get to visit but after reading more about it it doesn’t seem like I missed much.
If you want to visit all the beaches on the island then go ahead but if you’re short on time and want to most exquisite beaches then you can give it a miss.
Maricilla Beach
A cute little cove which seems hidden from the world, Maricilla Beach is idyllic and perfect.
When we walked to the most southern point of Sunrise Beach our path ended when we came to a big chunk of rock.
Continue south along the road until it ends, then walk through Serendipity Resort Koh Lipe to find this beautiful spot.
Expect to see more big rocks on the beach.
Essentially this is a continuation of Sunrise Beach so if you plan accordingly you can visit both of these beaches on the same day.
Despite getting crowded at times, this spot offers great food with scenic views. It’s also one of the best places for snorkelling, along with Koh Kla in my opinion.
Pantai Galah Beach
Probably a less popular beach but still ranks among the best in Koh Lipe.
Less than 50 metres long you can experience e peaceful and remote time at this beach.
You can kayak to the beach or you can walk through the island west until the road ends and you can walk through the forest by foot.
Hikers enjoy the route and others as it’s not too challenging and there is a nice reward at the end.
You can reach the beach in about 40 minutes walking from Walking Street.
Pitiusas Beach
If you would like to spend time on a small beach with a remote feel then Pitiusas Beach is for you.
If it’s high season expect there to not be so much room as the beach is pretty small with large rocks placed on either side.
It is located right beside Pitiusas Beach Resort & Restaurant so you can even eat before or after you swim or snorkel in the tropical waters.
There is a road leading right down to the beach so getting there is easy.
There are much nicer beaches on Koh Lipe but if you want to explore the island then why not make a stop at Pitiusas Beach.
Bonus Beach – Kla Island
Technically not on the island of Koh Lipe, sure.
But if you kayak or take a longtail boat across, you’ll discover a hidden beach that feels like a secret twin beach.
You can see it from Sunrise Beach and it is not too far away. Maybe 300 meters.
When we got there, a few people were arriving and leaving when we visited in September. But for about an hour it was just us. I couldn’t believe how lucky I felt.
To have this tiny tropical island all to ourselves was pretty epic.
You just pop your kayak up on the shore. But be careful, when we went out 20 meters or so the tide came in and it was about to take our kayak into the sea.
Make sure you leave the Kayak far up on the shore.
You can walk between the two beaches and snorkel in the most breathtaking waters. You can kayak around the island.
You can climb the small but wonderful viewpoint, which almost any fitness level could do and see Koh Lipe from a great vantage point.
It can be a little slippy and steep but you can use your hands to keep you on the right track.
Two local kids swam around the island and up onto the beach when it was just me sitting there. They caught an eel with a spear and walked through to the other beach.
It was a surreal and totally cool moment.
Check out my post on taking the ferry to Koh Lipe.
Final Thoughts – Koh Lipe’s Beaches Are Epic!
As you can see from the images and post, Koh Lipe has plenty of beaches to make your jaw hit the floor.
My personal favourite was North Point Beach AND Bulow Beach, with its pristine sand and beautiful curved shoreline.
I also loved Kla Island for the fun kayaking adventure required to reach it.
All of the other beaches mentioned are postcard-worthy and you could probably settle to spend your stay on Pattaya Beach, Sunset Beach or Sanom Beach and not feel like you’ve missed out.
The beauty of Koh Lipe is its size. You can quickly get from to north to the south in a few minutes via a tuk-tuk or zip around the island on a private boat.
If you enjoyed this post check out my detailed packing list for South East Asia to give you some help with packing all the necessary items you may have forgotten or the ones you don’t actually need.
Thanks for reading,
James
FAQs
Which Part Of Koh Lipe Is Best?
The best part of Koh Lipe varies for each visitor. If you’re looking for a lively atmosphere, head to Walking Street. For a peaceful retreat, Pantai Galah Beach is perfect. Adventure seekers should explore the surrounding islands and National Parks for action-packed day tours. My personal favourite spot was North Point Beach, along with nearby Koh Kla.
Where Can I Swim In Koh Lipe?
You can swim pretty much anywhere around Koh Lipe. Be cautious when swimming on Sunrise Beach as many boats come in and out and dock here for the night. If you’re not careful they may not see you in the water. Most of the other beaches are more peaceful making for a perfect place to swim and enjoy the great sands and islands in view.
Which Beach Is Best For Sunset In Koh Lipe?
While Sunset Beach is popular for sunset viewing, I believe North Point Beach offers an even better experience. North Point Beach has a lively atmosphere with groups of people enjoying drinks and socialising together. In contrast, Sunset Beach tends to attract more couples seeking romantic, private moments. This was my observation during my week-long stay. Though both beaches are stunning, North Point Beach edges out as my favourite.
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