Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe
The Main Beach — White Sand, Clear Water

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Pattaya Beach sits on the west side of Koh Lipe in Satun province, and it's one of the island's three main beaches, alongside Sunrise Beach to the east and Sunset Beach to the north. What sets Pattaya Beach apart is that it's the gateway in and out of the island — every boat from the mainland pulls in here. Step off the boat and you're immediately surrounded by hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, and the entrance to Walking Street. If you want convenience and everything within walking distance, this is the beach for you.

What the beach is like, and why it draws a crowd

Pattaya Beach runs about 1.5 km, with soft white sand and shallow, clear water where you can see the sandy bottom — great for swimming and for kids to play along the shore. By day the sun is strong and the water turns such a pretty blue that plenty of people call Koh Lipe the Maldives of Thailand. At night this is the liveliest beach on the island, with beach bars, tables set out on the sand, and fire shows almost every evening. The vibe is fun, but it never gets as chaotic as the bigger islands.

• White sand, clear water — fine sand and shallow clear water; you can swim and take photos all along the shore
• Centre of everything — walking distance to Walking Street, hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, and the boat drop-off
• Liveliest at night — beach bars, fire shows, and grilled seafood spots all along the stretch near the Walking Street entrance
• Good for first-timers and families — convenient, no long walks, with shops and essentials all in one area

Arriving at Pattaya Beach — how it works and the real costs

Koh Lipe has no concrete pier for large boats to dock at. Speedboats and ferries pull up to a floating pier a short way off Pattaya Beach, and a longtail boat then takes you in to shore. The crew helps carry your bags up onto the beach, and from there you can walk to your hotel or meet a pickup. It's a simple process, but it helps to know the costs upfront so nothing catches you off guard.

• Speedboat from Pak Bara pier (Satun) — about 90 min, from roughly 550–650 THB per person each way. Some trips stop at Koh Tarutao and Koh Khai along the way
• National park fee — collected when you arrive on the island, with different rates for Thais and foreigners (foreigners around 200 THB). Keep the receipt; it's valid for several days
• Floating pier + longtail boat to shore — about 50–70 THB per person total (roughly 20 THB for the pier + around 50 THB for the longtail)
• High season — at times there are direct boats from Langkawi, Malaysia. You'll clear immigration at Koh Lipe, so have your passport ready

Where to stay along Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach is the densest accommodation area on the island, with everything from budget bungalows and guesthouses to 4-star beachfront resorts. The upside is you can walk to restaurants and Walking Street from anywhere. The trade-off is that at night the area picks up noise from the beach bars, so light sleepers may want a room set a little further back.

Where to eat around Pattaya Beach

Pattaya Beach is the densest dining area on the island, especially the stretch near the Walking Street entrance, where grilled-seafood spots lay out fresh fish, prawns, and squid for you to pick by the kilo and have grilled to order. Come evening, tables move right down to the sand — eat while you watch the sunset. By day there are cafés and made-to-order spots all along the stretch.

Beyond the spots named above, Pattaya Beach and Walking Street have plenty more cafés, made-to-order shops, Western and Italian places, and seafood restaurants to browse on foot. The line-up shifts with the seasons and some places close during low season, so it's worth walking the strip and checking recent reviews before you sit down.

Where you can walk to from Pattaya Beach

Koh Lipe is small. Crossing the island from Pattaya Beach to Sunrise Beach via Walking Street takes under 10–15 minutes on foot. If you'd rather not walk, motorcycle taxis and tuk-tuks run between the beaches.

• Walking Street — the pedestrian street through the centre of the island, starting at Pattaya Beach, with restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, dive-tour operators, and ATMs
• Sunrise Beach — a 10–15 min walk across the island; a long, quieter beach that's great for the sunrise
• Sunset Beach — a small beach to the north, quiet and calm, good for the sunset
• Snorkelling tours around the island — book from a tour shop on Walking Street; boats leave from the beach and take you to dive spots around the island and nearby islets

When to come, and what to watch out for

Koh Lipe is a seasonal island — it isn't fully open year-round. The best time is high season, Nov–Apr, when the sea is calm, the water clear, and the skies open. During the monsoon, May–Oct (especially Jun–Sep), the sea gets rough, waves run high, boat schedules thin out or pause at times, and many hotels and restaurants close for the season. If you're planning to come during this stretch, check with your hotel and the boat operators first to make sure they're open.

• Check the weather before snorkelling — when the sea is rough, tours may suspend trips for safety. Don't push it, and always wear a life jacket
• Don't touch or take coral and rocks — Koh Lipe is inside a national park, the coral is fragile, and stepping on it or taking it home is illegal and damages the ecosystem
• Pack out your trash — the island's waste handling is limited, so bring your own bag and dispose of rubbish properly
• Bring cash — there are only a few ATMs on the island and the queues are long. Many places take cash only, so bring enough from the mainland
• Power and signal — some places only supply power at set hours and the internet can be unreliable, so set your expectations accordingly