🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Sunset Beach is one of Koh Lipe's three main beaches, in Satun province, sitting on the northwest side of the island alongside Pattaya Beach to the west and Sunrise Beach to the east. What sets it apart from the other two is its size — it's much smaller, only about 200 meters long, with just a handful of places to stay and none of the bars lined up the way they are on Pattaya Beach. The mood is quieter and rawer, which suits anyone who wants to escape the crowds and sit somewhere peaceful to watch the sun go down.
What the beach is like, and why people come
Sunset Beach is a small west-facing bay, looking across the water to Koh Adang's mountain silhouette not far off. In the evening the sun slides down behind Koh Adang and turns the sea a golden orange — a scene many travelers call the prettiest sunset on Koh Lipe. The beach is broken up by rocky outcrops here and there, the sand isn't as fine and white as on Pattaya Beach, and there are trees giving shade along the whole length, which is rare on the island's other beaches.
- Quiet and private — a small beach with only a few places to stay and far fewer people than Pattaya or Sunrise. Great for couples and anyone who likes calm.
- Sunset viewpoint — it faces west toward Koh Adang, making it the island's best-known spot for watching the sun set.
- Shade all day — trees along the shore give you somewhere to get out of the sun, unlike the wide-open east-coast beaches.
- Rocks plus snorkeling — at the end of the bay there are rocks and a shallow reef, so you can snorkel and see fish without taking a boat out.
Straight talk
The sand on Sunset Beach isn't as smooth and white as Pattaya Beach, there are rocky stretches, and at low tide you'll see more rock than sand in places. The draw here is the quiet and the sunset view, not a perfect swimming beach. If you want white sand and a long stretch for swimming, Pattaya Beach or Sunrise Beach is the better fit.
Want more out of Koh Lipe? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
How to walk to Sunset Beach from Pattaya Beach
The nice thing about Koh Lipe is that it's small — you can walk right across the island. From Pattaya Beach, head onto Walking Street, the pedestrian street through the middle of the island. Keep going until you reach the 7-Eleven on your left, then turn left at the intersection and continue up the hill toward the northwest. The last stretch is a small path that winds down to the beach. All in, it takes about 10-15 minutes. It's not a hard walk, but it's uphill and the final part is a dirt path, so comfortable shoes are a good idea.
- On foot — from Pattaya Beach through Walking Street, turn left at the 7-Eleven and head up the hill for about 10-15 minutes. There are signs pointing to Sunset Beach along the way.
- Motorbike taxi / cargo trike — if you'd rather not walk up the hill, motorbike taxis run to Sunset Beach for a flat rate of around 100 THB per trip.
- Leave time for the walk back after dark — the path isn't well lit, so if you walk back after watching the sunset, bring a flashlight or use your phone light.
Get there a bit before sunset
In high season the sun sets around 6:00-6:30 PM on Koh Lipe. Aim to arrive 30-45 minutes early so you can grab a good spot and catch the golden hour. The actual sunset time shifts with the seasons, so check the day's sunset time before you head out.
Where to stay on Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach has only a handful of places to stay, because the beach is small and space is limited. Most are bungalows and small resorts that lean into the quiet. The upside is waking up to the west-coast sea view and watching the sunset right in front of your room. The trade-off is that it's a way from the restaurants and conveniences over by Pattaya Beach — if you stay here, be ready to walk in and out of town.
Bay View Sunset Resort
A small resort on the hill at the north end of Sunset Beach, looking out over both the beach and Koh Adang. The sunset happens right in front of your room, and the mood is calm and quiet.
Forest bungalowsLipe Sunset Forest Resort
A bungalow-style resort tucked in the trees near Sunset Beach, with its own restaurant and a shuttle to the beach — or about a 15-minute walk. Good for anyone who likes being close to nature.
On the hill, quietSerendipity Beach Resort
A resort on the hill on the island's west side, quieter than the middle of Pattaya Beach, with a restaurant and sea views. You can walk to both Pattaya Beach and the Sunset side.
Prices on the island run higher than on the mainland
Food and supplies on Koh Lipe cost noticeably more than on the mainland, since everything has to come over by boat. Bring some of your own drinking water, snacks, and toiletries from the mainland. Sunset Beach rooms fill up fast and prices rise in high season (Nov-Apr) because there are so few of them, so book ahead for a better rate and to avoid missing out.
Snorkeling by the rocks at Sunset Beach
Something a lot of people don't realize is that you can snorkel right off Sunset Beach without taking a boat out. The western end of the bay and the rocks near the resorts have a reef and tropical fish — in some spots you can scramble along the rocks and slip straight into the water over the reef. Because fewer tour boats come here than to the other beaches, the water is clearer and the coral is in better shape than at busy Pattaya Beach.
- Time the tide — snorkeling at high tide is safer and better-looking. At low tide the bottom is rock and shallow coral, so watch your shins.
- Wear water shoes — the beach has rocks and sea urchins, so water shoes help protect your feet when you're picking your way over the rocks.
- Check the weather before getting in — when it's windy the waves slam into the rocks. If the water's murky or the waves are strong, skip it — don't push it.
Don't touch or take coral and rocks
Koh Lipe is inside Tarutao National Park, and the coral is very fragile. Don't step on it, don't touch it, and don't take coral or shells home — it's against the law and it damages an ecosystem that's slow to recover. Take only photos, and carry out every piece of your own trash. The island's waste handling is limited.
Sunset at Sunset Beach — how to get ready
The highlight of this beach is the sunset. In the evening people drift in to sit along the shore — some order a drink from the beachfront resort and sip it there, others just spread out a cloth on the sand. The sun slowly drops behind Koh Adang and the sky shifts from golden orange to pink and purple. It's when this quiet little beach is at its most beautiful.
- Arrive 30-45 minutes before sunset — find a good spot and catch the golden hour before the sun dips below the horizon.
- Order a drink from the beachfront resort — there are small resort bars where you can sit and sip with the view (open at times — some are closed on low-season days).
- Plan for the walk back in the dark — the sky goes dark fast after sunset, and the path back into town has little lighting. Bring a flashlight or use your phone light.
- Respect the quiet — the charm here is the calm, not a party. Help keep that atmosphere for everyone else.
Where to go next from Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is close to the other beaches and the sights around the island. Walk back to Walking Street and you can branch off in several directions, or catch a boat over to the nearby islands you can see right from the beach.
- Pattaya Beach — walk back through Walking Street, about 10-15 minutes. It's the main beach: white sand, with the most restaurants and accommodation.
- Sunrise Beach — the long beach on the east coast, quieter than Pattaya, perfect for getting up early to watch the sunrise — pair it with Sunset for both ends of the day.
- Koh Adang — the island you can see from Sunset Beach, a short boat ride across, with hilltop viewpoints and quiet beaches.
- Island snorkeling tours — book from the tour shops on Walking Street; they take you to snorkeling spots around Koh Lipe and the nearby islands.
Rough costs of getting around the island
Motorbike taxis between beaches run about 50-100 THB per trip, and a chartered longtail boat is around 100 THB per trip. A full-day chartered snorkeling boat around the island starts around 700 THB. Prices change with the season and group size, so agree on the fare before you get on the boat, every time.
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's clear, the sky is open, and the sunsets are beautiful. During the monsoon, May-Oct (especially Jun-Sep), the sea gets rough and the waves run high, boat services drop or stop at times, and many of the places to stay and eat on Sunset Beach close for the season. If you're planning to come then, check with your accommodation and the boats first to make sure they're open.
- Check the weather before snorkeling — when the waves are strong, tours may cancel boat trips for safety. Don't push it, and always wear a life jacket on the boat.
- Don't touch or take coral and rocks — the island is inside a national park and the coral is fragile. Don't step on it or take it home — it's illegal and it harms the ecosystem.
- Carry out your trash — the island's waste handling is limited, so bring a bag for your own trash and dispose of it properly. In low season some parts of the beach get a lot of drifting trash washing up.
- Bring cash — the island has only a few ATMs and the lines are long, and many places take cash only. Bring enough from the mainland.
- Power and signal — some places have power only at set hours and the internet signal is unreliable, especially in the Sunset Beach area away from the center of the island. Plan around it.
Plan your Koh Lipe trip — every beach, every spot
See the Koh Lipe travel guide →