🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Riverside spots along the Tapi in Surat Thani fall into two main zones. The first is the Tapi River mouth, along Surat-Pak Nam Road — this side has the big seafood houses with plenty of space, easy parking, and room for a large group. The other zone is the Khlong Roi Sai side, around Ban Bai Mai and Khlong Noi, where you'll find quieter tucked-away places set in coconut groves with views of canal life. We've ordered them starting with the spots that are easy to reach in town, then worked out toward the ones you'll need to drive a little farther for.
9 Tapi riverside restaurants worth eating at
Tapee Seafood
A riverside seafood institution that's been part of the town for over 40 years. The place is huge, with both an indoor section and an open-air riverside section that catches the breeze. The dishes people order again and again are the fresh oysters, baked prawns with glass noodles, crab curry omelette, soft-shell crab in curry powder, and the goby fish hotpot. It's a place that works for the whole family or a big table.
Ah Tia Seafood Riverside
A Tapi riverside seafood spot that's been open more than 15 years, on the Khlong Noi side near Central. The fit-out is simple and airy, and it catches the river breeze full on. What sets it apart is that alongside the saltwater seafood, it also serves river prawns and Tapi River fish caught fresh. If you're after genuine river catch, this is the one.
Rabiang Mai
A Tapi riverside spot on the Ko Lamphu side with a clear view of Narisorn Bridge — you eat while longtail boats putter past. It's known for fresh seafood at fair prices, and the dishes reviewers like are the stir-fried prawns, oysters, sour curry, and fried sea bass. The staff are attentive, and the setting wins you over the moment you walk in.
Phunisa
A spot with a stunning view up on Khao Hua Khwai in Phun Phin district, looking down on the Tapi River winding through palm groves and hills. It earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025. The food is bold, rustic Southern Thai, and you can come for lunch or dinner — but it closes at 8pm, so if you want the view, go before the light fades.
Lamphu 3
A seafood spot right at the mouth of the Tapi River, on the triangular sandbar where two waters meet. The view opens up wide, with boats coming and going at the river mouth and a mix of sea and river breeze. It's known for the freshness of its seafood, and it suits anyone who likes the raw, unpolished feel of the river mouth.
The Riverside Restaurant
A Tapi riverside spot on the Ban Bai Mai side with live music in the evening. The draw is sitting down to eat while the bridge lights come on. The menu is general Thai and seafood — tom yum goong, pad thai, sour curry — and the mood works for family meals or couples. Good for anyone who wants a chilled dinner with music in the background.
Ban Tia Chom Tawan
A hidden spot in a garden along the Tapi River near Khlong Noi that plenty of Surat Thani locals still don't know about. It serves rustic home cooking with some seafood in a quiet setting, good for anyone wanting to slip away from the big places in town and sit somewhere calm watching the sun over the water. We'd check the opening hours on the restaurant's page before going, since it's a small place.
Ban Plai Khlong, Ban Bai Mai
A spot along the Khlong Roi Sai canal route in Ban Bai Mai, set at the end of a canal that links out to the Tapi. The food is good and the setting is leafy and shaded, like a waterside garden. It pairs well with a canal boat trip or a stop at the Ban Bai Mai community market that opens on Sundays — a meal where you eat and watch canal life at the same time.
Ban Lung Mun Garden Restaurant, Ban Bai Mai
A rustic garden restaurant in Ban Bai Mai serving Thai food and seafood in a shady waterside garden setting. It's another stop on the Khlong Roi Sai side where locals take visiting guests to sit. The vibe is relaxed and unhurried, good for a long lunch that rolls into evening by the water.
Booking and timing tips
Big seafood places like Tapee Seafood and Ah Tia Riverside fill up fast on Friday and Saturday evenings. If you're coming with a group, call ahead to book a riverside table to be sure. Phunisa only stays open until 8pm and sits up on the hill, so if you want the river view, go before 6pm.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Surat Thani food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
How to pick the right spot for your meal
- Big group / large table — Tapee Seafood or Ah Tia Riverside, with plenty of space and easy parking
- Best possible view — hilltop Phunisa (wide view) or Rabiang Mai / The Riverside (Narisorn Bridge lit up at night)
- Want real river prawns and Tapi River fish — Ah Tia Riverside, which is strong on river catch
- Want to escape the crowds and sit somewhere quiet — Ban Tia Chom Tawan or the spots on the Ban Bai Mai / Khlong Roi Sai side
- Want the raw river-mouth atmosphere — Lamphu 3 right at the Tapi River mouth
The Khlong Roi Sai side: Ban Bai Mai and Khlong Noi
If you have a half day, the Ban Bai Mai and Khlong Noi side is well worth it. It's a stretch of coconut groves along canals that branch off the Tapi River into a hundred channels, with homestays, loft-style canalside cafes, and boat trips through the nipa palm tunnels starting at around ฿500 per boat. The Ban Bai Mai community market opens only on Sundays from 9am to 5pm, selling local food and community goods. You can easily plan a trip with a morning boat ride, lunch by the canal, and dinner on the Tapi in the evening.
Khlong Roi Sai boat trip
Ride a boat past canal life and nipa palm tunnels, from around ฿500/boat. Pairs well with a waterside meal.
Ban Bai Mai community market
Open Sundays 9am–5pm in a coconut grove, with local food and community goods.
Plan a full day of eating and sightseeing in Surat Thani
See the Surat Thani guide →