51 Best Sights in The Gulf Coast Beaches, Thailand

Hordes of weekend visitors from Bangkok descend on this temple on the north side of town. Khao Yai is a hodgepodge of shrines and stupas lining a 400-step walkway up a steep hillside. It's an arduous climb to the main temple building, but the view of the northern half of the island, the mainland, and rows of barges and ships is worth the effort. Koh Si Chang has no natural water sources. From this perch, you can see that nearly every roof on the island has a big jar for collecting water.

Just offshore at Choengmon Beach is Koh Fan Noi, a little island with a narrow strip of sandy beach. The waters are shallow enough to wade to the island. Despite the hectic pace of development on Samui, the beautiful beach here remains nearly deserted.

From Pattaya Bay, shared speedboats take just 15 minutes to reach the island of Koh Lan. The beaches have white sand, and the water is cleaner than at Pattaya Beach. Koh Lan gets busy by midday, so arrive early if you want peace and quiet. The waters are crowded with speedboats and other motorized craft—and some speedboat operators are reckless, so be cautious when swimming. Food and drink vendors wander among the shaded deck chairs, although the prices are steep. Ferries leave South Pattaya Pier daily from 10 am to 6:30 pm. Private speedboats can be hired as well. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; nature lovers.

The three small islands of Koh Nang Yuan lie close to Koh Tao. At high tide the islands, separated by shallow, translucent water, look like the endpoints of an obtuse triangle. At low tide the receding water exposes two narrow sandbars that connect the outer islands, which contain bungalows for overnight stays, to the central island, which has a lodge, a restaurant and beach bar, and a coffee shop. The islands are privately owned by the Nangyuan Island Dive Resort, and all visitors who wish to set foot on Koh Nang Yuan must shell out a small fee. Although many visitors opt to pay, others simply dock offshore to snorkel and dive the gorgeous waters surrounding the islands. To get here from Koh Tao, you can kayak from Sairee Beach or hire a longtail boat (B200 round-trip from Sairee) to ferry you here. The trip takes about 15 minutes—it works best to arrange your return with the same operator. While you are visiting, be sure to slip up to the viewpoint on the southern island to snap photos guaranteed to make your friends back home jealous.

The islands are busy throughout the day; it's best to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

The government has been unable—or unwilling—to control development on some parts of Koh Samet despite its protected status as a national marine park, but its fine sand and smooth water is still serene and beautiful in many places. Development is greatest in the main village and northern beaches. Other irritants involve Jet Skis, which can be heard roaring away in some places. Trash is also an increasingly vexing issue. All the beaches have licensed ladies offering one- and two-hour Thai massages, which generally cost B300 an hour, not including tip.

Popular Lamai lacks the glistening white sand of Chawaeng Beach, but its water is clear and the beach is ideal for swimming. The steeply shelved shoreline might be too much for kids, though. Numerous bars and restaurants which line the beach underscore that Lamai has a strong nightlife slant. Almost every visitor to Koh Samui makes a pilgrimage to the point marking the southern end of Lamai Beach to see two rocks, named Hin Yai (Grandmother Rock) and Hin Ta (Grandfather Rock). Erosion has shaped the rocks to resemble weathered and wrinkled private parts. It's nature at its most whimsical. Laem Set Bay, a small rocky cape on the southeastern tip of the island, is just south of Lamai. It's a good 3 km (2 miles) off the main road, so it's hard to reach without your own car. Head here to escape the hustle and bustle of the tourist areas. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming.

The long, curving beach at Mae Nam has coarse, golden sand shaded by tall coconut trees. It's one of the island's more unspoiled beaches—inexpensive guesthouses and a few luxurious resorts share the 5-km (3-mile) strand. Quiet both day and night, this north-shore beach has little nightlife and only a scattering of restaurants. The shallow waters are suitable for swimming, and several water-sports companies operate in the area. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: swimming.

This archipelago of 42 islands covers some 102 square km (40 square miles) and lies 35 km (22 miles) northwest of Koh Samui. It's around 45 minutes there by speedboat from Koh Samui. The seven main islands are Wua Talap Island (which houses the national park's headquarters), Phaluai Island, Mae Koh Island, Sam Sao Island, Hin Dap Island, Nai Phut Island, and Phai Luak Island. The islands contain limestone mountains, strangely shaped caves, emerald-green lakes and ponds. Most tourists visit on a one-day trip, which can be arranged from Koh Samui. Numerous operators offer trips. Recommended outfits include Samui Explorer. Prices vary depending on the tour (some offer kayaking around several islands, and others take you out on small speedboats for snorkeling or cave tours). The park is open year-round, although the seas can be rough and the water less clear during the monsoon season, between October and December.

This 52-island marine national park covers all of Koh Chang. It's mostly mountainous, and there are only a few beaches, the best of them along the western shore of the island. Haad Sai Khao (White Sand Beach) is the farthest north and the most developed. A few miles south is the more serene Haad Khlong Phrao, a long, curving stretch of pale golden sand. Nearby Haad Kai Bae is a mix of sand and pebbles. Still farther south is Haad Ta Nam (Lonely Beach), which is perhaps the most picturesque of all. But it's also the smallest one and therefore more crowded. In the southwest corner of the island is the fishing village Bang Bao, with restaurants, dive shops, and cheap bungalows. The east coast is beautiful, but it's mostly rugged rain forest, and beaches are in short supply.

On the inland road to Na Thon lies the village of Baan Thurian, famous for its durian trees. A track climbs up into jungle-clad hills to the island's best waterfall, Na Muang. The 105-foot falls are spectacular—especially just after the rainy season—as they tumble from a limestone cliff into a small pool. You are cooled by the spray and warmed by the sun. For a thrill, swim through the curtain of falling water; you can sit on a ledge at the back to catch your breath.

The city's namesake beach fronts slightly murky waters, but its sand is golden and fine, and safe swimming areas have been added in recent years. You can rent shaded deck chairs by the hour, and food vendors and trinket merchants wander up and down the beach. The bay is usually crowded with small boats, Jet Skis, and other diversions. Parallel to the shore, Pattaya Beach Road has a landscaped walkway that separates the beach from the restaurants, shopping malls, and resorts on the opposite side. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking.

This elephant sanctuary's few dozen pachyderms display their skills in a two-hour show. Demonstrations include bathing, the elephants' roles in ceremonial rites, and their usefulness in construction. Everything is staged, but it's amusing to see the animals at work and play. Unlike other places with elephant shows, this one has a reputation for treating its animals with respect. Tickets are available from most hotels and travel agents in town. Between 8 and 5, you can take a one-hour elephant ride for an extra B1,200.

Curiosities from all over are on display at this centrally located attraction that's a worldwide tourist-area staple. The authentic items and novelties run the gamut from shrunken heads to optical illusions.

Palm trees at crescent-shaped Sairee, Koh Tao's most popular beach, arch over the aquamarine water as if yearning to sip from the sea. Along the thin sliver of golden sand sit rustic, traditional wooden beach huts with bohemian youths lounging in hammocks, novice divers practicing in seaside pools, and European students sampling cocktails at basic beach bars. On the far northern end of the beach, a few resorts nestle amid manicured landscapes. Sairee faces west, making it great for watching the sunset and for kayaking to Koh Nang Yuan. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset.

Every night the sleepy downtown turns into an electrifying street fair centered around the San Chao Night Market, which is illuminated by the lights of numerous food stalls and shop carts. The market is popular with tourists and locals, especially for the tasty seafood meals on offer.

Wealthy businessman Lek Viriyaphant started building this massive teak structure in 1981, and it's still not finished. The aim of the sanctuary, whose intricate carvings blend modern and traditional styles, is to make a statement about the balance of different cultures. The waterfront setting north of Pattaya is pleasant.

Koh Samui has a few top-end spas, as well as several in the luxury hotels, but the island's ultimate spa experience is at Tamarind Springs. Many different treatments are available, from hot-oil massages to herbal rubs to the Over the Top massage package, which lasts 2½ hours. The spa employs the latest treatment methods, including the use of Tibetan singing bowls. The plunge pools, hot tubs, and tearoom are built harmoniously into Tamarind's boulder-strewn hillside.

Small islands that make up one of the world's strangest bird sanctuaries dot the horizon of this excellent 3-km (2-mile) stretch of curving white-yellow sand. Vast flocks of swifts breed on the islands, and their nests are harvested—not without controversy—for the bird's-nest soup served in Chinese restaurants throughout Southeast Asia. It's such a lucrative business that the concessionaires patrol their properties with armed guards. But all is calm and serene on the beach, which is just north of Chumphon. To get here, catch a songthaew on the street across from the bus station. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: solitude.

Off the northeastern tip of Koh Samui is Koh Fan (not to be confused with Koh Fan Noi), a little island with a huge Buddha. Indeed, the statue is better known as the "big Buddha." The island is best visited at sunset, when the light off the water shows it at its best.

It's easy to spot this temple west of town as you near the island by boat—atop a hill, it has eight enormous reservoirs. The wat often donates drinking water to villagers when they need it. But Yai Prik is as dedicated to the spiritual as it is to the practical. Meditation courses are taught, and signs throughout explain Buddhist principles. Simplicity rules here: though donations are accepted, the monks don't collect money to build ornate temples.