Rayong Beaches

Although the main beach destination in the Rayong province is the tropical island of Koh Samet, the mainland coast has a number of beaches that are popular with Thai visitors. Many people flock to the coast to escape Bangkok for a few days, especially on weekends and at school vacations. During the week and outside of vacation periods, some of these beaches are very peaceful or even completely deserted, making them a great alternative to Koh Samet.

Mae Rumphueng Beach

The first major beach is Mae Rumphueng, which is just 11km east of Rayong town, stretching for 12km along the coast. The length of it means that even when busy, it’s still possible to find a section that is deserted or at least relatively quiet.

The beach benefits from a fringe of the trees at the top, which provide visitors with some shade under which to enjoy a picnic or some takeaway from one of the numerous beachside eateries.

It’s popularity with Thai visitors means that there are plenty of resorts and restaurants in area, but there is little in the way of shops, bars or nightlife. It’s not difficult to find a resort, but some are way overpriced; however there are some good value options available, including Piarnsri Resort (63/88 Moo, double rooms with balcony from THB1,000) and Makmai Villa (87/9 Moo 1, double rooms from THb1,200).

Ban Phe Area

From Mae Rumphueng, the next developed area is around ten minutes’ drive to the east, where you’ll find the small town of Ban Phe. This is the jumping off point for ferries to Koh Samet, and is therefore popular with backpackers. The beaches close to the town are not very impressive, hence why most visitors continue onwards to Koh Samet. However, just a few more kilometres east, there’s the lovely (and usually deserted) Suan Son beach.

As with Mae Rumphueng, the beach benefits from a line of trees providing plenty of shade. There are lots of seafood restaurants here, but for accommodation, its best to stay in Ban Phe town, which has several cheap guesthouses and hotels mostly aimed at the backpackers heading to Koh Samet. Or, if you head further east, there are dozens of resorts each with their own private beach. After Suan Son, most of the beaches to the east are either private or have very limited facilities.

Laem Mae Phim Beach

The next developed beach is Laem Mae Phim Beach, which is around 45km from Rayong town. This beach is very popular with locals on the weekends, so it’s best to stay in a resort with a pool, so that you can avoid the crowds when necessary!

There are also several nice beachside restaurants, such as Tequila Sunrise, which has great sea views and a varied menu (Western and Thai dishes). There’s also a good selection of resorts here, ranging from midrange (Villa Bali & Mae Pim Resort Hotel) to super luxury (GrandBlue Resort & Centara Q Resort). Out of the three main beaches, Mae Phim is probably the best choice for families. The beach is beautiful, big enough to accommodate large crowds, plus there are plenty of activities to keep children and teenagers amused!