The beaches on Koh Lipe are our favorite in all of Thailand. Koh Lipe is nicknamed the Maldives of Thailand and you will understand why when you see the photos of these stunning Koh Lipe beaches.
Koh Lipe is a laid back, peaceful island that is the perfect place for a beach getaway for a couple or even a young family. Koh Lipe’s beaches have it all: turquoise waters, white beaches, diving, beach bars, beach huts and more.
Most of the places to stay and things to do in Koh Lipe are on the beaches, so we’ve put together this guide to help you find the perfect beach for your next trip.
Koh Lipe Beaches
There are three main beaches on Koh Lipe: Pattaya Beach, Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach. There are also several small private beaches on Koh Lipe.
The best beach in Koh Lipe is Sunrise Beach. Sunrise Beach is the beach we always stay at when we visit Koh Lipe Ten Moons Resort (if they have an open room). However, some of the Sunset Beach resorts offer unique secluded accommodations such as the Cliff Lipe Resort which is definitely worth checking out.
Koh Lipe beach map
We collected this Map of Koh Lipe which has everything highlighted in the Koh Lipe guide. All the best restaurants in Koh Lipe, where to stay in Koh Lipe, nightlife and more.
1. Sunrise Beach Koh Lipe (Hat Chao Ley)
Sunrise Beach is a beautiful beach that stretches across the entire eastern side of Koh Lipe. It is the perfect beach for long walks. Sunrise Beach is our favorite beach and has very little boat traffic. Therefore, it gives you space to go out for a swim or snorkel.
Sunrise Beach Koh Lipe is the best for relaxing in peace all day on the white sand beaches, going to the ocean for a swim, and yet just a five minute walk to Walking Street and you are in the ‘town’. It also gets an amazing breeze all day and night.
Hotels are much more spread out on Sunrise Beach compared to Pattaya Beach. There are several restaurants and a few beach bars that operate mainly during the day. If you are looking for a beach bar at night with fire throwing etc, this would be it in Pattaya Beach.
Most of Koh Lipe’s luxury hotels and resorts are located on Sunrise Beach, although there are still plenty of budget options available. If you are lucky, it is even possible to see Koh Tarutao and Langkawi (Malaysia) on a perfectly clear sunny day.
North Point Beach – The northern parts of Sunrise Beach (also known as North Point Beach) are also a great place to watch the sunset. If you stay at Mountain Resort Koh Lipe at the end of Sunrise Beach or at a hotel right next to it, you can see sunrises and sunsets.
2. Sunset Beach Koh Lipe (Hat Pramong)
Sunset Beach is the smallest of the three main Ko Lipe beaches. As its name suggests, you will have wonderful night sunsets.
If you are looking for a quieter area and a secluded beach, Sunset Beach is for you. There are only a few very casual restaurants and bars and lots of quiet places all to yourself. Sunset Beach is about a 15 minute walk from “town” or Walking Street.
3. Pattaya Beach Koh Lipe
Pattaya Beach is the main transportation beach of Koh Lipe. Its location is a large sheltered bay with really soft powdery sand and crystal blue waters. In high season, all Koh Lipe ferries arrive at Pattaya Beach. Immigration and police offices are located closer to Pattaya Beach.
Up and down Pattaya Beach, you’ll find dozens of accommodations, from beach bungalows to luxury resorts, restaurants and bars. Walking Street can be accessed directly from Pattaya Beach, while Sunrise & Sunset Beach is just a 15-minute walk away. Nothing is too far as it is a small island.
If you are looking for a quiet beach, Pattaya may not be the best beach for you. There are more boats and night bars, it can be loud sometimes. We personally wouldn’t stay at Pattaya Beach because of the noise and it just has a different vibe. We much prefer Sunrise Beach.
Related: How to get to Koh Lipe – 3 easy ways
Lipe Secret Beach
As the name suggests, this is not a popular beach. Secret Beach is just a small stretch of sand on the south coast of Koh Lipe. It’s not accessible from land, you’ll need to hire a taxi, or adventurous kayakers could reach this beach, but it’s a long paddle.
Once you arrive, you should have this spot to yourself unless the word is out. Like many beaches on Koh Lipe, large smooth bolder rocks surround white sand with a south-westerly view – could be a unique partial sunset spot.
Pantai Galah Beach & Svedo Beach
These two beaches are very close to each other and Secret Beach Lipe in the west of the south coast. These remote beaches would be a fun day trip and a unique way to spend an afternoon. Again, the only way to get to these beaches is by water, long tail taxi or kayak. Map of Svedo beach & Map of Pantai Beach
Resorts with private beaches in Koh Lipe
There are some places to stay with private beaches for a secluded stay. Most are smaller beaches and in the further corners of the island.
Sanom Beach Resort – Just west of the main Pattaya Beach is the private Sanom Beach. This beach is accessible only to resort guests and is not accessible by foot to other beaches. Sanom Beach Resort is one of the most private accommodations in Koh Lipe.
Cliff Lipe Beach – Below the resort is a secluded semi-private beach accessible only by guests of the cliff and a few other small resorts or by boat. Cliff Lipe Resort it is a great place to stay for the beach and for a secluded stay.
10 Moons Beach – At the southern end of Sunrise Beach there is a rocky beach break that forms a separate beach in front of 10 Moons and Serendipity Resorts. This is a public beach, but generally only occupied by those resort guests. Ten Moons Resort it’s our favorite place to stay on the island!
Koh Lipe Snorkeling
If you wanted to snorkel in Koh Lipe right next to the beach, the best places would be at Sunrise Beach. We love to snorkel in front of Ten Moons Resort by Ko Usen island. This is also a good place to kayak in Koh Lipe. If you like snorkeling, join this 7 island Koh Lipe snorkeling tour.
Koh Adang Guide – Best view of Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe Diving
There is also some great diving on Koh Lipe, the best dive site being Stonehenge. There are many dive shops on Walking Street and on the beach. Most recently I dove with Castaway Divers, located at Castaway Resort in Sunrise Beach.
The best hotels in Koh Lipe
There is something for everyone’s budget. We always stay at Sunrise Beach. It is best to book in advance during the high season, from November to April.
Koh Lipe is a small tropical island, just a tiny dot on the map – but it has captured our hearts. Most tourists visiting Thailand have never heard of Koh Lipe and head to the more popular islands such as Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Lanta or Koh Samui. We hope we’ve shown you why this place belongs on your Thailand itinerary and we hope you love it as much as we do!