Plai Laem Beach is located on the northeastern tail of the island, which stretches Koh Phangan towards Koh Phangan. Despite the small size of this tail, as many as seven beaches are located along its banks. Due to the geographical location of this part of Koh Samui, all seven beaches face west, north and east. Play Lam looks west.
The content of the article
- one Beach description
- 2 Entering the water, depth and waves
- 3 Sun beds and shade
- 4 Beach photo
- five Infrastructure
- 6 Houses and hotels on the beach
- 7 How to find the beach
- eight Beach Map
Beach description
Play Laem is 2.6 km long. The beach begins opposite the water sculptures of the Ko Fan island, on which stands the main attraction of Samui - Big Buddha. Play Laem beach ends with rocks in the northern part of Koh Samui. The width of the beach near Big Buddha is about 10 m and is preserved up to an artificial canal dug closer to the middle of the beach for the needs of fishermen.
There is also the Sunset Pier and a large cluster of boats. Behind the pier and up to its very end, the beach gradually widens up to 20 m.The sand is coarse and brown throughout the entire length, with an admixture of coral fragments.
The cleanliness of the beach is maintained opposite the resorts, of which there are many. The rest of Play Lam is pristine, which includes marine debris, algae and old coconuts. The sea in the Play Lam area is bathable, but more suitable for contemplation, without causing a special desire to go into it.
There are not as many people as on the neighboring ones Bang Rake, Tong Sae and Chong Monet. The overall impression of Play Lam Beach is an unkempt paradise for fishermen and savages. And this is the only place from where you can see four beaches of Samui from one point: Play Lam, Bang Cancer, Bo Put and Mae Nam.
In case anyone is interested in reading about other places, I have a short overview of all the beaches of Koh Samui, will help you decide on the choice of the beach.
Entering the water, depth and waves
Entering the water at Play Lam is difficult by rocks, shallow water and coral debris. From Big Buddha to the pier, the bottom has a muddy coating with small pebbles, which is unpleasant to walk on barefoot. It is especially possible to see the contents of the bottom at low tide, when the sea goes 100-200 meters from the coast..
And there is also the mouth of the stream, which diverts water from the Wat Plai Laem temple, which stands on the pond. More or less clean, real beach starts after the pier. Waves at Play Lam occur during storms and strong winds. For the most part, the sea is very calm, but with children it is better to swim in the neighboring Tongson or Tongsae.
Sun beds and shade
There is a lot of natural shade on the beach, often you come across palm trees inclined to the water, which allow you to take excellent pictures with an island mood. Sun loungers are tight because there are only a dozen resorts along the coast that do not rent sun loungers. There are practically no restaurants and cafes.
Beach photo
Infrastructure
Entertainment on Play Lam is modest: renting a boat with a driver for sea trips, fishing and renting a kayak. There are several Thai grocery stores in the area, but the main life begins on the Ring Road. There are also mini-markets «711», and laundries, and water machines and Thai cafes.
It is about 5-7 km to go to large supermarkets, it is ten minutes by car, if without traffic jams and without haste. There is a latex store nearby. Nearby attractions for those living in the Plai Lam area:
- Plai Laem Sor temple;
- Big Buddha;
- Hongsa Alley;
Koh Samui airport is located two kilometers from the beach. Get good shots of planes heading for a side landing. Bang Raka, where the runway is located. Airplanes make a little noise, but no discomfort for the ears.
The taxi fare to the airport is one of the lowest on Koh Samui. And in the sea, opposite the mouth of the stream, which diverts water from the Plai Lam Sor Temple, there is a sculpture of a mermaid. With big breasts, like all female figures of Koh Samui.
Houses and hotels on the beach
The entire coast of Play Laem Beach is occupied by a dozen resorts of different levels of comfort and rental price. The newly built condominium Samui Emerald is located half a kilometer from the beach. .
There are several serious hotels and a lot of vacant lots. There are also industrial facilities: a water pumping station, a port, fishing houses, warehouses. House rentals are available for those who are not looking for a house by the sea. In the interior of the island there are several offers at different prices, which can be viewed in the corresponding section of the site..
On the northern edge of the beach, there is a major construction project right on the cliffs and the coastal area. The island is gradually being developed.
In addition to hotels on the beach, you can rent villas of various interiors and sizes, from more standard ones, such as the Shower of Sunshine, using natural materials and Thai motifs in decor, such as Angthong Villa, to ultramodern ones, such as the bright and stylish Shades of Blue .
If you want to book a hotel here in advance or look for accommodation on other beaches, I have selection of hotels on Koh Samui with a good rating and reviews.
Hotels near Play Lam>
Be sure (and I insist) to check for discounts or special offers on the excellent Roomguru service. He will quickly and easily show you discounts in all existing booking systems. In Asia, for example, there are a lot of offers on Agoda.com, which are much more interesting than for exactly the same hotels on Booking.com.
For the lazy, here are the direct links to the hotels listed above:
How to find the beach
In order to get to the beach, you just need to turn towards the sea anywhere on the road, after passing the Big Buddha. There are many passages, both separate and through the territory of the resorts adjacent to the sea. For the article, the golden mean was chosen, parking near the pumping station and free access to the beach, immediately after the artificial canal.
Beach Map
Play Lam Beach Map
Play Lam Beach Map:
