Pattaya Beach (Hat Pattaya — no relation to the city near Bangkok) is the broad bay on Koh Lipe’s south coast and, for most visitors, the first thing they see of the island. Boats from Pak Bara, Langkawi and the Andaman islands tie up at the floating pier or anchor in the bay, and passengers wade or step ashore onto some of the softest white sand in Thailand.
Behind the beach is the island’s busiest strip of resorts, beach bars and seafood restaurants, and the start of Walking Street. In the high season the water is usually flat and clear; the reef at the eastern end, below the headland, is good enough for snorkelling straight from the beach.
Top things to do at Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe
Snorkel from the sand
The coral at the rocky eastern end of the bay has clownfish, parrotfish and giant clams a few fins from shore. Stay well clear of the boat lanes in the middle of the bay, and wear a rash vest — the sun is fierce.
Book an island-hopping trip
Every tour desk on the beach sells longtail snorkelling trips to Adang, Rawi and Hin Ngam. Our ranked comparison shows which ones are worth it — the top pick has more than six hundred reviews.
Dinner on the beach
After dark, restaurants lay tables on the sand and grill the day’s catch on ice-display barbecues: barracuda, snapper, squid and prawns sold by weight. Agree the weight and price before it goes on the grill.
How to get to Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe
- By boat: most speedboats and ferries from Pak Bara, Langkawi and Koh Lanta arrive on Pattaya Beach. See our getting to Koh Lipe guide.
- On the island: Walking Street links Pattaya Beach with Sunrise Beach in about ten minutes on foot.
Insider tips
- Arriving from Malaysia? The immigration office for international arrivals is on Pattaya Beach — your boat operator will usually walk you there.
- Longtails are ferries here: expect to wade the last few metres with your luggage at some tides. Pack a dry bag and wear sandals.
- The bay can get choppy and murky during the south-west monsoon (roughly May to October), when Sunrise Beach is often the calmer side.
Best tours & tickets for Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe from Koh Lipe:
Snorkelling trip from €18 Koh Lipe: Longtail Boat Snorkeling Trip Program A
The best-reviewed boat trip in the whole park, with well over six hundred reviews. A longtail takes a small group round the reefs west and north of Lipe — soft corals, clownfish, parrotfish and a beach stop or two — and brings you back in time for sunset. This is the one to book if you only do one trip.
- Four or five snorkel stops around Koh Adang and Koh Rawi
- Classic wooden longtail boat with a local crew
- Mask, snorkel and life jacket included
Snorkelling trip from €16 Koh Lipe: Half-Day Snorkeling (Morning/Afternoon/Sunset)
A shorter, cheaper way onto the reefs, rated 4.7 by well over a hundred and fifty travellers. Pick the morning for the calmest water or the 14:30 departure to finish the day watching the sun go down over the Adang–Rawi islands.
- Choose a 09:00, 13:30 or 14:30 departure
- The late slot ends with sunset from the boat
- Several reef stops close to Lipe
Scuba diving from €73 Koh Lipe: Try Scuba Diving One-day Experience
The easiest way to breathe underwater for the first time. After a briefing and a practice session, an instructor takes you on shallow dives among the coral gardens of the marine park. Perfect reviews so far.
- No certification or experience needed
- Theory and skills with a certified instructor
- Shallow ocean dives in the marine park
