What's the closest crystal clear water with white sand beach to Bangkok?

tbh you're not gonna find anything truly clear that close but bang saen is worth a day trip if you lower expectations. it's like 45 min from ekkamai by bus, the sand is alright and the water's cleaner than pattaya but still greenish. the real move is a weekend trip to koh kood though, 3-4 hours by bus+ferry from bkk but the water is actually that clear. a lot of locals skip samet for kood cause it's less touristy and the beaches at bang bao or ao yai ki are unreal

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

koh si chang is worth a look too, about 2 hours from bangkok including a 45 min ferry from sri racha. not as white as samet but way less crowded and the water is clearer than pattaya by a lot. stay at the raintree for a chill weekend, tons of monkeys around though so keep windows shut

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly there's nothing truly crystal clear that close to bangkok. the gulf side is just murky year-round. if you want white sand and clear water you gotta fly somewhere like krabi or koh samet. koh samet is the closest decent option though, bus to rayong then a 40 min ferry, the sand is proper white but still not caribbean clear. koh larn is closer but gets packed with chinese tour groups on weekends, go on a weekday if you try it

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply