Anyone know of any quiet surf beaches in Thailand where I can also take a cheap car / boat ride to nightlife from?

Edited October 21, 201411 yr by shawn22

Not sure about this one. Ko Samet to Pattaya is an easy journey. Ko Samet beaches are quiet and inside the Gulf of Thailand. Pattaya, well, Pattaya.

Thank you, will consider! if anyone else has any recommendation too please post

Thank you, will consider! if anyone else has any recommendation too please post

Ko Samet doesn't have good surf beach/s, waves far to small.

The site below might be useful to start looking at your options, but remember to check out the season for the best surf.

http://www.saltwater-dreaming.com/surfing-thailand/surfing-thailand.htm

Edited October 22, 201411 yr by simple1

Thailand is not known for surfing. Your best bet would be Phuket or perhaps Khao Lak. It's extremely seasonal and when they do come, are not great for surfing as they tend to be storm generated. They close out hard and fast. Many lose their lives every year in the surf in Phuket.

I use to live in SoCal on the beach, for many years. I tried to swim in the "big" waves in Phuket a few years ago and it was scary. I'd say it was like trying to catch a wave at the Wedge in Newport Beach, CA.

If you want great surfing, best to go to Indonesia. But I'm guessing you already know that.

Phuket has excellent surf. For example bang toa (north end) and Kata Beach is the surfing capital of Phuket. Renowned for its consistent surf. Also, storm generated surf can and often does cause the best surf. The majority of all great surf spots are "seasonal"

Edited October 22, 201411 yr by shawn22

I found Kata Noi to be better than Kata itself. Kata is way too crowded with Russians renting pointed shortboards and zero skills. Karon can be ok and Nai Harn has its moments. Khao Lak has mellow 2-4ft waves which do not close out as fast as Phuket....good for Longboards. On the Eastern Seaboard, Hat Mae Rampung(Rayong area) can get some but this year not a lot. This of course happens during the Rainy season from End of April until right about now. Its' hit and miss, as stated in a previous post, if you want quality Surf go to Indo, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Philippines.

There is a bit of a surfing industry in Khao Lak, usually surfing is done in the Pakkarang Cape area. You mention nightlife, best would be to stay at Bang Niang Beach, and rent a scooter or take taxis to the surfing area about 5 kilometers away. But the surfing is definitely not like in Bali!

There is a bit of a surfing industry in Khao Lak, usually surfing is done in the Pakkarang Cape area. You mention nightlife, best would be to stay at Bang Niang Beach, and rent a scooter or take taxis to the surfing area about 5 kilometers away. But the surfing is definitely not like in Bali!

I found Kata Noi to be better than Kata itself. Kata is way too crowded with Russians renting pointed shortboards and zero skills. Karon can be ok and Nai Harn has its moments. Khao Lak has mellow 2-4ft waves which do not close out as fast as Phuket....good for Longboards. On the Eastern Seaboard, Hat Mae Rampung(Rayong area) can get some but this year not a lot. This of course happens during the Rainy season from End of April until right about now. Its' hit and miss, as stated in a previous post, if you want quality Surf go to Indo, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Philippines.

Great information! love these posts, thank you so much. Makes me feel hopeful for tthis forum afterall. I will do some research and get back to the thread

Edited October 22, 201411 yr by shawn22

Phuket,

kata noi, Northern end of Kamala, Middle of Kalim

BUT be aware the winds are shifting an the waves will be gone till next May

there is no surf in the bay and u need be on the west coast

Thanks. How far away is the nightlife from all the good beaches mentioned? from car or boat

Thanks. How far away is the nightlife from all the good beaches mentioned? from car or boat

What do you mean by nightlife? Not trying to be rude, but to some it's a go go bar, to others a beer bar, and others a restaurant with attached bar for a few beers.

As far as transport by boat from a beach to some nightlife, I don't think I've ever seen anything like that here. The weather is too bad part of the year. Others can help me here, but for example, the liveaboard diving business is pretty much closed from April or so till November or so. I was at a beach in Phuket in September and it was pretty much all closed up tight. It was up north of Bang Tao. But I'm sure it's rocking in the peak tourist season!

I mean restaurants, gogo bars. And I just love the idea of taking boats haha but either way, car is fine

Edited October 22, 201411 yr by shawn22

I don't think there are go go bars in Khao Lak. If you want nightlife for a single guy, you might be a bit bored. Seems to be a lot of couples there. Patong is party central. You're probably going to want to be as close as possible. Kata, Karon, Kamala are the ones I know of. All just a short scooter ride away. Just look up Patong on the map and go north/south from there.

Samui has some really good nightlife. But very little surfing, from what I've seen.

koh tao !

This is surfing Samui style.... now that the life!

Generally it's not great here on Samui, for surf board surfing, but kite surfing can be OK but very wind dependent and really varies at different times of the year...same on Koh Phangan!

A Malaysian friend of mine spends January to March at Cherating on east coast, apparently one of the best areas, I drove through and spent one night there in July, I would say not much for night life.

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Asia/Malaysia/cherating/

There is a bit of a surfing industry in Khao Lak, usually surfing is done in the Pakkarang Cape area. You mention nightlife, best would be to stay at Bang Niang Beach, and rent a scooter or take taxis to the surfing area about 5 kilometers away. But the surfing is definitely not like in Bali!

There is nightlife near Bang Niang? What kind?

Edited October 22, 201411 yr by shawn22

This is surfing Samui style.... now that the life!

Generally it's not great here on Samui, for surf board surfing, but kite surfing can be OK but very wind dependent and really varies at different times of the year...same on Koh Phangan!

A Malaysian friend of mine spends January to March at Cherating on east coast, apparently one of the best areas, I drove through and spent one night there in July, I would say not much for night life.

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Asia/Malaysia/cherating/

Lol thank you, Samui and Koh Phangan look like beautiful and pretty quiet places

This is surfing Samui style.... now that the life!

Generally it's not great here on Samui, for surf board surfing, but kite surfing can be OK but very wind dependent and really varies at different times of the year...same on Koh Phangan!

A Malaysian friend of mine spends January to March at Cherating on east coast, apparently one of the best areas, I drove through and spent one night there in July, I would say not much for night life.

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Asia/Malaysia/cherating/

Lol thank you, Samui and Koh Phangan look like beautiful and pretty quiet places

On both islands, Samui or KP, there is a mix of what ever you want, peace and quiet with virtually no one else around, to rowdier "party areas"... I.E ... parts of Chawang is Samui's "party" place, some parts of Lamai to a point. ....Haad Rin and Ban Tai for KP.

Other areas vary... as does the surf and beach types, ... it depends on time of year, and side of the islands one is on... but surfing would I think be pretty limited most of the time!

Lot's images of Samui and KP, ....start here... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/125263-images-of-samui-phangan-and-tao/page-22

some one has spent a lot of time, trying to show beach areas at different times of the year....especially for Samui!!!

So many choices and other areas of the southern coastal areas, to choose from.... everyone is going to give a different opinion and each area is going to vary on timing of trip !

The one thing in Thailand it is actually quiet easy and relatively cheap to move around....

Edited October 22, 201411 yr by samuijimmy

There is a bit of a surfing industry in Khao Lak, usually surfing is done in the Pakkarang Cape area. You mention nightlife, best would be to stay at Bang Niang Beach, and rent a scooter or take taxis to the surfing area about 5 kilometers away. But the surfing is definitely not like in Bali!

There is nightlife near Bang Niang? What kind?

Lots of bars, some of them open till very late. Also live music places, and even a discotheque.There is the odd hostess bar or two, but in most places company will be restricted to other foreigners and local people drinking there.