Clean beach not far from Bangkok...

[superal]

I dont want to digress from the post but I think the following is worth consideration.

In years gone by I have swam at Hua Hin and Koh Samui without any real concern for safety , i.e. rip tides , jelly fish , sea snakes etc and pollution . That was until I saw a drowned young Brit get pulled onto the beach by some fishermen . I have also read of the pollution that is evident at Phuket & Pattaya that can cause skin and stomach problems . Also the danger of jet skis . Because of this I prefer to use a decent hotel pool that is well maintained .

Most European beaches have a safety flag system and many are overseen by lifeguards . I believe that many tourists assume that that is the case in Thailand but I am not sure on that ( unless someone knows better ) . Also in Europe the sea purity is regularly monitored and graded for swimming suitability which has led to some big clean ups and installation of modern sewage systems .

Dont want to sound like a killjoy , just want to make you aware .

[smudger1951]

Look pal ! If we knew of one we'd all move there wouldn't we ! As is most of us endure the delights Pattaya beach with an occasional jaunt to jomtien.

[longstebe]

Look pal ! If we knew of one we'd all move there wouldn't we ! As is most of us endure the delights Pattaya beach with an occasional jaunt to jomtien.

Bit harsh, the op asked a genuine question.

[KhunBENQ]

How far is not far

Personally I know "Navy beach" (Hat Sai Kaeo, "crystal sand beach") and nice beaches past Rayong and the industrial zone (about the distance to Ko Samet).

Both very nice but 160 to more than 200 km away from Bangkok city.

Not really what I would like for a day trip.

Edited May 26, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[blazes]

If anyone here actually knows of a clean beach in LoS, and he has two brains to rub together, he ain't gonna risk ruining the place by advertising its existence here.

[gerryX]

Generally where there are hotels and condos close to the beach there is sewage pollution. It is quite evident by the wide troughs in the sand in a lot of places. Litter washed in from dumping out at sea is another eyesore.

Recently holidaying in Ko Chang it is obvious there is no where else for the sewage to go, the Island has so many hotels, resorts and small businesess at the sandy stretches that without proper sewage/waste water treatment plants humans will never be safe from infections.

Is Thailand any different from other Asian country, probably not. Will the developers spend money on 21st century water cleaning at new developments, probably not.

Such a shame.

Can anyone explain why the hotels are going over to salt water in thier swimming pools? Seems strange as salt is very corrosive on the pumps etc,.

[namatjira]

Ko samet is quite beautiful, catch bus from eakamai station, about 200 baht, takes about 2 hours, catch the ferry from ban phew and bingo, plenty of accommodation and nice clean beaches.............many Thai from Bangkok visit in the weekends...,.

[KhunBENQ]

Can anyone explain why the hotels are going over to salt water in thier swimming pools? Seems strange as salt is very corrosive on the pumps etc,.

Whats the problem with salt water pools?

The necessary salt concentration is very low.

You can't cook noodles with it

I like salt water pools and prefer them over the stinking/irritating chlorine water.

My fav. hotel in Pattaya has one and not corroded over the years.

[gerryX]

I didn't say there was a problem with salt water pools, its that I've notices more hotels are changing and wondered why. There will be quicker equipment corrosion with salt water.

Its probably to do with economics as I doubt it's for the guests benefit.

[longstebe]

Aren't the salt water pools less maintenance?

[coulson]

"...I tried Bang Saen to the East, water was murky, the beaches were full..."

OMG, the one and only time I went to Bang Saen beach it was wall-to-wall people. Never again.

Yeah a very local style beach. In other words just for barbecue and beer. Trash everywhere. I didn't even get in for a swim.

[coulson]

8am first class train from Hualampong.

Arrives Ban Krut station at 1pm.

30b samlor ride to Ban Krut Resort.

Ban krut is a quaint little place. Nice long beach too not densely populated. Needs a weekend though.

[SunsetT]

Though Pattaya beach is the pits..........I found the beach on the other side of Koh Larne very nice. It was clean and the water reasonably clear. I also enjoy the to and from cheap ferry trips.

Next best for me is Koh Samet.

I used to like South Takiab beach, but I've gone off Hua Hin side of the Gulf since learning of the damage the jellyfish can do; especially when there are so many in the rainy season.

[hawksway]

Normally takes Thailand 3 years to turn newly found paradise into a cess pit but Karon Beach in Phuket is probably as good as it gets, simply because too much money is invested close by to allow its destruction. Be careful of bad weather conditions from July onwards because of serious under toe making it dangerous to swim.

There are so many cheap flights to Phuket and you can always hire a car.

Clean and safe beaches close to Bangkok just don't exist. The cleanest ones in the Western Gulf are also the most tidal and therefore the most dangerous. Koh Chang, a short car ferry ride from Trat is worth considering and just 4 hours drive from Bangkok. White Beach is fairly flat so good for Children and there are interesting island hops, weather permitting. If that's too far, try Chantaburi, about 2 hours + from Bangkok.

[totantaz]

As others said, the military beaches are the best close to Bangkok

Past Pattaya and Jomtien - get to this entry checkpoint https://www.google.com/maps/@12.745191,100.897169,3a,75y,276.11h,77.93t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sPehv7XfjM-mVuBOAhpFSeA!2e0!6m1!1e1

[PattayaPhom]

Navy area beaches in Sattahip would be closest to BKK, they are clean and the water is clear.

Nobody allowed unless accompanied by Thai service man/woman. Patrols operate and make checks.

Hat Nam Ran no ID required and 30 Baht. Sai Gaow ID required 100 Baht....Not perfect but the best in the area...depending where in BKK its approx 2 hour drive, minibuses every 30 mins or so.

[ableguy]

8am first class train from Hualampong.

Arrives Ban Krut station at 1pm.

30b samlor ride to Ban Krut Resort.

Agreed,lived in Hua Hin several years but always went South for a clean beach, ban Kurt is great, American guy there runs a small pizza cafe food is great, further south lots of small nice beaches, also prachuap on the Air Force base nice beach.

[ableguy]

I dont want to digress from the post but I think the following is worth consideration.

In years gone by I have swam at Hua Hin and Koh Samui without any real concern for safety , i.e. rip tides , jelly fish , sea snakes etc and pollution . That was until I saw a drowned young Brit get pulled onto the beach by some fishermen . I have also read of the pollution that is evident at Phuket & Pattaya that can cause skin and stomach problems . Also the danger of jet skis . Because of this I prefer to use a decent hotel pool that is well maintained .

Most European beaches have a safety flag system and many are overseen by lifeguards . I believe that many tourists assume that that is the case in Thailand but I am not sure on that ( unless someone knows better ) . Also in Europe the sea purity is regularly monitored and graded for swimming suitability which has led to some big clean ups and installation of modern sewage systems .

Dont want to sound like a killjoy , just want to make you aware .

Your not a killjoy simply telling it the way it is, in Los money is the only thing that is important and earns respect, sewage, litter, corruption, hookers,murder, not important, especially if you have money.

Go to a nice hotel and use the pool.

[FarangKyAy]

Koh Larn, Kho Si Chang near Pattaya

Koh Samet but it's farther (3 hours)

Prachuap Khiri Khan (Ao manao within an army compound, cleaned every day) but it's quite a drive (>4h)

Forget about Cha Am and Bang Saen, very packed, littered and the water isn't nice

Hua Hin may be a good option but I haven't been there

[AlQaholic]

Can anyone explain why the hotels are going over to salt water in thier swimming pools? Seems strange as salt is very corrosive on the pumps etc,.

Whats the problem with salt water pools?

The necessary salt concentration is very low.

You can't cook noodles with it

I like salt water pools and prefer them over the stinking/irritating chlorine water.

My fav. hotel in Pattaya has one and not corroded over the years.

It is not really salt water, it use NaCl and Electrolysis to produce the Cl.

[SantiSuk]

Stick to the beers Alquaholic. Yes it is really salt water, just like the sea (both are NACl + CL ions - ie 'salt' in the vernacular). A chlorinator cell partially converts the salt water to chlorine to provide the necessary cleansing action that leaves the water looking clear and safe to bathe in. The cell never fully converts all salt, but the remaining salt should be a very low concentration in a pool say 3,500 ppm whereas seawater is about 35,000 ppm, ie one-tenth the concentration - you can taste the salt trace (or at least I can) but it does not leave a salty deposit on your skin and in fact many people prefer the softness feel that a salt chlorinator provides, compared with the calcium hardness you sometimes feel with traditionally-chlorinated pools.

Hotels with smaller/mid-sized pools are probably tending to salt-conversion chlorination and away from directly applied chlorine because the results are more reliable and the pool is more likely to look cleaner. Pool boy is less likely to screw up the important chlorine levels when a salt chlorination system is used and you are much less likely to get that tell-tale chlorine smell from the contaminants of a poorly chlorinated pool (a properly-dosed directly-chlorinated pool does not smell of chlorine, so avoid pools that consistently do smell). Overall there is not a great deal of difference in cost (taking account of all capital, labour and material costs); salt chlorination costs slightly more IMO, except in very small domestic pools. Large hotel pools will stick to direct-chlorination - I have read many times that salt conversion does not work well with large pools

[Pool owner. Sea levels of salt taken from Wiki. Personally I prefer the feel of a non-salt conversion pool, but I much prefer the efficiency and consistency of using salt conversion]

[siam2007]

Can anyone explain why the hotels are going over to salt water in thier swimming pools? Seems strange as salt is very corrosive on the pumps etc,.

Whats the problem with salt water pools?

The necessary salt concentration is very low.

You can't cook noodles with it

I like salt water pools and prefer them over the stinking/irritating chlorine water.

My fav. hotel in Pattaya has one and not corroded over the years.

In Siem Reap, which as we all know is not exactly close to any seas, 90% of the Pools are salt-water and people like it. SR has some of the most stunning Pools in all of South-East-Asia

[sandyf]

Navy area beaches in Sattahip would be closest to BKK, they are clean and the water is clear.

Nobody allowed unless accompanied by Thai service man/woman. Patrols operate and make checks.

By the time we had parked and got out the car there was a navy officer on a motorbike saying we had to leave. Not sure which beach but the road went off to the right just as you come to Sattahip. We were also turned round on another road the other side of Sattahip.

[roamer]

Hello guys..

I would like to know where this Baan Grood ? it seem worthy a visit,

appreciate if any advises how to get there by drive car,

Regards

South of Prachuap Kiri Khan. Lovely beach but very quiet at night.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ban+Krut+Resort/@11.336078,99.5705704,11z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x30fee7dcba4885ad:0x25078576dc94ac6a?hl=en

[Greasystick]

AO Vongduen, Koh Samed