Any clean beaches or islands in Chonburi?

[FarmerJoe]

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Disappointing news.

Still, the Thais are brilliant at destroying the nice beaches. They don't understand that the beaches became popular because they were nice beaches and not because they were covered with concrete. Soon as Burma sorts the government issues few will even bother with Thai beaches, and all those horrid concrete resorts will be deserted as people go to Burma instead. It'll be like Thailand 30 years ago.

I am soooo looking forward to visiting the beaches there.  I have some friends who have been to them and they rave about them. But, you need to bring crisp hundred dollar bills there. 

[gk10002000]

On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 3:25 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

If distance is no object, Koh Chang for an overnight stay. It was clean when I stayed there, but that was long ago. All the info you need on the internet.

 

Koh Samet, on the other hand, was a vile disgusting rubbish tip end to end.

Really? Koh Samet is that bad now?  Granted I was only there in December 2004 during the Tsunami actually.  Stayed on the southeast part of the island at "Malibu Resort" I think it was called.  Had a great time with my friends.  1/2 day snorkel dive trip around the island.  The beach was great.  Resort had a small pool.  Night time about 7 of the little hotels/resorts each put out a bbq.  Prices were great.  However I do recall the snorkeling was not great.  I have not done much of that, but the seabed seemed a lot more grey than I expected.  I was not expecting choral and plants like the Great Barrier Reef but in retrospect, maybe I was seeing the sign of lots of runoff and silt

[DrTuner]

Nang Ram and Sai Kaew are very busy beaches. Nang Ram has stones on one side. Both get plastic from the sea washed on shore every once in a while. Samet is built too full. Koh Chang is starting to be too full. 

 

In other words, avoid what you can find in internet, use google earth/maps to find a spot from satellite and figure how to get there and if it's nice, never, ever, ever tell a soul or it'll the The Beach again.

[HauptmannUK]

Went to Samet a couple of years ago. There had been a storm the day before we arrived. Sea and beach full of plastic waste - it was truly disgusting.

[DrTuner]

3 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

Went to Samet a couple of years ago. There had been a storm the day before we arrived. Sea and beach full of plastic waste - it was truly disgusting.

It's basically unavoidable in the Gulf of Thailand. I went to near Koh Kood for snorkeling last year, all the coral is dead and there's rubbish everywhere. 

 

The Myanmar beaches will probably be good for the first 2 hours before the Chinese locusts arrive and then that's it. They're screwed. I got a friend who's at Mergui now, says it's still nice. Go before the full invasion force hits. For nice beaches, the more expensive atolls in Maldives are good.

[Soneva]

If distance is no object, Koh Chang for an overnight stay. It was clean when I stayed there, but that was long ago. All the info you need on the internet.
 
Koh Samet, on the other hand, was a vile disgusting rubbish tip end to end.

Koh Samet is a lovely island. You obviously haven’t been to Paradee or Ao Prao... there are many beautiful spots once you get away from the crowded areas.


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[DrTuner]

10 hours ago, Soneva said:

Koh Samet is a lovely island. You obviously haven’t been to Paradee or Ao Prao... there are many beautiful spots once you get away from the crowded areas.

 

Anybody who went there before they overbuilt will cringe at what's it become. If you go there now for the first time you won't have that baggage and will think it's ok. Same story for pretty much all of Thailand. 

[beautifulthailand99]

On 3/1/2019 at 8:16 AM, thinkingman said:

Navy Beach is OK--lots of people however.

 

Ocean Blue Reef does 3 hour snorkeling trips for Bt3500 for 1 to 6 people on a boat, including equipment and underwater camera from Samae San.  They are on Line and Facebook. 

 

Water is (amazingly) clear and clean plus pretty islands. Samae San is located southeast of UTP airport.  Here is the map. Everyone is friendly and helpful. Sort of like Old Thailand.

 

It is well worth the price.  Figure 1.25 hours from Pattaya.  

2

Thanks for that tip - it looks great and definitely on my list to do when we come back in December.

 

https://en.tripadvisor.com.hk/Attraction_Review-g612389-d7893503-Reviews-Ko_Samae_San-Sattahip_Chonburi_Province.html

[FarmerJoe]

Thank you all for your great suggestions. We ended up in Sahhatip at the Navy beach which was clean and un crowded. We also went to Koh Kham. Clean, clear water. We went during the weekday and it was quite crowded. They sell bad food and warm beer now. The beach was a mess at the end of the day though. Trash everywhere. Mostly cigarette butts. Large Russian tour group with a leader that was on a bullhorn most of the time was distracting and the ferry back lost engine power halfway. With the sun beating down on us, kids crying, a lot of smoke emanating from the engine, someone finally got it going again and we slowly made it back. Those ferries are ancient and over crowded way beyond capacity. Still, we had a good day. Won't be back though.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 5:19 PM, gk10002000 said:

Really? Koh Samet is that bad now?  Granted I was only there in December 2004 during the Tsunami actually.  Stayed on the southeast part of the island at "Malibu Resort" I think it was called.  Had a great time with my friends.  1/2 day snorkel dive trip around the island.  The beach was great.  Resort had a small pool.  Night time about 7 of the little hotels/resorts each put out a bbq.  Prices were great.  However I do recall the snorkeling was not great.  I have not done much of that, but the seabed seemed a lot more grey than I expected.  I was not expecting choral and plants like the Great Barrier Reef but in retrospect, maybe I was seeing the sign of lots of runoff and silt

First place I ever visited on Samet was "Malibu Resort", and that was way back in the 90s. Boat went to private pier at the resort, no need to travel on the island.

Last time I stayed was around 2005 when I walked all over and saw how much garbage there was. I never went back because of it.

[Rimmer]

A post with an altered quote has been removed

[gessi2000]

Personally I do not go to any islands in Thailand East anymore because it's everywhere the same if you ask me.

 

Here are my personal recommendations (might change as you know Thailand!!!):

Go to Mae Phim and check this beach: https://goo.gl/maps/TJcTQjTo6hu

It's near the Drift Bar and the Centara Q Resort Rayong. Small beach but has some beach restaurants and is really nice.

 

Another spot I personally really really like (you need a car/motorbike) but without direct beach access is nearby Ban Phe @Pak Klong. I can recommend the Rimlay Resort which has small houses for around 800-1000THB/day. From there you can just hang around Ban Phe or go some beaches direction of the above mentioned Mae Phim (long way but all beaches with multiple beach side restaurants, chairs etc.).
Also you can go West to further southern part of Rayong Beach and relax at the Laermya restaurant for example.

Have a really nice drink and view to Samet Island from the Rayong Resort Hotel while going/coming back to/from Ban Phe (drive up the hill and see the fantastic hotel over there and sit in the Garden balcony). You can walk from the beach at the Rayong Resort hotel over to a Thai camping site (funny place) called 'Campsite.

 

Further down south it's really worth to stay in Trat for 1-3 nights (e.g. the fantastic Rimklong Boutique Hotel around 1000THB/night I think in the meantime), rent a car or get a driver and look around.

I was going all the beaches years ago because travelling to Sihanoukville and crossing the border (rip off) at Ban Had Lek dozens of times.

I remember some good places you can visit while working around going to Koh Chang, e.g. some navy beaches as well.

View the Koh Chang Island from the Ao Tan Beach where you can rent some rooms as well.

Have a beer and nice seafood at the Hat Ploy Dang Seafood and visit the beaches at Kao Lan Military Beach or near the Bancheun beach resort.

 

I leave the rest for now but decide what you like and enjoy so many nice places, I left Chantaburi because it's none of my favourites at all. However worth doing a roadtrip on the beach.