Anyone who has read about Thailand knows about Patong Beach in Phuket, Hua Hin just South of Bangkok and Chaweng Beach on Ko Samui.

Lesser known Thailand beaches dot the coast ... especially along the Gulf of Thailand.

Thailand Beach areas have been classified as "stay beaches" or "day beaches."

"Stay" beaches for those with some overnight accommodations within an easy walk even for a lazy person; and "day" beaches have no accommodations within walking distance.

Getting There
Public Transport of some fashion is available to every location, especially the "stay" beach areas. Bus service is available to every town, then a trip by motorcycle taxi, or songtaew will get you to the bungalow.

Train service extends down the Gulf of Thailand side of the peninsula to Malaysia. Every settlement has a station and rail service is closer to the beach than the main highway.

If you have already decided on a resort, telephone them and they will arrange transport. Thailand Beach Resorts will also arrange your trip back to the local bus station or airport.

Private Transport can save lots of time and frustration and can get you to some of those great "day" beaches. An ideal arrangement for a serious week or more of beach hopping might be to rent a van with a driver (widely available for Bt 1,200 - Bt 1,500/day plus fuel). Buy inexpensive beach umbrellas, beach chairs, an ice chest and some beach towels.

Your driver can be a real asset for translating, helping with baggage, arranging meals, fetching soft drinks and may well know the local area attractions.

Some of these areas are "stay beaches" with bungalows, guest houses, hotels and resorts, while others are "day beaches"

Prachuap Khiri Khan usually plays second fiddle to the popular beach resort of Hua Hin. But this little gem of a city is a fine destination alone ... Prachuap Khiri Khan

Khanom is more than a beach. It is a quiet area with numerous "day" and "stay" beaches, a fishing port and several small resorts. ... Khanom

Pran Buri , the next town south of Hua Hin, has an area 20 km from the town that is a fine stretch of "stay" beach and some excellent small resorts. ... Thailand Beaches at Pran Buri

Ban Krud (aka Ban Krut, Baan Krood, et al), Thongchai , 380 km from Bangkok is quickly becoming the "rivera" of the Gulf of Thailand with a growing number of up-scale resorts ... Bankrud