Laem Singh Beach
Best for. Travellers who want one of the prettiest small coves on the island and are happy to earn it with a short boat ride or a scramble over the headland.
Best spot. The shaded sand beneath the boulders on the southern side, where the water is clear and the rocks give an easy snorkel at low tide.
Know this. The old road staircase has been shut since a land dispute, so today you reach the sand by a short boat from Surin or a fifteen minute clamber over the rocks, not by car.
Laem Singh is the cove that launches a thousand photos, a small crescent of golden sand wedged between huge granite boulders on the headland between Surin and Kamala. It deserves the praise, because the colour of the water on a clear dry season morning and the way the rocks frame the sand are genuinely special. The catch, and the thing every honest guide has to lead with, is that getting there is now a small adventure rather than a stroll, because the road access changed.
The old staircase from the viewpoint down to the sand was closed years ago after a land dispute and never reopened, so the cliff top road no longer drops you onto the beach. Today there are two realistic ways in. The easy one is a short long tail boat from the southern end of Surin, usually around 100 baht each way and to be confirmed, which takes only a few minutes and lands you straight on the sand with wet feet, since there is no pier. The other is a fifteen minute scramble over the rocks from Surin, which is fine for the sure footed in dry conditions but slippery and washed by waves at high tide, so the boat is the sensible choice if you are unsure.
Once you are down, the reward is a quiet, beautiful little bay with clear water, easy snorkelling around the rocks and natural shade under the boulders. There is no resort and no club, just a handful of small vendors in season, so bring water, sun cover and a snorkel mask. Plan around the season too, because boat service depends on the sea and may not run in the rough monsoon months from June to October. Come in the dry season, go early, and you have one of the loveliest small coves in Phuket largely to yourself.
Clubs on this beach
Laem Singh is a wild little cove with no resort and no beach club on the sand, just seasonal vendors. For a daybed and table day you look to the bigger clubs a short way along the coast at Surin and Kamala, both in the Phuket clubs guide.
Seasonal vendors on the sand
In the dry season a few small operators set up on the sand selling cold drinks and simple food, and they are your only service on the cove. Hours and what is open depend on the season and the sea, so treat them as a bonus rather than a plan and bring your own water.
Photo: Café del Mar Phuket Beach Club via GoogleKamala and Surin clubs nearby
For a full daybed and cabana day, the bigger clubs sit a short ride away at Kamala and Bang Tao. They are described in our Phuket clubs guide, with booking handled through our enquiry form. Entry policies and minimum spends are set by each venue and are to be confirmed.
No club on the cove
Laem Singh itself stays a quiet swimming and snorkelling cove with no resort and no club on the sand, which is exactly its charm. For a dense set of beach clubs you want Kamala, Surin or Bang Tao, all mapped in the Phuket beach clubs guide.
West coast, Phuket
Laem Singh sits on the headland between Surin and Kamala on the west coast, roughly forty five minutes to an hour by road from Phuket International Airport depending on traffic. There is a cliff top viewpoint on the main road with the classic look down over the cove.
Because the old staircase is closed, the practical way down is the short long tail boat from the southern end of Surin, around 100 baht each way and to be confirmed, or a fifteen minute scramble over the rocks from Surin for the sure footed.
Boat service depends on the sea and may pause in the rough monsoon months, so visit in the dry season and go early. Combine the cove with Surin and Kamala, both a short ride away, for a fuller day on this coast.
Photo: Stan Tche via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a club near Laem Singh Beach. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Laem Singh Beach
How do you get to Laem Singh Beach now?
The old staircase from the road was closed years ago after a land dispute and never reopened. Today you reach the sand by a short long tail boat from the southern end of Surin, usually around 100 baht each way and to be confirmed, or by a fifteen minute scramble over the rocks from Surin. There is no car access onto the sand.
Is Laem Singh worth visiting?
If you want one of the prettiest small coves in Phuket and are happy to earn it with a boat ride or a rock scramble, yes. The water is clear, the boulders are dramatic and the snorkelling is good in the dry season. If you want easy car access, loungers and a bar, a bigger beach will suit you better.
Can you snorkel at Laem Singh?
Yes. In the dry season the cove is clear and usually calm, and the granite rocks at either end give an easy snorkel, best at low tide. Bring your own mask and fins, since there is no reliable rental on the sand, and judge the water yourself as there is no posted lifeguard.
Are there facilities at Laem Singh Beach?
Very few. A handful of small vendors set up on the sand in the dry season for drinks and simple food, but there is no resort, no guaranteed shade beyond the boulders and no lifeguard. Bring water, sun cover and anything you need for a long stay.
When is the best time to visit Laem Singh?
The dry season from November to April gives the calmest water, the clearest snorkelling and the most reliable boat service from Surin. Go early in the day for the quietest sand, and be aware boats may not run in the rough monsoon months from June to October.
