Thailand Guide
The east coast
White Sand Beach (Hat Sai Khao)
Framed by a broad band of fine white sand at low tide, a fringe of casuarinas and palm trees and a backdrop of forested hills, Hat Sai Khao, more commonly referred to as White Sand Beach, is, at 2.5km long, the island's longest beach and its most commercial, with scores of mid-range and upmarket hotel and bungalow operations squashed in along the shore, plus dozens of shops, travel agents, bars and restaurants lining the inland side of the road.
The vibe is much more laid-back and traveller-oriented at the far quieter northern end of the beach, however, beyond KC Grande, and this is where you'll find the most budget-priced accommodation, some of it pleasingly characterful and nearly all of it enjoying its own sea view. An extra bonus is that the road is well out of earshot up here, and there's hardly any passing pedestrian traffic. There are some low-key beach bars up there too, and more along the shorefront in the central beach area – all of them quite different in feel from the rash of brash, Pattaya-style bar-beers inland from Plaloma Cliff Resort in southern Hat Sai Khao. Wherever you stay on Hat Sai Khao, be careful when swimming as the currents are very strong and there's no lifeguard service.