About Lamai Beach

North end of Lamai Beach
Located 10 Km south of Chaweng on the east coast, Lamai is a little quieter, more relaxed and a little cheaper than Chaweng. The wide sandy beach has hundreds of coconut trees bending over the blue-green waters giving Lamai a tropical and natural atmosphere. Unprotected by a lagoon or reef, the sea is a little rougher, but if you prefer less people, but some action, Lamai should be your choice.

The main entertainment, eating and shopping area, close to the beach, with its bars and shops crammed along the road and down dusty side lanes, comes alive at night. Lots of local outdoor eating places with Thai and western food, bars with live bands and videos, and some dance venues which start around midnight. The main party place Bauhaus, sets a different theme on certain days and also screens live sporting events. (See nightlife)

Where to stay

Central Lamai has a broad selection of bungalow type accommodation, ranging from basic budget to more upmarket resorts with landscaped gardens, swimming pool and seclusion. (see below). Several hotels south of Lamai are hidden in jungle settings overlooking secluded coves, making them perfect romantic hideaways. For families there are resorts with plenty of things for the kids to do. Whatever your accommodation needs though, you're likely to find it in Lamai.

What to do

Traditional foot massage
Apart from relaxing on the beach, you can also have a massage under the shade of a tree, or visit one of the local spas to rebuild your body and mind. On the edge of Lamai are a couple of health and meditation centres established well before the current spa trend. On offer among the more esoteric therapies are
foot massage wonderful facials and herbal steam baths. For some inner calm you can also practise mediation classes.

If you feel the need for a more direct method to alleviate stress, Lamai also has a Thai boxing school and a number of local gyms where you can take Thai boxing lessons.

What to see

A famous tourist attraction
Among Lamai's main attractions are its open-air market and the old monastery on the edge of town, which includes a local museum and picturesque village scenes. If you want to get back to nature, a good place to start is to explore the paths behind the beach road and into the hills. Here you'll find peaceful fruit and coconut plantations, as well as trails leading into the island's interior.

Down the coast are the famous Grandfather and Grandmother rocks, (see attractions) favourites among both Thai and foreign tourists. Further south on beach side of the main road, is Wat Silangu, one of two golden pagodas on the island, its shimmering exterior stands out against the deep blue tropical sky.

viewpoint on the way to Lamai
On the way from Lamai to Chaweng, are some nice viewpoints overlooking coastline of Chaweng Mon and Laem Nam. Parking is ample and there are a few small restaurants from which to to enjoy the ocean vistas.

Several hotels south of Lamai are hidden in coconut plantations or jungle overlooking secluded coves. These offer great places for perfect romantic hideaways, or for reading that book you wanted to finish. The resorts also have plenty of things for the kids to do (have a look at Jungle Park Resort) making them great for family holidays.

Lunch at a viewpoint near Lamai   The "Big Rock"

A Golden Pagoda		Wat Khunaram