Lamai Beach combines the beach with cultural attractions nearby. It is considered the island’s second-largest beach after Chaweng Beach. In the wider Surat Thani destination, the white beaches on Ko Samui, including Lamai and Chaweng, are described as places for sunbathing and swimming all day. So the beach and water take center stage, while Wat Lamai and the fishing village of Hua Thanon offer a different, culturally focused perspective.
The Beach and Getting Your Bearings
Hin Ta and Hin Yai are also useful landmarks around Lamai: in the wider Surat Thani destination, these unusually shaped rocks are located at Hat Lamai on Ko Samui. There are numerous souvenir shops near them along the shore of Lamai Beach. If you would like to include these in your plans, the shoreline near Hin Ta and Hin Yai is a specific point of reference.
Lamai Beach is accessible via Highway 4169. Access roads lead in via Soi Hat Lamai 1 between kilometers 18 and 19, or via another access road near kilometer 21. Use these details as a guide and check local road conditions before setting out.
Culture Around Wat Lamai
The Wat Lamai Folk Museum is located at Wat Lamai in a two-story wooden building. Its collection includes various antique lamps, pigeon cages, and a bronze drum described as being over 300 years old and attributed to the Dong Son culture of northern Vietnam. The drum is described as an object used in rituals to ward off spirits and pray for rain.
The Phra Borommathat Chedi Si Lamai and the old Wat Lamai School building are considered important local artistic and cultural heritage sites at Wat Lamai. The exact year the chedi was built is unknown; it is said to have been constructed centuries ago. The school building was built in 1932 as a two-story wooden structure with a shingle roof. It formerly served as the cultural center of Ban Lamai and displayed household items belonging to Ko Samui residents, as well as antiquities found in the community. The two buildings therefore represent different cultural connections: the date of the chedi remains uncertain, while the school building’s year of construction and former use are documented.
More Nearby Attractions
The fishing village of Hua Thanon is located near Lamai Beach. It welcomes visitors interested in the fishing way of life. Together with the folk museum and the cultural heritage sites mentioned above, it offers another focus for trip planning besides the beach.
Lamai Beach in the Wider Surat Thani Region
Surat Thani is known as the “Province of a Thousand Islands.” The wider destination’s cultural diversity also includes places in Chaiya District. The Chaiya National Museum, a museum of art history and archaeology, is located in Wiang Subdistrict. Wat Phra Boromathat Chaiya Ratchaworawihan is also located there. Its chedi was built in the Srivijaya style, is more than 1,400 years old, and is one of the best-preserved examples of its kind in the country. These examples broaden the view of Surat Thani to include an art-historical focus alongside the beach and Wat Lamai attractions around Lamai Beach.
Discover more destinations: Ban Song, Surat Thani, Khao Phang, Ko Pha-Ngan, Phanom, Bo Put, Mae Nam, Don Sak.
Back to the main travel overview: Surat Thani.
