Beside some long and popular beaches such as Phra Ae Beach, Klong Khong, Klong Nin, or Kantiang Bay, Koh Lanta has several small and secluded beaches such as Nui Beach, Ao Nui Bay, or Relax Bay.
These small bays are far less busy than the larger beaches. A few have no tourist infrastructure (at least at the time of my visit), which maintains a peaceful and natural environment.
When I was on Koh Lanta, I rented a scooter to explore the island. I visited both Nui Beach and Ao Nui Bay. In this article, I will show you the location of Nui Beach and Ao Nui Bay, as well as things to do, how to get to, and some of the best places to stay near two beaches.
The names of Nui Beach and Ao Nui Bay are quite similar, which may cause confusion. Nui Beach is located north of Kiantiang Bay and Ao Nui Bay is located south of Kantiang Bay. I merge these two beaches into one article because I think they have a similar atmosphere and size.
See more:
Where is Nui Beach?
Nui Beach is a small beach located on the west coast of Koh Lanta Yai, between Klong Nin Beach and Kantiang Bay. The location is marked as “Nui Beach” on Google Maps, but the local sign leading to the beach says “Nui Bay.”
Nui Beach is located around 2 minutes drive south of Klong Nin Beach and 7 minutes drive north of Kantiang Bay. It lies on the beach road that connects the island’s main road 4245 with the Mu Koh Lanta National Park at the southern end of the island.
Where is Ao Nui Bay?
Ao Nui Bay is located on the west coast of Koh Lanta Yai, just south of Kantiang Bay, about 5 minutes drive from the northern side of Kantiang. Ao Nui Bay is also close to Klong Chak Beach, Bamboo Beach, and Mu Koh Lanta National Park.
Ao Nui Bay is marked on Google Maps as “Nui Bay” but the local sign at the parking area of the beach refers to it as “Nui Bay.” It’s a 10 minutes drive south of the above Nui Beach.
Things to do in Nui Beach
When I visited Nui Beach, it was very quiet with no tourist facilities on the beach. I had to walk 5 minutes through the dirt jungle trail from the parking area down to the beach.
At the northern end of Nui Beach is the Diamond Cliff restaurant & resort. There are stairs from this restaurant down to Nui Beach. There was little natural shade on the beach, just a few temporary beach shade canopy.
The beach seems to be developed now with a wider road to the beach, beach bar, massage parlor, sunbeds, and umbrellas to rent. There might be rubbish along the shore and under the trees.
Nui Beach is around 265m long with coarse white sand, clam water, which is great for swimming, relaxing, sunbathing, and snorkeling. You can see colorful fish and corals in the rocky areas at the southern end of Nui Beach.
Nui Beach is closer to two bigger beaches such as Klong Nin and Klong Hin. So you can check out these beaches for more restaurants, bars, and tourist amenities.
Things to do in Ao Nui Bay
From the parking area on the main road, I walk for 2 minutes along the narrow jungle trail to head to Ao Nui Bay.
Ao Nui Bay is 270m long beach with white fine sand and crystal clear, calm water. It’s surrounded by the hills on two sides of the beach. The beach has a more secluded atmosphere compared to Nui Bay.
The beach has little natural shades. It has a small beach bar/ restaurant in the middle of the beach with a small shaded canopy area and volleyball net. Most people carry their own beach towels to the beach to sunbathe. The beach is great for swimming and snorkeling.
Like Nui Beach, and many other beaches south of Lanta Yai island, such as Bamboo Beach, or Klong Chak Beach, you should be aware of monkeys in the jungle behind the beach. They can be very aggressive, so don’t feed and take care of your belongings.
I saw a couple put their banana inside their scooter at the parking area at Bamboo Beach, and the monkey smelled it and almost damaged the seats of the scooter. So be mindful guys, you don’t want to pay extra when returning the scooter to the rental shop.
Ao Nui Bay is close to Kantiang Bay, so you can visit this bay and its nearby viewpoint for stunning views of the bay and sea view restaurants. It’s also close to Klong Chak Waterfall, Klong Chak Beach, Bamboo Beach, and Mu Koh Lanta National Park.
Where to stay in Nui Beach?
Nui Beach is located between two other bigger beach towns, Klong Nin in the north and Klong Hin in the south. If you want easy access to tourist amenities, I recommend staying at either Klong Nin or Klong Hin. Klong Nin is more popular than Klong Hin.
Best Hotels Near Nui Beach in Koh Lanta:
Nirvana Beach Resort (mid-range)
This 4-star hotel is located at the southern part of Klong Nin Beach, close to Nui beach. The resort has direct access to the beach, it has spacious rooms with a balcony and comfortable beds. There is an outdoor swimming pool overlooking the ocean. They have lovely BBQ on the beach.
Andalay Boutique Resort (budget)
This 3-star beachfront hotel is situated on Klong Nin Beach, near Nui beach. The hotel has beautiful ground and direct access to the beach. It has a swimming pool and sunbeds and umbrellas for guests both around the pool and at the beachfront.
You can easily walk to the range of restaurants, bars, and tourist shops on the main street. They also have onsite restaurant and spa services.
Lanta Coral Beach Resort (budget)
This great beachfront resort in the Klong Hin Beach area, just south of Nui Beach. It’s a peaceful place close to the beach. It’s best to rent a scooter when staying in this area if you want to have access to more restaurants, shops, and other parts of the island.
Where to Stay at Ao Nui Bay?
There is no accommodation on Ao Nui Bay. If you want to stay close to Ao Nui Bay, you can stay at the nearby beach resort at Kantiang Bay or Klong Chak Bay. Kantiang is more popular than Klong Chak Bay. The luxury 5-star Pimalai Resort & Spa is located in Kantiang bay.
Best Hotels Near Ao Nui Bay in Koh Lanta:
Pimalai Resort & Spa (luxury)
This 5-star hotel is one of the best places to stay in Koh Lanta Yai island. It is located in the central area of Kantiang Bay. It has both beachfront rooms and rooms on the hill with stunning views of the sea. If you want a quiet retreat away from it all, this resort is an excellent choice.
Anda Lanta Resort (mid-range)
This 4-star mid-range resort is located in the quiet area of Klong Jark Bay. It has direct access to the beach. There is a beachfront restaurant/bar and outdoor pool with many sun loungers. It has a convenient location close to Lanta National Park, Elephant Sanctuary, and Klong Chak waterfall.
Klong Jark Bungalows (budget)
This 2-star hotel is located in Klong Jark Bay, near Ao Nui Bay and Lanta National Park. It offers private rooms for solo, couples, and families. Good base for a peaceful holiday on the beach.
How to get to Nui Beach and Ao Nui Bay?
The most common way to get to the beach is to rent a scooter. It’s cheap and costs only 250-300 baht a day. The road on the island also has relatively good condition with mostly flat paved roads and some hilly areas toward the south on the way to Ao Nui Bay and the National Park.
You can consider hiring a private driver to explore the island or take a tuk tuk to these beaches. Local taxi, Songthaew pick up trucks are quite expensive on Koh Lanta.
There are parking areas right next to the main road at both Nui Beach and Ao Nui Bay. From the parking area, you need to walk a few minutes though the jungle trail to get down to these beaches.
If you stay at nearby beaches, you can walk to Nui beach and Ao Nui Beach. Nui Beach is around 15 minutes walk from Klong Nin Beach, which is a popular beach town on Lanta. Ao Nui Bay is around 20-30 minutes walk from Kantiang Bay, which is another famous beach area on the island.
See more:
I hope you enjoy reading my travel guide about two small but beautiful beaches in the southern part of Koh Lanta Yai, Nui Bay and Ao Nui Bay. They have similar names, which can make it easy to confuse one beach with another. Make sure to visit them when you’re in Lanta Yai.