This post was last updated on 2024 September 21
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I wasn’t planning on blogging about my little Koh Tao beach excursion to Sai Nuan – it was meant to be a lazy day, a break from all the scuba diving and working, and so therefore I left my blogger’s cap collecting dust in my hotel room and hit the beach. But man, this beach is too good not to share with you!
At Sai Nuan I found a place to hang my hammock and there I lay, Kindle in one hand, coconut snacks in the other, for several hours. When the heat got to be too much, I ran into the water to cool off (relatively speaking, as the sea in Thailand is like bathwater). I’d highly recommend following the same routine if you make it to this idyllic spot.
How To Get To Sai Nuan Beach
From Mae Haad (where the ferry docks), walk south on the road parallel and closest to the beach. It will soon end at a resort, where you can either take the path left and uphill, or right and along the beach. Both run straight through the resort and will ultimately funnel you where you need to be, but I’d say the beachfront path is more straightforward.
You’ll pass through another resort or two along the way, and there will be frequent signs pointing you towards Sai Nuan. If you have a decent sense of direction, there’s no way you’ll get lost. It’s a 25-30 minute walk one way from the Mae Haad pier.
There is a small beach between Mae Haad and Sai Nuan called Janson Bay. You’ll have to pay a small fee to access the beach if you’re not staying at the resort there; alternatively, you can grab a drink or a bite to eat at the onsite restaurant with a partial view of the sea.
Planning a trip to Thailand?
These are the sites I use and recommend for booking travel:
ACCOMMODATION IN THAILAND: I always search on Booking.com for accommodation, as their Genius loyalty program offers 10-20% discounts and free breakfast/upgrades for certain hotels.
FLIGHTS TO THAILAND: When researching flights, I always check Skyscanner first because it pulls in flight options across all airlines and saves you the trouble of searching each airline individually. When booking flights via Skyscanner, I always book directly with the airline rather than one of the third party options.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THAILAND: 12Go is the best site to book transport (buses, trains, ferries) from A to B in a lot of Asian countries.
ACTIVITIES IN THAILAND: If you’re looking to book tours or other organized activities on your travels, GetYourGuide and Viator both offer myriad options for fun things to do all around the world (think: sailing trips, cooking classes, city walking tours, and more).
TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THAILAND: Unless you can easily afford to pay for huge unexpected medical bills, DON’T TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE! These days, I usually buy the Safety Wing nomad insurance, as it’s very affordable and caters to digital nomads with a monthly subscription option. I’ve also been a longtime World Nomads user, and will still use them if I need more comprehensive insurance (e.g. for adventure activities) or if I am visiting the US (Americans aren’t eligible for Safety Wing’s US add-on option).
ESIM / SIM CARDS FOR THAILAND: When traveling overseas, I always purchase an eSIM from Sims Direct for the country I’m going to, activate it before I depart, and as soon as I arrive I am automatically connected to the local network and can easily find my way to my accommodation. No need to to buy a local SIM card at the airport; eSIMs are fully electronic and don’t require you to take out your old SIM.
LUGGAGE: I am currently a July luggage girl (July Australia / July US). They offer a lifetime warranty, which I have used multiple times now – and every time, they have sent me a brand new replacement suitcase without hassle. I recommend their Checked Plus if traveling with 32kg/70lb of luggage (note: many airlines do not allow bags this heavy!), the Checked if traveling with 23kg/50lb of luggage, and the Carry On Light (Expanded) which is super lightweight and really helps you stay within the 7kg carry-on limit that many Aussie airlines enforce. Click to read my full review of July luggage.
View of Janson Bay from the walking path.
Sai Nuan Beach
If you know anything about Koh Tao, you’ve probably heard of Sairee Beach: it has the highest concentration of accommodation, restaurants, bars, and dive shops. Not surprisingly, it’s where most visitors tend to stay – so if you’re craving some solitude, you’re better off heading to a different Koh Tao beach.
Sai Nuan is the easiest beach to get to by walking. In fact, walking is pretty much the only way you can reach it aside from a water taxi. This is a beautiful, beautiful thing because it means this beach is rarely crowded. You see, most people on Koh Tao rent a motorbike and drive around the island to get where they need to go, so they’re far more likely to be at beaches they can drive to.
If you fancy staying in a secluded bungalow and don’t mind carrying in all your luggage on foot, then you need to stay at Sai Thong Resort right on Sai Nuan Beach. The only way to book in advance is to call the resort. I think if I ever return to Koh Tao, I’ll just show up and ask for a bungalow – I can’t imagine they book up all that often (don’t quote me on that, though!).
There are two bungalows perched on the rocks just over the beach (see photo below), and a bunch set back from the sand scattered amidst the trees. There’s also a restaurant at the resort, and a tree swing right on the beach, neither of which I could be bothered getting out of my hammock for. You see, Sai Nuan Beach is absolutely perfect for lazing around in a peaceful tropical setting and doing little-to-nothing else.
Planning a trip to Thailand?
These are the sites I use and recommend for booking travel:
ACCOMMODATION IN THAILAND: I always search on Booking.com for accommodation, as their Genius loyalty program offers 10-20% discounts and free breakfast/upgrades for certain hotels.
FLIGHTS TO THAILAND: When researching flights, I always check Skyscanner first because it pulls in flight options across all airlines and saves you the trouble of searching each airline individually. When booking flights via Skyscanner, I always book directly with the airline rather than one of the third party options.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THAILAND: 12Go is the best site to book transport (buses, trains, ferries) from A to B in a lot of Asian countries.
ACTIVITIES IN THAILAND: If you’re looking to book tours or other organized activities on your travels, GetYourGuide and Viator both offer myriad options for fun things to do all around the world (think: sailing trips, cooking classes, city walking tours, and more).
TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THAILAND: Unless you can easily afford to pay for huge unexpected medical bills, DON’T TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE! These days, I usually buy the Safety Wing nomad insurance, as it’s very affordable and caters to digital nomads with a monthly subscription option. I’ve also been a longtime World Nomads user, and will still use them if I need more comprehensive insurance (e.g. for adventure activities) or if I am visiting the US (Americans aren’t eligible for Safety Wing’s US add-on option).
ESIM / SIM CARDS FOR THAILAND: When traveling overseas, I always purchase an eSIM from Sims Direct for the country I’m going to, activate it before I depart, and as soon as I arrive I am automatically connected to the local network and can easily find my way to my accommodation. No need to to buy a local SIM card at the airport; eSIMs are fully electronic and don’t require you to take out your old SIM.
LUGGAGE: I am currently a July luggage girl (July Australia / July US). They offer a lifetime warranty, which I have used multiple times now – and every time, they have sent me a brand new replacement suitcase without hassle. I recommend their Checked Plus if traveling with 32kg/70lb of luggage (note: many airlines do not allow bags this heavy!), the Checked if traveling with 23kg/50lb of luggage, and the Carry On Light (Expanded) which is super lightweight and really helps you stay within the 7kg carry-on limit that many Aussie airlines enforce. Click to read my full review of July luggage.
