Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)
Koh Lipe's long, east-facing white-sand beach, with calm shallows, the longtail stand for snorkel trips and the view across to Koh Adang.
Plan your visit
- Hours
- Open 24 hours daily
Check Monsoon Windows
Andaman coast beaches (Phuket, Krabi) have rough seas May–October. Koh Samui's beaches are roughest October–December, and Hua Hin's wettest months are September and October. Plan your beach trip around these windows for calm water and safe swimming.
Finding your way around Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)
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North to south along the beach
- North end · Karma Beach
- The northern tip, also called North Point, faces Koh Adang across a narrow channel. At low tide a white sandbar comes up and you can wade a long way out over fine sand.
- Middle · longtail stand
- The longtail taxi and tour boats moor in the shallows along the middle of the beach, and boats for Koh Adang and the national-park snorkel trips leave from here. In the low season, roughly June to October, the speedboats from Pak Bara often land here instead of on Pattaya Beach.
- South end
- Quieter, with fewer boats and the better swimming, looking out to the small island of Koh Usen. A path at the far end leads on to the little bay in front of Ten Moons resort.
- Offshore · Koh Kra and Koh Usen
- The two islets off the beach are close enough to reach by kayak, and the reef around them is snorkeling you can do without booking a boat.
Getting there and around
- Walking Street, the island's main lane, links Sunrise Beach with Pattaya Beach on the south coast. Its east end is 5 to 10 minutes' walk from the middle of Sunrise Beach, and Pattaya Beach is about 15 minutes.
- Foreign visitors pay the Tarutao National Park fee, ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children aged 2 to 11, at Pak Bara pier or on arrival. Keep the ticket, because rangers check it on snorkel trips.
Details
- Website
- kohlipeisland.org
Full opening hours
Tours that include Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)
Guided visits and day-tour combos that include Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe).
Why go, and how to do it well
Sunrise Beach is Koh Lipe's showpiece — a long, east-facing sweep of blindingly white sand where the shallows glow turquoise until late morning and longtail boats bob in rows waiting for snorkeling trips to the Adang-Rawi archipelago. It's the best swimming and lounging beach on the island, gently shelving, largely seagrass-free, and big enough to find your own patch even in high season. The northern end looks across a narrow channel to Koh Adang's jungle peaks — the classic Lipe photograph. Walking Street's restaurants and dive shops are a five-minute stroll away, and beachfront resorts here range from bamboo bungalows to boutique villas.
Written by Mac Kiley · Updated Oct 2026
Stay within reach of Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)
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Best rated within a 3-minute walk
Tours that include Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)
Guided visits and day-tour combos that include Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe).
Around here, on foot
Well-rated places within a short walk of Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe), nearest first. Minutes are at an easy pace in the heat.
- 1 minAdang Sea DiversActivities & Tours · 50 m · 4.7★
- 2 minCastaway Divers Koh LipeActivities & Tours · 190 m · 4.9★
- 2 minCastaway Resort Koh LipeHotels & Resorts · 200 m · 4.4★
- 2 minCastaway Restaurant Koh LipeRestaurants & Food · 200 m · 4.6★
- 3 minRoyal Indian restaurant koh lipeRestaurants & Food · 200 m · 4.9★
- 3 minNèe papaya Thaifood & BBQRestaurants & Food · 210 m · 4.4★
Experience hints
Pair your visit. After Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe), round out your day in Koh Lipe with contrasting stops nearby.
Ko Tarutao, Mueang Satun District
Open in Google MapsMore beaches nearby
All within a 14-minute walk of Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe).
Maricilla Beach
Pattaya Beach
North Point Beach, Koh Lipe
Sunset Beach
Tips for Visiting Beaches
Go Early for Empty Sand
Even the busiest beaches are nearly deserted before 9 AM. A sunrise walk is the best hour of the day on the sand, and you'll beat the heat for a morning swim.
Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Many Thai marine parks ban chemical sunscreens that damage coral. Bring reef-safe (mineral/zinc-based) sunscreen from home — it's harder to find and pricier in Thailand.
Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe): Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Sunrise Beach on Koh Lipe?
Yes. The water is shallow and calm, and the south end is the best stretch for it. Along the middle the longtails come and go close to shore, so swim away from the moored boats and keep an eye out for ones coming in. At low tide the shallows get very shallow, which is when the north end's sandbar is at its best for wading.
Do you have to pay a national park fee on Koh Lipe?
Yes. Foreign visitors pay ฿200 per adult and ฿100 per child aged 2 to 11, free under 2, at Pak Bara pier or on arrival. The ticket is valid for five days, and park rangers ask to see it on snorkel and island trips.
Where do boats to Koh Lipe land?
In high season the speedboats and ferries, including those from Langkawi, land at the floating pier off Pattaya Beach, where the immigration office is. In the low season, roughly June to October, they often land on Sunrise Beach instead when the swell makes Pattaya Beach rough.
Is Sunrise Beach or Pattaya Beach better on Koh Lipe?
Sunrise Beach is the long one on the east coast, with the sunrise, the view across to Koh Adang and the sandbar at low tide. Pattaya Beach on the south coast is where most boats land in high season and has more of the bars and evening fire shows. I'd sleep near Sunrise Beach and walk over to Pattaya Beach for dinner.
Is Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe) worth visiting?
Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe) holds a 4.5★ rating from 1,200 Google reviews, placing it among the highest-rated beaches in Koh Lipe.
What are the opening hours of Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)?
Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe) is open 24 hours a day — see the full day-by-day schedule in the location info on this page. Hours can change on Thai public holidays, so check ahead for holiday visits.
When is the best time to visit Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe)?
The best months to visit Koh Lipe are November – April, with the most reliable weather. Crowds peak in December – January & Chinese New Year — going early in the day usually means fewer people. Months to think twice about: May – October (monsoon; many businesses close).
Where is Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe) located?
Sunrise Beach (Koh Lipe) is at Ko Tarutao, Mueang Satun District, in Koh Lipe. Getting around Koh Lipe: Walking — the island is under 3 km end to end; Motorbike taxis with sidecars for luggage runs.
Also popular in Koh Lipe
On The Rocks
Koh Lipe Pier
Koh Tarutao
Zodiac See Sun Beach Bar Koh Lipe
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