Ban Boet Beach

Ban Boet Beach — locally known as Tham Thong-Bang Boet Beach — stretches for around 8 kilometres of fine white sand along the Gulf of Thailand in Pathio District, about 84km south of Chumphon Town via Highway 3180. The beach faces east, giving calm conditions and good swimming for much of the year, and it remains far less visited than the province’s better-known shores.

The beach’s most distinctive feature is the large coastal sand dune that has formed in the central, unprotected section — reportedly the only remaining sand dune of its kind in Thailand, rising to around 20 metres above sea level and covering roughly 2,000 rai. At the southern headland, a small cave called Tham Thong gives the beach its full local name and provides a landmark for walkers exploring the shoreline.

Facilities are minimal: a handful of simple restaurants near the beach serve fresh seafood and basic Thai dishes, and local fishing boats work the waters offshore. Casuarina trees along parts of the shore offer natural shade. The name Bang Boet — roughly “place of bombs” — reflects the area’s history as an Allied bombing target during the Second World War.

The dry season from November to April brings the calmest seas and clearest skies. Getting here requires your own transport; follow Highway 3180 through Pathio District and look for signs toward Pak Khlong Subdistrict.