Hat Sichon

Hat Sichon is a 700m beach in Sichon district, on Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Gulf coast — a working fishing community first, a beach destination second. A breakwater built to shelter the adjacent fishing port also tames the surf here, so the water stays calmer than most open Gulf beaches nearby, which makes it a reasonable pick for families or weaker swimmers.

Longtail boats work the coast within sight of the sand, and a handful of small resorts and simple family-run eateries line the shore — nothing resembling the resort strips further south on Samui or Phuket. Coconut palms shade parts of the beach, and the fishing-village rhythm (boats out before dawn, back with the morning catch, grilled seafood stalls by afternoon) is as much the draw as the swimming. Basic facilities are on hand — toilets, changing cabins, showers, and rental deckchairs and umbrellas — but don’t expect much beyond that; this is a working beach, not a curated resort front.

Insider Tip: Sichon and neighbouring Khanom district were linked by a new coastal road in 2018, turning what used to be two separate, sleepy destinations into one loosely connected stretch of coast — worth knowing if you’re planning to combine a Hat Sichon stop with the beaches further north around Ao Khanom or Hat Nai Phlao.

Because the beach itself is short and the surrounding development modest, don’t expect banana boats, jet skis or beach touts — the appeal here is the quieter, more local pace rather than a full menu of watersports. If you’re staying in the area for a few days, Khao Phlai Dam, also in Sichon district, makes an easy inland pairing for a viewpoint over the same coastline.

Bring reef-safe sunscreen and cash for the local food stalls — card payment isn’t a given at the smaller vendors. There’s no public transport laid on specifically for the beach, so a hired driver, motorbike, or your own car from Nakhon Si Thammarat town is the most reliable way in.