Noppharat Thara Beach

Noppharat Thara is the free mainland beach next to Ao Nang, a several-kilometre stretch of sand facing the Andaman Sea with limestone karsts visible offshore. Locals call it “Klong Haeng” (dry canal) because the tide pulls back far enough at times to expose a walkable sandbar toward the small islands just off the coast. Unlike the fee-paying islands that share its name in the national park system, walking, swimming, and picnicking here costs nothing.

The beach forms part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, but only administratively — the 400 THB foreigner landing fee applies to the offshore islands (Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Le, Bamboo Island), not this mainland stretch. Nopparat Thara Pier sits roughly at the beach’s midpoint and is the main departure point for longtail boats and ferries heading to the Four Islands day-trip circuit and Phi Phi, so there’s a steady flow of boat traffic and boat crews prepping departures even though the beach itself sees far fewer tourists than Ao Nang proper. Shallow, gently sloping water makes it more comfortable for swimming with children than the busier beach a few kilometres south.

Shade comes and goes — palm trees line parts of the coast, but stretches of open sand have none, so midday visits need sun protection. A handful of small beachfront restaurants near the pier serve seafood and drinks, though nowhere near the density of Ao Nang’s strip. Weekends bring Thai families for picnics rather than package tourists, which keeps the atmosphere closer to a local beach than a resort one.

Insider Tip: If you only want the shell fossil cemetery or the national park headquarters — both near the pier — you can see them as a free add-on to a beach walk without booking any boat trip.

Watch out: Don’t confuse the free beach with the paid islands when budgeting a day trip — vendors near the pier sometimes bundle “park fee” into boat tickets without making clear which portion is the actual island landing fee.

For the fee structure, island landing costs, and the offshore side of the park, see Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. For nearby swimming spots without a boat, Tha Pom Klong Song Nam is a short drive inland.