28 °C water, 125 mm of rain on 8 days.28.5 °C water, 65 mm of rain on 4 days.29 °C water, 115 mm of rain on 5 days.30 °C water, 85 mm of rain on 6 days.30 °C water, 130 mm of rain on 11 days.30 °C water, 135 mm of rain on 10 days.29.5 °C water, 115 mm of rain on 11 days.29.5 °C water, 100 mm of rain on 10 days.29 °C water, 120 mm of rain on 11 days.29 °C water, 295 mm of rain on 16 days.29 °C water, 445 mm of rain on 16 days.28.5 °C water, 265 mm of rain on 12 days.
Calm February to June
Sand
Amber, mixed
Fine sand with coarser, firmer patches near the waterline. Water shoes help.
No tidal flats
Crowds
Almost no one
Peak season on the island: more people on every beach.Peak season on the island: more people on every beach.Shoulder season: a steady trickle of visitors.Shoulder season: a steady trickle of visitors.Low season island-wide. You may have long stretches to yourself.Low season island-wide. You may have long stretches to yourself.Shoulder season: a steady trickle of visitors.Shoulder season: a steady trickle of visitors.Low season island-wide. You may have long stretches to yourself.Low season island-wide. You may have long stretches to yourself.Low season island-wide. You may have long stretches to yourself.Peak season on the island: more people on every beach.
Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.Comes up straight out of open water.
Fine with close watching: the water shelves or turns choppy.
Kids rating
Food
2 places
Coral Cove Chalet, Jungle Club (Chaweng Noi)
Village prices
After dark
Nothing
No bars and no lights. For a night out, head to Chaweng or Bophut.
Nightlife rating
The story
10 min read
The full guide
On this page
Key facts
~180 m bay
east coast, between Chaweng Noi and Lamai
reef just offshore
free, public access
steep steps from Route 4169
listings give hours of about 08:00-20:00 or 20:30
best before 10 AM
no beach club
Overview
Coral Cove Beach is a tiny, boulder-framed bay on Koh Samui’s east coast, tucked into a short stretch of Route 4169 roughly midway between Chaweng Noi and Lamai. Coral Cove in Samui is known for one thing: a shore reef you can reach from the sand without a boat, free of charge. The bay spans only about 180 m of coarse, reddish sand mixed with coral fragments, and granite boulders wall off both ends, which cuts wind and swell and keeps the water calm on most days.
There is no beach club, no line of sun loungers and no beach-road access, just a short flight of steep steps from the road down to a pocket of sand and rock. The cove sits about 3 km south of Chaweng and 4-5 km north of Lamai, a 10-15 minute drive from either. Expect very little sand and a rocky entry: this is a snorkeling stop, not a sunbathing beach.
Coral Cove: a small, boulder-guarded bay on Samui's east coast
The Beach: A Cove Carved by Granite
Coral Cove is named twice over: for the offshore reef and for the boulders that guard the bay. It belongs to the same granite coast as the Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks at the south end of Lamai and the boulder fields that separate it from Silver Beach to the south.
The sand is coarser and more reddish than the fine white sand of Chaweng or Bophut, mixed with fragments of coral and shell washed in from the reef. Water deepens quickly a few metres from shore, which suits snorkelers but not small children who want a long, shallow wade. The boulders divide the cove into two or three small pockets of sand and make natural photo frames, especially in early light.
Sun and shade
Coral Cove faces east, so it catches full morning sun and loses direct light by about 4 PM as the surrounding hills and boulders shade the bay. There are no loungers or umbrellas for rent that we could confirm. Bring your own shade for the middle of the day.
A rocky entry, not a soft one
The steps down can be steep, so mobility-limited visitors and strollers will struggle. Reef shoes or grippy sandals help on the steps and over rock and coral fragments in the water.
Can You Snorkel at Coral Cove?
Yes. Snorkeling is Coral Cove’s main draw and most visitors make the detour for it. A coral reef sits directly offshore, close enough that most swimmers reach it without a long swim, and the boulders keep the water calm enough for good visibility on most days.
What you will see: coral in yellow, purple, pink and orange tones, with reef fish that are used to snorkelers.
Where to enter: along the sand near the boulders, not over the coral. Never stand on live coral.
Gear: bring your own mask and fins. An older Tripadvisor listing for the snorkeling point reports mask hire at about 100 THB (~3 USD) per hour with a 500 THB deposit, but gear availability changes, so do not rely on it.
Duration: most visitors spend 30-40 minutes on the reef.
Safety: do not snorkel in rough water or strong swell. The boulders that shelter the cove in calm weather become hazardous in surf, and there is no lifeguard.
Do not feed the fish. It changes their behaviour and pulls them toward people.
The reef sits close to shore, cutting the swim-out distance to a minimum
For a longer outing, a self-guided scramble links Coral Cove with Silver Beach over granite boulder fields. See the Coral Cove to Silver Beach walk for the route and tide notes, and our snorkeling in Koh Samui guide for other spots.
Activities
Coral Cove is a swim-and-snorkel stop, not an activity hub.
Swimming: calm, clear water inside the bay, generally safe except in the roughest weather.
Snorkeling: the main event, see above.
Photography: the boulder-framed bay photographs well in early morning light.
Coastal walking: scramble south over the boulders toward Silver Beach.
Viewpoint: Lad Koh Viewpoint, less than 1 km away, gives a wide panorama over the Chaweng Noi coastline.
There are no jet skis, kayak fleets or beach-club parties: the terrain and the small bay do not support them, which is why it stays quiet.
Where to Eat
Dining at the cove is limited. A small beachfront restaurant at the top of the steps serves simple Thai and Western food, and listings mention Mediterranean and Asian dishes. Non-customers may be asked for a small toilet fee (about 10 THB, ~0.30 USD). A couple of cliffside restaurants overlook the cove from the road above.
Chaweng Beach: Samui’s main strip for nightlife, shopping and restaurants.
Lamai Beach: the island’s second-biggest beach town, with Lamai Fresh Market, about 2.6 km south.
The same granite headland links Coral Cove to Silver Beach and Lamai's boulder formations
Where to Stay Near Coral Cove
Most visitors treat Coral Cove as a half-day detour and sleep in Chaweng Noi, Silver Beach or Lamai. One note for searchers: the resort long listed as Coral Cove Chalet now trades as Coral Cliff Beach Resort Samui (listings call it formerly Coral Cove Chalet), on the cove between Chaweng and Lamai. Its own site advertises a private snorkeling area with free gear for guests. Separately, a snorkeling-point listing names a small “Hi Coral Cove Bungalow” at the cove, so operators and names overlap: confirm which property you are walking through before you go down.
Category
Typical price per night
Where
At the cove
from about 2,400 THB (~70 USD)
Coral Cliff Beach Resort (listings from about 66-79 USD)
Nearby budget-mid
1,400-3,500 THB (~40-100 USD)
Guesthouses and 3-star hotels in Chaweng Noi or Lamai
There are no villa rentals at Coral Cove itself that we can confirm; villa searches lead to Chaweng Noi and the Silver Beach hillside.
How to Get to Coral Cove
Coral Cove sits directly on Route 4169, the ring road between Chaweng and Lamai. Signs for the cove stand beside the road, and a small free roadside parking area serves it.
From
Drive time
Approx. taxi cost
Chaweng
10-15 min
about 200-300 THB (~5.50-8.50 USD)
Chaweng Noi
5-10 min
about 150-250 THB (~4.50-7 USD)
Lamai
10-15 min
about 200-300 THB (~5.50-8.50 USD)
Airport (USM)
about 20 min
about 400-500 THB (~11-14 USD)
By scooter: the most flexible option, about 150-200 THB per day. Parking is free but fills by mid-morning, and one source says the small lot takes about five cars with unlimited scooters, so come by scooter or taxi.
By taxi, songthaew or Grab: songthaews on the Chaweng-Lamai route can stop near the cove; taxis and Grab can drop off on Route 4169. Taxis are not metered, so agree the fare first.
On foot from the road: the way down is a steep flight of steps; allow time for the climb back.
On a map: search Coral Cove Beach (about 9.490 N, 100.062 E), on the road between Chaweng Noi and Lamai.
Best Time to Visit
Season
Months
Conditions
Rating
Peak / dry
Dec-Feb
Calm seas, clearest water
Hot
Mar-Apr
Warm, generally calm
Shoulder
May-Jun, Sep
Mixed weather, still swimmable most days
Monsoon
Jul-Aug, Oct-early Dec
Rougher surf, lower visibility
Late December to April is the recommended window for calm sea and the clearest water.
Arrive before 10 AM: the sea is typically calmest in the morning, before afternoon wind lowers visibility.
October to early December is the rainiest, with the fewest crowds and the cheapest rooms.
Coral Cove faces east and loses direct sun by about 4 PM, so plan a morning or early-afternoon visit, not a sunset one.
Footwear: reef shoes or grippy sandals for the steps and rocky entry.
Parking: free roadside parking, which fills on busy mornings.
Facilities: one small beachfront cafe with toilets (a small fee for non-customers); no other shops or ATMs on-site.
Shade: bring an umbrella, hat or cover-up.
Safety: no lifeguard. Avoid rough water and watch children, because the depth drops quickly.
Time needed: a few hours covers swimming, snorkeling and a meal.
Respect the reef: never stand on or touch live coral.
Coral Cove Reviews and Photos
Visitor reviews are consistent on one point: the snorkeling is the reason to go. Tripadvisor and travel-site reviews praise the close, easy reef, while independent guides stress that there is very little sand and that you enter over rocks. That matches what this page says: great for snorkelers, poor for sunbathers and toddlers.
The photo gallery below shows the cove, its boulders and the surrounding granite coast. We found no live webcam for Coral Cove, so check the sea state on arrival and use morning visits for the calmest water.
Who Is Coral Cove Best For?
Traveler type
Fit
Why
Snorkelers
Shore reef, minimal swim-out, colourful fish
Photographers
Boulder-framed bay, morning light
Couples seeking quiet
Small, uncrowded, no beach-club noise
Families with older kids
Doable with supervision; steep steps and quick depth drop
Beach-club and party seekers
Head to Chaweng or Lamai
Budget day-trippers
Free access, minimal spend
Coral Cove works best as a half-day stop. Pair it with a stay in Chaweng Noi or on Silver Beach.
Coral Cove Beach, Koh Samui: view 3
Coral Cove Beach, Koh Samui: view 4
Coral Cove Beach, Koh Samui: view 5
Coral Cove Beach, Koh Samui: view 6
Coral Cove Beach, Koh Samui: view 7
2013 08 18 Ko Samui (3)
Coral Cove Beach and the surrounding granite coastline: Koh Samui
FAQ
Can you snorkel at Coral Cove?
Yes: Coral Cove is one of the best shore-snorkeling spots on Koh Samui. A coral reef sits directly offshore with coral and reef fish a short swim from the sand. Visibility is best before 10 AM, and the boulders keep the water calm on most days, but avoid it in rough surf.
How do I get to Coral Cove Beach?
Coral Cove sits directly on Route 4169, the ring road between Chaweng and Lamai. It is about 10-15 minutes by taxi or scooter from Chaweng, 5-10 minutes from Chaweng Noi and 10-15 minutes from Lamai. Free roadside parking is small and fills by mid-morning, so a scooter or taxi is easier.
Is Coral Cove Beach good for families?
Coral Cove suits families with older, confident kids better than toddlers. The steps are steep, the water deepens quickly and there are no lifeguards. Families wanting a long, shallow, sandy stretch may prefer Chaweng Noi or Silver Beach.
Is there an entry fee for Coral Cove Beach?
No. Coral Cove, like nearly all Koh Samui beaches, is free and open to the public. The only cost most visitors meet is a small toilet fee (about 10 THB, ~0.30 USD) for non-customers of the beachfront cafe, plus any gear you rent.
How big is Coral Cove Beach?
Coral Cove is small by design: the bay spans only about 180 m, divided into two or three pockets by large granite boulders. It suits a short visit for swimming and snorkeling better than a full day of sunbathing.
What is the best time of day to visit Coral Cove?
Morning, ideally before 10 AM, when the sea is typically calmest and snorkeling visibility is best. Coral Cove faces east and loses direct sunlight by about 4 PM, so it is not a sunset spot like the west-facing beaches.
