Beautiful Beaches off the Tourist Trail: The Pathio Coast & Beaches often referred to as Chumphon’s “Royal Gold Coast” stretches 30km in the area adjacent to Chumphon Airport in Pathiu. There is wide variety of beaches and bays from small limestone coves to long open beaches.
Untouched, the area has a number of bungalow and beach resorts. Due to its close location to the airport, it’s the easiest point of entry to Chumphon and beyond to Ko Tao and the islands. A number of luxury eco style tourist developments were under construction and opened in 2018 to create Thailand’s Côte d’Azur.
Thung Wua Laen – Running Bull Beach – Pathiu District. A long white sand beach located in Pathio District 15km north from the city and 19 km south of Chumphon Airport. Thung Wua Laen Beach has a lot of great activities like diving, snorkeling, kayaking, kite surfing, beach sports. The beach has numerous resorts, bars and restaurants.
Bang Son Beach, Pathiu, Chumphon. 10 Kilometers of white sand beach, the bay is mostly untouched with some resorts under construction. The bay is 7 km south of the Chumphon Airport with Khao Dinsor nearby and located between Ao Bo Mao Beach and Thung Wua Laen.
Laem Thaen Pathiu District – A peninsula located between Ao Bang Son and Ao Bo Mao and nearby the Chumphon Airport. Gently sloping from the mainland the peninsular has spectacular cliff view of the surrounding area and islands. A series of viewing pavilions are located on the east side of the outcrop. A new tourism lookout is under construction at the tip of Laem Thaen focused around Prince Chumphon. View the sunsets from the southern tip of the cape.
Ao Bo Mao – Spring Tree Bay – The main beach of Pathio District (also spelt as Pathiu) is named Ao Bo Mao. It consists of fine white sand and stretches for several kilometres along a paved road. The beach of Ao Bo Mao is ideal for travellers, who appreciate peace, nature and long walks on the beach. There are a number of bungalow resorts and restaurants along the beach, all relatively far apart. In 2015 a number of new or refurbished small resorts have opened along with 2 cafe. The beach is 1 km from Chumphon Airport with direct flights to Bangkok daily on Nok Air. Boats can be hired at the beach to the nearby Ko Khai (Egg Island), the trip takes 15 minutes to a small mountainous island with coral reefs and a single sand beach. A Giant Clam sanctuary is being developed off the island by local environmentalists.
Cape Pathiu – Chum Ko, Pathiu District – A small fishing village and headland that is being developed to a new tourism hub with Lomprayah high-speed ferry connections to the islands of the Chumphon Archipelago later in 2016. Opposite the village is Ko Khai Island and the nearby the KMITL University – Chumphon campus. Cape Pathiu has located about 1 km from the Chumphon Airport. The area features Thailand’s only seaside rice terraces. The Lomprayah High-Speed Ferry Pier is nearing 100% completion and scheduled to open in 2018. In the medium term, this area is expected to form a transport hub with the highspeed train from Bangkok and additional airlines planning services to nearby Chumphon airport.
Coral Beach –Pathiu District – Magnificent crescent shaped beach with small island outcrops in the bay. The white sand beach is a ecozone and is known for its giant clams sanctuary which lies about 500m offshore. A resort, condominium, bar and restaurant will open at Coral Beach in 2016.
Ao Thung Zang – Pathiu District – One of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches in Thailand. The bays are separated by an outcrop of limestone rocks. On the north side lies Ao Thung Zang, with a white sand beach that stretches for 1 km bordered by coconut trees. The bays are about 35 km from Chumphon and 10 km north of Chumphon Airport.
Khao Phang Forest Park. About 12 km south of town, about 493 km on Hwy 4. Khao Phang Forest Park is one of the province’s newest attractions. Within the national park, there are a great variety of tropical trees, making the park a shady and restful sojourn for nature lovers and a must for students of forestry. A hill, covering an area of about one square kilometre, is located behind the park providing a commanding view of the entire area.
Mo Ku Chumphon National Park (National Park Visitors Centre), towards Hat Sai Ri (take local bus near PO or see local travel agent). Take the wooden bus to the fairly new and surprisingly modern visitors centre. Walk the boardwalks through the mangrove forests and over creeks. Ask at centre for other walks available. The actual national park area of Chumphon Province is huge and takes in islands, reefs, beaches, jungle, mountain, creeks, ocean and mangroves. You can stay overnight here–there’s a camping area, and bungalows at the Pong Pang Viewpoint go for 600 baht per night and accommodate 2 persons—add 100 baht for each extra person. Dorm beds with no bedding for 50 baht. There are also two restaurants. A good place to visit to make the best of your stay in Chumphon. entry: 200 baht.
Hat Sai Ri Sairee Beach -See Prince of Chumphon Shrine below.
Khao Chao Mueang. About 2.4 km from Hat Sai Ri is Khao Chao Mueang, the district’s highest observation point. Its panoramic views of the coast and far out into the distant archipelago are rivalled only by the peace and tranquillity offered by the secluded beach located at the base of the mountain.
The National Museum of Chumphon. Any trip to Chumphon should start at the national museum. Established in 1995 at Khao Samkaew, the museum provides a provincial overview, ranging from prehistory through to the present. Even for those who are not overly interested in history, the museum’s attractive displays and media resources will fascinate and inform. The museum is divided into ground floor and the upper floor, and is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, 09:00–16:00.
Prince of Chumphon Shrine (ศาลเจ้าพ่อกรมหลวงชุมพร)/Hat Sairee (Sairee Beach หาดทรายรี), Moo 7 Tambon Sai Ri. It is 20 km from Chumphon city centre, along Hwys 4119 and 4098. To get here, use a songteow to Sairee Beach. See above in “Songteows”. It is right at the corner as the songteow turns to run along the beach road. This is a sacred place for the people of Chumphon and nearby provinces. At the shrine stands the monument of Admiral Phra Borommawong Thoe Kromluang Chumphon Khet Udomsak. The shrine is on the north side of Hat Sai Ri facing towards the sea. There is a museum with exhibits of the admiral. A large torpedo boat named the Royal Chumphon is also here. It is 68 m long and 6.55 m wide. This ship was decommissioned on 26 November 1975. The Royal Thai Navy turned over the ship to Chumphon Province in 1979. After that it was placed near this monument in commemoration of the admiral. See above how to get to Sairee Beach.
Wat Chao Fa Sala Loi (วัดเจ้าฟ้าศาลาลอย). About 8 km from town on the Chumphon–Ao Thung Wua Laen road. To get there, travel along an asphalt road for 6 km and continue the journey along a brick road for another 2 km. At this temple lived Luang Pho Song Chanthasaro, a famous religious teacher who passed away at the age of nearly 100 years. His body remains undecayed. This monk is revered by the people of Chumphon and nearby provinces.