Kinnaree Beach

No. There is no advance permit, paperwork or booking — permission is given at the checkpoint on the day. Thai nationals show a national ID card; foreign visitors show a passport or a clear physical copy. The guard keeps it and gives you a visitor pass in exchange, which you hand back on the way out to get your document returned.

Kinnaree Beach is inside the naval base at Sattahip, south of Pattaya. Do not navigate to the beach itself — set your GPS to the Amphibious Vehicle Battalion instead. This is where most people go wrong: routing to the beach sends you towards the U-Tapao Airport main gates, which are not the way in. The military entrance is just past the airport zone on Highway 3126, and past the checkpoint it is about 1.5km straight down the paved base road to the sand.

On your dashboard where it can be seen, or on you if you are not driving. Return it at the same checkpoint you came in by — the guard swaps it back for the ID or passport copy they held.

Kinnaree Beach holds a 4.4★ average across 513 Google reviews, so it's well regarded by the people who go. It's also one of our hand-picked spots on Things To Do In Pattaya.

Monday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Tuesday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Wednesday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Thursday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM–8:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM–8:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM–8:00 PM. Hours can shift on Thai public holidays, so it's worth checking ahead for a special trip.

Recurring themes from reviews include: quiet and uncrowded, with several reviewers likening it to a private beach; long white sand and clear, gentle water that suits swimming; inside a naval base: swap an ID at the gate for a pass, no permit or booking needed; a popular camping spot, with food, drinks and toilets available.