Bang Saray and Ban Amphur: Pattaya’s Quiet Southern Beaches (2026)
Most people who visit Pattaya never get south of Jomtien. They land, work through the usual orbit between Walking Street and the beach hotels, and leave without knowing there are two strips of coastline 15–20 km down the highway with no jet-ski touts, working fishing piers, weekly night markets, and some of the cheapest fresh seafood in the province.
Bang Saray and Ban Amphur won’t suit everyone. There’s no beach club, no floating bar, no strip scene. What they have is a working fishing village character that Pattaya Beach lost a long time ago — and that’s the whole point.
The short version
- Bang Saray is a real fishing village 15–20 km south of Pattaya, about a 20-minute drive. The beach runs 3 km. Fresh seafood, weekly night markets, and a working pier where the boats leave at dusk.
- Ban Amphur (also called Somprasong Beach) is the first quiet beach heading south — about 14 km from central Pattaya, 15 minutes. No water sports, no touts, free parking for 100+ cars.
- Both work well as day trips from Pattaya. A Grab typically runs ฿200–฿400 each way (check the app for a live quote); shared songthaews plus a motorbike taxi or local ride cost ฿40–฿60 total.
- Best times: weekday mornings for the beach, Wednesday evenings for Bang Saray’s temple market, Saturday evenings for the Walking Street market near the pier.
- The water is calm and clear, not Koh Larn turquoise. You’re trading bright-blue island water for a quieter beach and a proper seafood lunch.
For context on how these stack up against every other beach option near Pattaya, the best beaches in Pattaya guide covers the full picture.
Getting there from Pattaya
By Grab or Bolt: The easy option. A standard car from central Pattaya to Bang Saray typically runs ฿200–฿400 depending on time of day and exact pickup — check the app before committing because prices move. The return is just as easy; mobile signal in the village is fine for booking.
By songthaew: Cheaper, slower, more faff. Take a green songthaew heading south on Sukhumvit. Longer runs toward Bang Saray cost more than the flat urban hop — expect ฿20–฿40 for the Sukhumvit leg — and you’ll need a motorbike taxi or local songthaew for the final stretch into the village. Total cost around ฿40–฿60, but budget 40–60 minutes including the transfer.
By scooter: The Sukhumvit highway runs straight there. Parking on the main beach road is free.
One thing worth knowing: there’s no direct songthaew route from Pattaya Beach Road. The south-heading trucks run along Sukhumvit, not the coast road. The getting around Pattaya guide has the full route breakdown.
Bang Saray beach
About 3 km of gently curving sand, widest near the fishing village at the south end. The Gulf coast doesn’t generate real surf, so the water is calm year-round — comfortable for swimming and clear enough to see the bottom in the shallows.
Sunbeds and umbrellas cluster near the fishing piers and at the southern end where a few small cafés have set up. Rate is around ฿100 a day. Nobody hassles you if you just lay out a towel — on weekdays the beach can be quiet enough that you’ll walk 100 metres and find yourself completely alone.
The morning market in the town centre kicks off at around 5:30 AM: fresh fish, produce and ready-made breakfast for ฿30–฿60. Worth the early alarm if you’re already awake from the fishing boat engines turning over at 4 AM. The quieter northern end of the beach is where locals mostly go at weekends — vendors are few and the vibe is left to itself.
The pier, the village and the markets
The fleet heads out from Bang Saray Pier each evening — the catch returns to the restaurants by morning.
The pier is what makes Bang Saray worth the drive. From late afternoon you’ll see crews loading and engines warming before the boats head out for the night. Easy to spend 20 minutes watching without realising it.
Markets to know:
| Market | When | What’s there |
|---|---|---|
| Village temple market (Bang Saray) | Wednesday from 18:00 | Grilled seafood, pad thai, papaya salad, Thai sweets |
| Walking Street market | Saturday from 17:00, near the pier | Street food, crafts, local produce |
| Monthly beach road market | First Sunday of each month (all day) | Beach road closes to traffic — the biggest one |
The Wednesday and Saturday markets each run two to three hours. Small by Pattaya standards, but the food is good and the crowd is almost entirely local.
Where to eat
The restaurants around the pier are the main reason to make the trip. The same catch that ends up in Pattaya’s hotel restaurants comes here without the tourist-area markup.
Preecha Seafood is the well-worn local favourite — large, busy, near the pier. Around ฿900 for three dishes and two large beers for two people. Ruean Thale Boardwalk Restaurant has a better view with tables over the water and prices to match. Both are busier on weekends; weekday lunch is a different experience.
The Beach Restaurant at the northern end of beach road runs Western and Thai at mid-range prices with tables on the sand. La Taverna is the spot when someone in the group wants Italian.
Street food from the markets or the daily night food market on the main road (16:00–20:00) runs ฿50–฿150 a plate. A full sit-down seafood meal lands at ฿300–฿600 per person eating well. Most local restaurants are cash-only — bring baht from Pattaya.
Ban Amphur beach
Ban Amphur — the beach Pattaya families drive to when they want a genuinely quiet Sunday.
Ban Amphur (in the Na Jomtien area) sits about 14 km south of central Pattaya — the first calm beach heading south. It’s between Jomtien and Bang Saray on the map but feels quieter and more local than either.
What sets it apart:
- Minimal water-sports hassle compared with Jomtien and central Pattaya. Most days it’s just umbrellas, Thai families and a handful of food vendors.
- Free parking for over 100 vehicles — driving there makes sense even with kids in tow.
- A small lighthouse marks the breakwater at the southern end; worth a late-afternoon walk.
- Sunbeds and umbrellas for hire at around ฿100–฿150 a day, plus a kids’ playground.
- Public toilets and outdoor showers on-site.
Weekdays it can be near-empty. Weekend afternoons bring Thai families from Pattaya and Sattahip — it fills up, but never to Jomtien density. If you want a quiet beach day within 30 minutes of central Pattaya, this is your best option that isn’t an island.
Restaurants are a short walk from the beach — small Thai spots, mostly seafood and rice at ฿60–฿120 a plate. The range doesn’t match Bang Saray, but the basics are there.
Beyond the beach: what else is nearby
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is about 3 km from Bang Saray village, directly across Sukhumvit. Six hundred acres of themed gardens — best known for palms, cycads, cactus displays and cultural shows. Already driving south, it’s easy to combine both in a day. Our Nong Nooch guide has ticket prices and timing.
Buddha Mountain (Khao Chi Chan) is a few kilometres further south past Silver Lake — a gold Buddha image laser-etched across a cliff face, around 109 metres tall. Free to visit, 20–30 minutes to take in. Worth stopping on the drive back.
Scuba diving: Bang Saray’s pier is historically a departure point for dive trips to sites south of here. Some operators still run trips between October and February when visibility is at its best. Our Pattaya scuba diving guide covers operators, prices and site conditions.
Watch: Bang Saray beach walkthrough
Staying in Bang Saray
Bang Saray has a modest accommodation strip — small resorts, beachside bungalows and guesthouses rather than high-rise hotels. Sunset Village Beach Resort, Sea Sun Sand Resort & SPA and Palm Grove Resort are the established options along the beach road. Expect ฿800–฿2,500 a night for beach-adjacent rooms; monthly rates are available and more attractive than the nightly math suggests.
Most visitors come as a day trip from Pattaya rather than staying over, which makes sense. But if you want a night or two away from the noise, Bang Saray is quiet in a way Pattaya’s beach strip never fully manages.
The Pattaya day trips guide has more on structuring a southern coast day, including timing if you want to combine Bang Saray with Nong Nooch or Buddha Mountain. If you’re considering staying in the southern Pattaya area, the where to stay in Pattaya guide covers the Na Jomtien zone alongside all other options.
FAQ: Bang Saray and Ban Amphur
How far is Bang Saray from Pattaya and how do I get there?
About 15–20 km south, 20–25 minutes by car. Grab from central Pattaya typically costs ฿200–฿400 (check the app for a live quote). Shared songthaew on Sukhumvit plus a motorbike taxi runs ฿40–฿60 total but takes 40–60 minutes. No direct baht bus from Beach Road.
Is Bang Saray beach good for swimming?
Usually. The Gulf coast is calm and the water is generally clear enough for a comfortable swim. Avoid after heavy rain. Not island-turquoise, but fine for a regular beach day.
What’s the best day to visit for the market?
Wednesday evening (temple market, from 18:00) or Saturday evening (Walking Street market near the pier, from 17:00). First Sunday of each month has the largest market — beach road closes to traffic all day.
What’s the difference between Bang Saray and Ban Amphur?
Ban Amphur is closer (14 km), simpler — quiet family beach, free parking, no water sports. Bang Saray is further (15–20 km), more going on — markets, restaurants, working pier. Ban Amphur for a beach day; Bang Saray for food and atmosphere.
Is it worth visiting from Pattaya?
Yes. Cheap fresh seafood, local markets, Nong Nooch next door, and none of the tourist-zone noise. Easy half-day from anywhere in Pattaya.
