BeachBan Laem

Laem Luang Sand Spit

แหลมหลวง · Also: Laem Phak Bia sand spit, Laem Phak Bia

A sand spit 2–3 km long at the tip of Laem Phak Bia that separates mudflats to the north from sand beach to the south, known as the first sand of the upper Gulf of Thailand and a nesting site of the rare Malaysian plover.

Laem Luang is a sand spit reaching out to sea from Moo 3, Laem Phak Bia subdistrict, Ban Laem district. North of the spit is mudflat and south of it is sand beach: silt from the Chao Phraya, Bang Pakong, Tha Chin, Mae Klong and Phetchaburi rivers clouds the sea further up the gulf and turns the shore to mud. That is why the spit is called the first sand of the upper Gulf of Thailand, and why both ecosystems can be studied on one point.

The beach is both a feeding and a nesting ground for the Malaysian plover, a rare resident shorebird at risk of extinction. Since 2015 the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand has worked with government agencies, the local administration and the Laem Phak Bia birdwatching group to restore the plovers' nesting habitat.

If you want to see the beach and its birds, contact the Laem Phak Bia birdwatching group beforehand. Tread carefully, because the sand that visitors walk on is where the birds nest, and watch out for the spiny invasive shrub that grows on the spit.

When to go

Migratory birds are around from November to April; the Malaysian plover is resident and nests on the beach.

Things to do: BirdwatchingPhotography

Sources and photos

Written from the sources below, read on 30 October 2026. Fees and opening can change, so check with the managing office before you go.