Old Beach Dog Finds Paradise in Rayong
After 25 years in Thailand, Bart Walters shares why Mae Phim is the last best stretch of unspoiled Thai coast.
Ask ten people to name the best beach in the world, and you’ll get ten different answers. Beaches are deeply personal. Like art or music, if a place doesn’t speak to your soul, it’s not for you.
For me, that moment came in June, when I found a stretch of coastline in Thailand that felt like home.
A Lifelong Love Affair with the Sea
I was raised on Florida’s Canaveral National Seashore, earning my bodysurfing stripes on the waves at New Smyrna Beach and swimming with manatees in the Indian River Lagoon. Later, I spent three years living in Greece, where I fished for octopus off the rocky coast of Crete.
More recently, I’ve spent over two decades in Southeast Asia, wandering the beaches of the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, and just about every corner of Thailand.
So, when I say I’m a bit of a beach snob—believe it. It takes something truly special to impress me.
Life on Jomtien Beach
I currently live in Jomtien, along Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard. It’s picturesque and lively—a fine place for my morning walks—but I’ve never been tempted to swim in that water. Between the speedboats, cargo ships, and seasonal jellyfish, the sea here feels more like a backdrop than an invitation.
That’s why, when I heard whispers about quieter, cleaner beaches down in Rayong province, I decided to explore. One short road trip later, I found myself discovering something extraordinary.
Finding Mae Phim
After making stops at Ban Chang and Mae Ramphueng, both charming in their own right, I stumbled upon Mae Phim. The moment I saw that four-mile ribbon of white sand stretched out before me, something clicked.
The beach had the soft, familiar texture of Florida sand beneath my feet. The tide was rolling in, waves stacking up neatly in the distance, and the air was filled with the briny scent of fish. It was early morning. A couple of sand-colored beach dogs bounded in and out of the surf while long-legged shorebirds picked through tide pools. Best of all, I had the whole place to myself.
The Heartbeat of Mae Phim
Running the length of the beach is a gently elevated stone path shaded by towering Casuarina trees—a green corridor just ten feet above the surf. Toward the eastern end, you’ll find a string of open-air seafood shacks, the kind with plastic chairs and a smoky grill scent wafting from every corner.
My friend and I feasted on prawns, squid, and fresh crab for hours, washing them down with icy Beer Changs. The bill? Just $24.
Weekdays here are tranquil. A few expats might be out for a morning walk or a casual bike ride, but otherwise, it’s blissfully empty. Then the weekend rolls in.
Weekend Vibrance, Thai Style
Mae Phim comes to life on Saturdays and Sundays, as Thai families make the short two-hour drive from Bangkok. Umbrellas sprout like mushrooms across the sand. Seaside kitchens sizzle with seafood. Grandpa dozes in a hammock. Kids squeal in delight as banana boats zip by. Teenagers laugh, dig, bury each other in the sand, and take endless selfies.
What you won’t see are foreign tourists frying under the sun or giant resorts blocking the view. It’s just families making memories, kids burning energy, and generations enjoying the sea together.
By Monday morning, the beach clears out again, leaving just the dogs, the gentle sea breeze, and me.
The Magic of Sunrises and Sunsets
Mae Phim has a unique orientation that gives it a cinematic quality twice a day. Because it faces slightly southwest from a cape, it receives both a soft, misty sunrise and a blazing, technicolor sunset—every single day.
In the morning, the beach glows with pastel light as the sun peeks over the eastern horizon. In the evening, the sky turns molten gold and orange, fading into pinks and purples. It’s a natural light show that left me applauding internally. If Mother Nature had a curtain call, I’d have been on my feet every night.
A Quiet Revelation
On my last morning in Mae Phim, I brought my coffee down to the sand to watch the sunrise one final time. A handsome beach dog trotted over and flopped down beside me.
“I could live here,” I said aloud, not really expecting an answer.
He thumped his tail on the sand, as if to say, "Took you long enough to find it, you old beach dog. Welcome to Mae Phim."
Editor’s Note: If Bart’s story has you dreaming of soft white sand, seafood feasts, and a quieter stretch of Thailand’s coast… you’ll love his full report on Rayong, Thailand.
In it, he dives deeper into Mae Phim and other hidden beaches, cost-of-living details, how to rent or buy, and what everyday life is like in this laid-back Thai province.
