I’d only snorkel at Sunrise Beach if I was staying near the beach and a competent snorkeler. Sunrise Beach and the Koh Lipe snorkel trips are a better snorkel. Although there are some unusual corals, Clownfish, and marine life at Sunset Beach.
Pros
Cons
Snorkel Video
Snorkel Review
Highlights
Coral
2-3 Meters Average Depth
Good Visibility
Medium Difficulty
Cafe at the beach
Free to snorkel
Sea Urchins Present
Jellyfish can Be Present
When:
Who:
Tour Cost:
Star Rating:
Cost:
Sunset Beach (Hat Pramong) was my last snorkel at Koh Lipe, and I’d heard good things from locals about the coral. I was staying at Sang Chan Hostel which was located on Walking Street, so it was a 20-minute walk to get to the beach, which is slightly set back from Walking Street. There are resorts and hotels located on the hills above the beach.
I arrived at 14:00 pm in the Afternoon, the weather was slightly overcast and the tide was in. When you arrive at Sunset Beach, there is a large wooden staircase that leads through a beach bar down to the left-hand side of the beach. The beach wasn’t very big, nothing like the size of Sunrise Beach.
Snorkel Spot
Tours:
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I put my stuff on the rocks on the far left-hand side of the beach. The rocks had algae on them that made them VERY slippery both in and out of the water. Be careful as you walk into the water, I think it is better to enter the water to the right of the rocks from the sandy beach. The coral starts almost from the start of the water so be careful, when you float on the top of the water the coral can be shallow which I found awkward. I don’t think it would be possible to snorkel at low tide because the water level is too shallow.
Coral Reef
As I started to snorkel on the shallow coral reef there were small patches of coral, but it took about 15-20 meters to get out to the coral reef. On my way to the coral reef, I came across an Anemone on the sea bed with a family of Common Clownfish. There wasn’t too much of a current and the water was only 1-1.5 meters in depth, the visibility was ok.
Safety Tip:
There are Sea Urchins along the sea floor in shallow water, so do not stand up and wear something to protect your feet such as water shoes or flippers. Be careful upon entering the water, the rocks and sea bed are VERY slippery.
There were also Nosestripe Anemonefish which you could see in Anemone structures dotted throughout the coral reef. The Anemone body can range from olive to orange colors. Within the Anemone is where you can often spot either a Anemonefish or Clownfish. I usually see Anemones in sheltered parts of the coral reef, tucked in between corals which provides shelter from the current.
Top Tip:
High tide is the best time to go because coral starts very close to the beach and the sea level is shallow. Enter the water from the beach, not the slippery rocks on the left-hand side of the beach.
Throughout the coral reef, there were some Giant Clams that can be spotted indented into the coral or rock face. The Giant Clams can have very colorful, vibrant patterns.
Overall this snorkel spot was good for a 30-minute snorkel. I think it would be best when the tide is in as you have to swim over branch coral to get to the coral reef which could get close to your waist.
There was some unusual marine life I haven’t seen on other snorkels around Koh Lipe, such as a Scribbled Pipefish, Feather Duster Worm, and a Phylidia Varicosa Nudibranch all shown in snorkel photos below. I would recommend Sunrise Beach for a beach snorkel, or the Half-Day and Full Day Koh Lipe snorkel trips. These trips stop at snorkel spots in the surrounding islands and are great to see different coral reefs.
Tour Guide Options
It is free to swim off of Sunset Beach, I do not believe any tours go to this beach as there are better places to snorkel and it is accessible from the island. There is a half-day and full-day Koh Lipe snorkel trip that goes to the popular snorkel spots at the surrounding islands which range from ฿600 Thai Baht – ฿700 Thai Baht.
Best Snorkel Spot
The best snorkel spot was before the rock formation that you can see from the beach. I snorkeled slightly to the left if you’re looking from the beach and just before the formation is where there was a boulder coral reef. I saw the Clownfish only 15 meters from the beach.
Best Time Of Year
If you are visiting Thailand, the dry season will give you the best weather for snorkeling in October-May.
Popular Marine Life
Parrotfish
Moorish Idol
Clownfish
Sergeant Major Damselfish
Giant Clam
Anemonefish
Rare Marine Life
Butterflyfish
Feather Duster Worm
Christmas Tree Worm
Scribbled Pipefish
Blackedge Thicklip Wrasse
Nudibranch
Coral Reef
Branch Coral
Branch Coral
Acroporidae Stoney Coral
Lettuce Coral
Brain Coral
Cauliflower Coral
What We Saw
(Seen on March, 2023)
| Oscellaris Clownfish | Nosestripe Anemonefish |
| Blackedge Thicklipped Wrasse | Christmas Tree Worm |
| Feather Duster Worm | Java Rabbitfish |
| Scribbled Pipefish | Phylidia Varicosa Nudibranch |
| Eight Banded Butterflyfish | Moorish Idol |
| Crescent Wrasse | Quoy’s Parrotfish |
| Blackedge Thicklip Wrasse | Brassy Rudderfish |
| Redlip Parrotfish | Greenthroat Parrotfish |
| Sergeant Major Damselfish | Roving Coral Grouper |
| Dusky Rabbitfish | Randall’s Rabbitfish |
| Blue-Green Chromis | Chinese Demoiselle |
| Blue Spotted Damselfish | Axil-Spot Wrasse |
| Double Spined Sea Urchin | Black Sea Urchin |
| Giant Clam | Hermit Crab |
| Sea Cucumber | Boulder Coral |
| Lettuce Coral | Stoney Acroporidae Coral |
| Cauliflower Coral | Brain Coral |
| Branch Coral | Honeycomb Coral |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sunset Beach runs along the West side of Koh Lipe. The easiest way to get to Sunrise beach is to walk, either from Walking Street. The beach is accessible by a wooden staircase which takes you down to the beach through a restaurant. There is the one beach bar and a few chairs on the beach, this isn’t the busiest beach from my experience.
It is free to snorkel at Sunset Beach, which is a popular sandy beach on the Thai southern island of Koh Lipe. The beach is most popular for the sunsets which lower over the ocean. There is a coral reef with some healthy and some looking relatively new. You can see a healthy coral reef and even clownfish. However, this was an awkward snorkel with slippery rocks and a shallow coral reef.
I didn’t go on a tour, and I don’t believe any snorkel tours run to Sunset Beach. During my snorkel, I saw healthy coral, clownfish, wrasse, and anemone. However, this was an awkward snorkel with slippery rocks and a shallow coral reef.
Yes, you can see Clownfish off of Sunset Beach, specifically the orange and white Oscellaris Clownfish. They aren’t very common at this beach but I did spot one family of Clownfish.
Luke
FOUNDER
Luke is a passionate snorkeler who started Snorkelverse to live his dream of combining his passions for snorkeling, marine life, protecting marine ecosystems, and helping others.
Koh Lipe Snorkel Reviews
