Hin Ta and Hin Yai: the Grandfather and Grandmother rocks

Two rocks with a very particular shape, a sad old legend and a lot of embarrassed giggling.

Area

East coast

Start from

Lamai

Distance

about 2 km

Time needed

1 hour

Best season

All year

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Scooter, taxi or a walk from south Lamai

Tickets & rules

None

Why go

At the southern end of Lamai, two granite formations are famous all over Thailand: Hin Ta, the Grandfather Rock, and Hin Yai, the Grandmother Rock. Their shapes resemble male and female genitals closely enough that visitors either burst out laughing or pretend very hard not to.

Behind the joke is a genuinely pretty spot. Waves crash between big rounded boulders, the water is clear blue-green, and there's a fine view back along Lamai bay. A short path lined with stalls leads you down to the rocks.

It takes less than an hour and fits easily into a drive around the south of the island.

The story

The legend tells of an elderly couple, Ta Kreng and Yai Riem, who sailed from the mainland to ask a family on Samui for their daughter's hand on behalf of their son. A storm wrecked their boat near the shore and both drowned. Their bodies became the rocks, shaped so that everyone would remember why they had made the journey.

Like many Thai folk tales, it blends humour, grief and a message about family duty, and every guide tells it slightly differently.

Some couples still come here half jokingly, half hopefully, believing the rocks bring luck in love and fertility. You'll see small offerings left in cracks of the stone.

Getting there

Follow the signs from the ring road just south of Lamai. There's parking near the start of the path, which runs downhill past souvenir and snack stalls.

A suggested plan

1. ArrivalWalk down the stall-lined path and pick up a coconut to drink on the way.
2. At the rocksExplore carefully, watch the waves, and find both rocks — Grandmother is closer to the water.
3. On the way backTry kalamae, a sticky coconut toffee sold in the shops along the path.

Where to stay

Lamai is the natural base.

Good to know

• Visit at high tide for the most dramatic waves.
• Shoes with grip help on the rounded granite.
• Early morning or late afternoon avoids tour groups.