The isle of Phuket is washed by waters of Andaman Sea, which belongs to Indian Ocean. Much of its coastline is sandy. Because of this, Phuket has many beaches, attracting tourists to isle. best beaches of Phuket are in west of isle in its southern part.
Top 20 beaches in Phuket with current information
Karon
Karon is one of best beaches in Phuket. Along coast in a few lines there are hotels, guest houses and guest houses of varying comfort level. There are many beachfront restaurants with sea views for tourists staying in Kagop. They offer dishes from freshly caught seafood. Near beach there are 7-Ellevan and Familymart stores.
The popularity of beach Karon explain simply. Its length is 3.5 km and a width of 50-70 m. On both sides of bay is protected by scenic hills. valley near beach holds a large number of buildings as for vacationers and local residents, providing visitors with necessary services.
And most importantly, there is a magnificent dense sand of a pinkish hue, creaking when walking. It almost does not rise in waves and water here is good transparency. And entrance to water is almost ideal for everyone.
Excellent sea and beach facilities make Karon beach one of most popular beaches in Phuket. It is suitable for almost all categories of people, maybe except for partying youth.
Nai Harn
One of best beaches in Phuket for a quiet holiday is Nai Harn. It is located in south of isle in a picturesque bay 800 meters long.
There are no noisy discos and nightclubs. But there is snow-white sand, azure sea, good entrance to sea. There are no problems with umbrellas and sun loungers, there are showers and toilets, stores, cafes and stall.
About local specifics. Stall– on Thai beaches is a stationary or mobile mini-cafe. Most often found as a trailer to a motorcycle.
There is a Buddhist monastery in Nai Harn Bay. For this reason, shoreline is not built up. This is an advantage of this beach in Phuket, as along coast stretches a small strip of palms and Australian pines – casuarinas, giving protection from scorching sun. Another feature of Nai Nagpa is a lake in bay, which is connected to sea channel. Children can swim in it when waves are strong.
About Nai Harn Bay. A quiet cozy place with inexpensive houses in village is loved by tourists from Russia, many of whom come here to survive cold winter at home.
Kata
One of best beaches in Phuket – Kata, is located near Karon Bay and in many ways similar to it. Its length is 1, 5 km. There is a good sand width of 30 m, clear water, smooth entrance to sea. bay is an isle, where you can make a short trip by boat. A small piece of land has a rich underwater world, which will please fans of snorkeling.
Kata beach has its own characteristics. Most of area near its central part belongs to a huge hotel of Clud Med system. So if you want easy access to sea, it is better to be located closer to edge of Kata. On right side, a not very clean river flows into sea, which has a characteristic unpleasant smell.
Kata Bay has an abundance of places where tourists can have a normal and inexpensive meal. Many do not stay in hotels, but in private homes and guest houses. On way to beach Karon vacationers can visit observation deck with great views and Dino-Park, where to play mini golf between figures of dinosaurs. Kata Beach is recommended for those who like a quiet family vacation.
Kata Noi
In fact, beach Kata consists of two parts, separated by a headland of rocks. smaller of two has a prefix in its name and is called Kata Noi. It is 700 m long and can be up to 50 m wide at low tide. beach is covered with excellent light sand, entrance to water is gentle and convenient.
Kata Noi Bay is located away from main road, with less traffic. Therefore, beach is quiet and comfortable. shoreline in hotels is high class. This is largely due to fact that those who stay in pensions go straight to sea. On most beaches, however, to do this you have to cross roadway.
Kata Noi coast takes into account interests of wealthy tourists from hotels. There are no showers on beach, toilet is unsanitary, it is recommended to visit paid in a cafe. Not allowed to sunbeds and vendors. There are only small stores near beach, there are no big markets and shopping centers..
BTW. In sea near beach there are small reefs and snorkeling is popular here. During rainy season there are good waves for surfing. Equipment rentals are available.
Bang Tao
Located in northwestern part of isle. According to many reviews – this is best beach in Phuket. Although, it should be noted that shoreline Bang Tao long – about 5 km, and it is characterized by heterogeneous conditions. beach has good sand everywhere, which is not badly cleaned. Along shore grow Australian pine trees with small flecks of palm trees.
The southern part of Phuket Bang Tao Beach has most dense construction. This is a place of relatively democratic hotels. Here there are a variety of stores, including Tesco, cafes, houses for longer stays. Sun loungers and loungers on sand are plentiful. Entrance to sea is quite gentle without pits and stones. This part of beach is loved by tourists from Russia.
The central part is designed for a rich holiday. All hotels of high category with good swimming pools. A large part is taken by Laguna Beach Resort. Here is a promenade Boat Avenue with European restaurants, boutiques, expensive stores. Along coast runs a small alley with many cafes. sand is not as lively as southern part.
The northern part of beach is still sparsely populated. It is always full of space and like to rest Thais. In area adjacent to central part, rather quickly becomes deep, and gather lovers of swimming. northernmost part, on contrary, is shallow and loved by Thais with small children.
Kamala
One of best beaches in Phuket – Kamala, is located in central part of isle. This place is located in a bay decorated with picturesque hills. convenience of Kamala’s location was appreciated by locals, who settled here to live in town of same name as beach. neighborhood with friendly natives gives more convenience: in addition to tourist infrastructure, you can take advantage of benefits intended for normal residents.
Kamala beach is about 2 km long and 40 m wide on average. sand and sea are clean, entrance to sea is comfortable. southern part is little suitable for recreation – in this place river flows into sea and settled fishermen with their boats. Tourists sunbathe in central and northern parts of Kamala. Some hotels are located directly beside sea, which attracts vacationers, especially elderly..
For lovers of local culture. Buddhist temple Wat Baan Kamala and Friday market in township are place to experience Thai culture..
In village is Phuket FantaSea amusement park. On one of hills there is an observation deck with great views. During rainy season Kamala is famous for its waves and many surfers come here.
During dry season beach is recommended to all categories of tourists.
Surin
Surin is a Phuket beach, which has changed significantly in recent years. Tourists coming here ten years ago, in evening could immerse themselves in atmosphere of nightclubs and bars. beach was popular with young people.
Nowadays, beach, which is about 1 km long and has an average width of 40 m, is as good as neighboring beaches with its sand, smooth water entry and clear water. There are places where you can go snorkeling. But places for nightlife have been removed from here.
Surin is a quiet beach, because road runs 200m from shore. Near beach grow traditional casuarinas, behind which there are stalls and small stores. restaurants on beach are now concentrated a short distance away, along Surin Beach Road. This is also where most of hotels are located. stores in Surin are only small; you can find a wide variety of groceries on neighboring beaches.
If you hear that Surin is a beach for rich, it is not quite correct. In fact, beach to north is adjoined by a small inaccessible bay with Pansea Beach. On it are two high-end luxury hotels.
Going to Surin consider following: local bay is mostly inhabited by Muslim population. And your service will most likely be provided by members of this religious denomination..
Patong
The place of busiest day and night life is town of Patong. Its beach is well suited for recreation – there is white sand, good entrance to water. But if you are not a fan of nightlife and loud life, it is unlikely that this beach length of over 3 kilometers can be called among best in Phuket.
Along whole coast in Patong passes a busy and noisy road. There is a lot of traffic and air by sea is not cleaner. In bay itself there are many motorized water vehicles, which does not contribute to cleanliness of water.
In general, Patong is chosen by those for whom priority on vacation is a fun noisy life during all hours of day. There is a huge concentration of hotels, including with very low prices, which attracts young people from different countries. Patong gives opportunity to fully enjoy charms of Thailand at night. This is like a small branch of Pattaya with eroticism, striptease, drag queen show.
For active. Many tourists come to Patong to restaurants and clubs at night, after which they head back to their quieter accommodations. option of dwelling in rough life of Patong with day trips to clean and quiet beaches is also practiced.
Mai Khao
Mai Khao a peculiar beach in northwest of isle. Its characteristic features:
- Located on territory of national park.
- Located near airport.
- Has longest length on isle more than 10 km.
- Almost entire length is characterized by a sharp depth of water.
- Has minimal infrastructure.
At Mai Khao almost no hotels and there are no sun beds and umbrellas. But beach is approached by trees, under which you can find good shade. purity of yellow sand can deteriorate after storms, bringing debris to shore.
This place attracts people who like to enjoy being in touch with tropical nature. Social media activists also come here. At Mai Khao, you get great shots of planes taking off against an interesting backdrop. For me, this beach is one of best beaches in Phuket.
Nai Yang
To south, Mai Khao beach turns into Nai Yang. This part of coastline, over 4 km long, is also part of Sirinat National Park. Construction here is allowed on a limited scale, so hotels, stores, cafes and sunbeds are available only in central part.
The beach offers solitude and nature walks. national park can be visited with a guided tour. You can also walk on your own on paved hiking trails. reserve is interesting for local plants and forest dwellers. Especially attractive is peculiarity of mangrove forests.
There are coral reefs in bay and part of beach visitors are engaged in diving and snorkeling. In surrounding area is a good water park Splash Jungle. Some tourists come to Nai Yang to take pictures against backdrop of flying planes at airport.
Rest your soul when visiting popular pilgrim temple of Wat Nai Yang. It is also recommended to visit local market with fresh seafood, fruits and souvenirs..
A side note. Resting on beach, in addition to traditional Thai massage, you can practice breathing practices at temple, classes are free.
Yanui
One of best beauty beaches in Phuket is Yanui, which is located in very south of isle. beach is very small – its length does not reach even 200 meters, and its width varies considerably depending on tides. Although you can rent sun loungers and parasols, Yanui beach has almost no infrastructure, hotels and restaurants. But you can eat here.
Yanui has a very clear sea and it is a nice place to swim and snorkel. Partly rocky bottom, attracts tropical sea creatures. And if you get to nearby isle, you can admire corals there. Because of rocks to go into sea is not very convenient, especially at low tide, but for most it is not critical.
A special attraction Yanui create a picturesque hills, given short length of beach, coming very close. On both sides of hills are famous viewing platforms Phuket, where they bring tourists. On them you can take impressive pictures.
It is best to get to beach with a rental car and there is good parking. beach is suitable for a short visit for one or two days.
NaiThon
Moving south from airport along west coast, you can get to a nice cove NaiThon, standing away from main road. Planes are no longer visible here, but area belongs to national park.
The place is quiet and peaceful, they even removed deck chairs from beach and visitors are placed on their mats. Such inconvenience is quite compensated by riot of tropical greenery, excellent sand, good water entry, lack of strong waves in high season. There are showers.
In village near beach you can choose a decent inexpensive hotel. Between line of sand and a small street stretches greenery. On other side of it are stores and restaurants. NaiThon is popular with Russians. There are signs in Russian and you can try Russian food.
On rocks around edges of beach not bad snorkeling. Nature lovers go for walks in reserve. place is ideal for those who like a relaxing holiday.
Tri Trang
Tri Trang actively explored by tourists only in recent decades. And before that, only locals came to bay, closed year-round from waves, about 700 m long. It has good sand and easy entry into water.
Beach Features. A peculiarity of Tri Trang is a strong tide. At this time, swimming is less convenient, and from south coast is generally stony.
Not so long ago, on north side of bay built a fairly large hotel, around which infrastructure was formed. Here you can rent umbrellas and sun loungers. rest of beach remains mostly wild, although in south there is a snorkeling equipment rental, which is not bad in this part of beach.
Tri Trang highlights. Highlights of Tri Trang are highlights of Tri Trang and highlights of bay. Good pictures are also obtained with elephants, which are often bathed in bay.
For entertainment, it’s not far to Patong.
Freedom
Freedom can definitely be ranked among best beaches in Phuket in terms of beauty. It is located in a very small bay and length of sandy part does not reach and 300 meters. Coming here tourists are like being transported from Phuket to outer isles. sea impresses with transparency, and smallest particles of sand give water a particularly beautiful shade. Completes idyllic picture of lush tropical vegetation, due to small width of bay, coming up to sand on all sides.
The beach is located near Patong. But it is not easily accessible. After arriving at Freedom Bay, you will need to walk and then move down a very steep descent, which not everyone can handle. So many people get here from Patonga by boat.
A small number of sun loungers are located under trees, so as not to occupy a small sandy area. There is a cafe with a shower and a toilet. There are no hotels on coast. Entrance to beach is paid.
The beauty of beach, beautiful sunsets and good conditions for swimming, made beach popular. You can see it deserted only in early morning.
Rawai
Rawai, is probably best beach in Phuket for immersing yourself in local life and enjoying seafood dishes. A narrow strip of sand in south of isle is occupied by boats for fishing and transporting tourists. From here, it’s convenient to go to small islets with idyllic scenery.
The beach infrastructure is rich and varied, although there are no traditional sun loungers with umbrellas. But on shore many fish restaurants. A little further inland from beach you will find places with European cuisine. In this place a lot of Europeans who have moved here to live or come for a long time in sun and heat.
Popular on Rawai are walks along beach. At low tide, bottom forms a beautiful landscape of stones and coral. In evening, views from here are spectacular as sun descends into ocean. And in morning you can take interesting pictures against background of a variety of boats.
In evenings, partygoers gather, bars are open until 2 a.m..
Chalong
Chalong is not really a beach. It serves as a berth for hundreds of boats and small boats and yachts. Chalong is where people come:
- Expats for extended stays, as it’s convenient to get from here to anywhere in Phuket.
- Yachtsmen for sailing regattas. Chalong is their starting and finishing place.
- Fans of Thai TV series, many of episodes of which were filmed here.
- Tourists to see zoo, snake farm and statue of Big Buddha.
- Pilgrims and tourists to visit temple of Wat Chalong, most famous in Phuket.
- Divers to major dive centers
- Nightlife enthusiasts and go-go bars.
- Kitesurfers during windy times.
Banana Beach
Banana Beach is located in a small bay, until recently unknown to general tourist community. Now times have changed, there is even a small parking lot by beach. But still, it is notable for its difficult accessibility.
Located between rocky headlands and high hill on shore side, beach is not accessible to everyone from land, but it can be accessed by boat from sea, which is what most visitors do. By mid-afternoon there can be quite a few tourists on local beach.
Banana is attracted to cleanest sand and sea, although stones can be found. It is surrounded on all sides by tropical forest, where you can take shelter from sun in afternoon. And in morning hours, shore is protected from its rays by trees.
The beach beds that used to be on beach have been removed. Of amenities of civilization remains a lonely cafe, which has a shower and a toilet. There are hotels only at a distance from bay.
Laem Sing
Laem Sing is one of best little-known beaches in Phuket. Located in a small bay between Kamala and Surin, it is hidden from eyes of general public. bay can be seen from Laem Sing observation deck with magnificent views, but from there it is not clear how to reach it.
BTW. Laem Sing is one of few places in Phuket without Chinese tourists.
Another obstacle to getting to local beach was that passage to it was through a private area, for which owner took money from travelers. Now official route is fenced off, but Laem Sing can be accessed for free from south side of Surin Beach. You can also get here by boat. beach is one of few with few visitors.
The excellent nature, palm trees on shore, white sand, clear sea, a few stones – make a holiday here very pleasant. This is one of best places for snorkeling in Phuket. Sun loungers are removed from here, there is one small cafe. two hotels upstairs are oriented to neighboring beaches.
Kalim
Passing behind rocks to north of Patong Bay, we reach a strip of sand up to 20 meters wide. This stretch of coastline is called Kalim beach. place is not very comfortable to stay on it for a long time. narrow stretches of Kalim are hidden under water at high tide. Along coast in this place is a dam, with road located on it.
The sand in this place is not bad. Sometimes there are areas with stones. But water is cleaner than neighboring Patong. Coming here from neighboring, busiest beach on isle, you immediately begin to feel charm of silence.
On beds Kalima you can sit only in its southern part, adjacent to Patong. For benefits of civilization have to move to Patong. Here you can go for a while, tired of bustle of center of isle life. Kalim is unlikely to qualify for more.
Ao Sane
A small stretch of coastline in southwest of isle is called Ao Sane. This beach is one of best in Phuket for exploring mysteries of sea depths. coastline is 200m long and consists of fine sand, on which you can find boulders. entrance to sea is quite sharp. At five meters it is already deep. And in ten meter zone bottom becomes rocky with corals.
The coastal area is overgrown with trees and it is a good place to sit for day in shade. But it’s worth getting there early, as best spots are likely to be finished by noon. shore is positioned so that part of sandy area is in shade all day. At same time, Ao Sapei has enough places to sunbathe.
On beach there are showers and toilets, but mat and snorkel need to be brought with you. There are stores and a restaurant within walking distance. Ao Sane is within walking distance of more famous Nai Harn Beach.