Phuket Beaches
Phuket is a world famous tourist destination and the reason for that is quite simple-it’s fantastic beaches. Warm, crystal blue waters, soft white sand and a perfect tropical climate combine to make Phuket beaches among the best in the world. The inviting waters of the tranquil Andaman Sea are perfect for swimming, snorkelling, diving and other water sports. The island has plenty of beaches to choose from, not surprisingly the best ones are well developed and usually busy, though not packed. However it’s just as easy to rent a bike and go looking for a small secluded beach tucked away somewhere on the island. Most of the swimmable beaches are found on the west facing side of Phuket island.
Beaches on Phuket are well set up to cater to visitors with sun lounges and umbrellas for rent and vendors strolling the beach selling fruit, snacks and ice cream. Most Phuket beaches have a number of restaurants and stalls offering food and drinks either on the beach itself or within a hundred metres. Beachfront massage stands are also common with shaded platforms where talented masseuses are happy to work out those niggling aches and pains while you are hypnotized by the picture perfect scenery. Sometimes you needn’t even go looking for them, they wander by offering their services.
Here are a few words to describe each beach or read a brief summary further down;
Patong: nightlife, heavily-developed, bustling, shopping, watersports
Karon:, central, family-friendly, roomy, activities, developed
Kata: beauty-beach, up-market, great swimming, mild surfing
Kamala: family-orientated, international, quiet, cheaper
Bangtao/Laguna: lagoons, posh, exclusive, golf, self-contained
Surin: classy beachside-lunching and dining, quiet, tasteful
Nai Yang: unpretentious, near airport, remote, inexpensive, simple
Rawai & Nai Harn: locals-favourite, narrow shaded beach (not much good for swimming), friendly, laid-back bars.
Patong Beach
The heart of Phuket’s tourism industry, Patong offers accommodation from cheap and cheerful to luxurious, excellent shopping and vibrant nightlife. Restaurants, bars and shopping centres are all located within a five minute walk of this, the island’s most popular beach. The Jungceylon complex, back from the beach, has it all – shops, cinemas, bowling, a couple of hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment. Includes nearby Kalim beach, not the best stretch of sand, but nice views from the private seaview villas and trendy restaurants.
Kamala Beach
Going north over the headland from Kalim is Kamala. This relatively small beach is fairly developed but sees little of the ‘day traffic’ that Patong experiences, and is a merel 10 minute ride from the main action further south. The village next to the beach is full of friendly, relaxed little restaurants and bars, with no beachfront road to spoil things.
Surin Beach
Going north again, you’ll come down to Surin Beach. Once the playground of King Rama VII, this beach remains nicely underdeveloped which is why some of the island’s most exclusive resorts are now found on the headlands at either end. But the beach has a fun and relaxed atmosphere enjoyed by locals and foreigners alike and boasts a backdrop of lush gardens of wealthy villa estates. Strung along the beach are a variety of restaurants and bars ranging from cheap-and-cheerful to ultra-sophisticated.
Bang Tao Beach
Another of a series of long sweeping beach bays stretching northwards along the west coast, Bang Tao is a 8km stretch of lovely white beach, most notable for a series of inland lagoons which have been converted into upmarket resorts and property developments. But the beach is still relaxed and offers plenty of choices for all tastes.
Karon Beach
Located just south of Patong, but world’s away in terms of atmosphere, Karon is far less frenetic and isn’t quite the night-spot magnet that Patong is with its sleazy corners. The area hosts more upmarket resorts but much of this long sweeping beach is lined with a public road making it more accessible for passers-by.
Kata Beach
South of Karon and popular with families, this beach is quieter and smaller than Patong, but still offers many of the same amenities, including excellent beachfront resorts, fine restaurants and great shopping. The beach itself is a long, narrow stretch of beautiful white sand lined with shady casuarinas trees. Adjacent is the exclusive Kata Noi, quiet and open to all but pricey to stay at.
Nai Harn Beach
This quiet bay is popular with locals and is much quieter and less crowded than other beaches of its size. There are still plenty of people during the high season and a small number of shops and restaurants exist near the shoreline. During the high season the water is extremely calm and Nai Harn is a popular anchorage for sailing boats and gorgeous private yachts and at this time of year.
Rawai Beach
The sleepy southern tip of the island was once a bustling fishing village and nowadays is favoured by local ex-pats. It’s not the best swimming beach on the island but boasts a quiet and picturesque atmosphere with good seafood restaurants.
Nai Yang Beach
Isolated at the Northern end of the west coast, Nai Yang Beach is conveniently close to the airport but miles from anywhere else. It’s a modest escape from the rest of the island and ideal for the budget conscious – where you can get a bungalow 50m from the beach for less than 1000 baht a night. It’s an unpretentious option with a reasonably nice beach and suitable swimming but limited resources and action.
Alternatively, if price is not a problem, there are some beautiful resorts dotted around the bay. The beach is lovely and, thanks to the reefs close to shore, swimming is very safe. There are plenty of good restaurants and, if you want to learn sports such as surfing or kite-surfing, this is the place to go.
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Beach safety. Click here for advice on how to swim, sunbathe and relax on the beach safely.
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