Phuket Beaches - Yes, we have a lot of Beaches!

Oddly this blog doesn't talk that often about Phuket's beaches, which is rather surprising since most visitors come to Phuket for a "beach holiday", and Phuket does have rather a lot of very nice stretches of sand. But I try to keep a personal touch to the blog, and to be honest I’m not much of a beach person. I don't go and sit on the beach. We go (as a family) to the beach now and then to let the kids play, or we might eat by the sea, but if we want a swim we prefer to take the kids to a pool. If we do decide to sit on a beach for a while, we’ll normally avoid the main touristy beaches, preferring to find a quiet spot.

Pretty much every beach in Phuket is on the west coast, stretching some 45km from Mai Khao beach in the north to Rawai in the South. The 3 main tourist beaches of Patong, Karon and Kata are in the southern half of the island. Kamala (north of Patong) is getting busier, as is Naiharn (south of Kata). Away from these main Phuket beaches there are some more secluded spots and many beaches that are largely undeveloped. Some have just a few hotels or resorts, most have long stretches of uncrowded sand.



(above) This photo of me and my wife actually walking on the beach was taken at "Khao Kad Beach" at Cape Panwa on the east side of Chalong Bay - can be rocky at low tide, but one of our favourite little restaurants is right here. The fact that it's rocky at low tide keeps it quiet! As time goes by, I’ll try to post more information about many of the beaches. This is just a very quick introduction, and may not mention every possible Phuket beach. Of course before heading to Phuket you'll need to book a hotel ...

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Phuket Beaches on Jamie’s Phuket Blog

Karon Beach

Karon is developed, but nothing like Patong. Karon has a quieter feel to it. The beach is long, the sand is fine, and there are hotel options to suit everyone - 5 star to fan rooms in guesthouses... The beach area has been revamped over the last few years, and every time I hit Karon after coming from Patong I think "wow, this is nice". Karon is clean and well looked after, though can be accused of being "boring" since much of the beach road is taken up by resorts such as the Hilton Arcadia, Thavorn Palm Beach, South Sea Resort, Andaman Seaview and many more. There are 2 main "centres" at either end of the beach. The south end is quieter and is only a few minutes from Kata, so is a good location. I spent many years as manager of Sunrise Divers in Karon.



• My Suggested Karon Beach Hotels
• Karon Beach Hotels - Full List
• More Karon Beach Information

Nai Yang Beach

Just south of Phuket Airport, Nai Yang beach has a few nice resorts and part of the beach is a National Park. Some beachfront restaurants close to the Nai Yang Beach Resort, but otherwise very quiet. Some lower budget places away from the beach too.

• More about Nai Yang Beach
• Hotels near Nai Yang Beach

Kamala Beach

The first beach North of Patong (unless you count Kalim and Nakalay), Kamala is not as developed as the other 3 main Phuket beaches and being a largely Muslim community has a different feel. When I came to Phuket in 1999 I don’t think there were any bars in Kamala. It was hard enough to buy a beer in a local shop! There are a few bars now, but even now parts of Kamala beach are more like a local fishing community. There are a few bigger hotels and a smattering of small resorts and guesthouses. The North end of the beach is very quiet. Kamala was the worst hit of Phuket’s beaches on December 26th 2004 and it took a while to get back to normal. Close to Kamala is the Phuket Fantasea Show, one of Phuket's biggest tourist attractions.



• Kamala Beach - More Information and Photos
• Kamala Beach Hotels
• Kamala Temple

Laem Ka Beach

One of Phuket’s quiet secrets and not well signposted ... located just before Rawai on the road from Chalong. No hotels, just one little restaurant (and maybe a few snack stalls), just some sand, rocks and a great view. I know it's not as secret as it used to be though.... but still worth a visit.



• More about Laem Ka Beach

Ao Sane Beach

Barely known, Ao Sane is home to some bungalows and the Baan Krating Jungle Resort. To get there you first come to Naiharn beach, and must drive through The Nai Harn Resort. A quiet spot with a nice view across Naiharn bay. There is one small restaurant serving Thai food. I find it a nice place for a cold afternoon beer. It's still great! One of my fave Phuket beaches!

• More about Ao Sane Beach

Ya Nui Beach

A tiny little place just south of Naiharn beach, Ya Nui has a few bungalows which were rebuilt following the 2004 tsunami which hit this little beach hard. I have never seen more than a few dozen people here but it has got more popular recently. There are a few small restaurants just over the small road and good snorkeling around the rocks in high season.

• More about Ya Nui Beach

Naithon Beach

In between Nai Yang and Bang Tao you find Naithon. The roads in are winding and hilly, and the beach is not very developed. A few small resorts, a few places to eat, a little dive shop ... it's still a quiet spot, though some new hotels are appearing.



• More about Naithon beach
• Naithonburi Resort Review
• More Hotels near Naithon Beach

Kata Noi Beach

Kata Noi is the end of the road. Just a few minutes drive from Kata Beach, it's home to the Kata Thani Resort and Mom Tri's Villa Royale, yet retains a quiet feeling, mainly I think because the road goes nowhere!



• More about Kata Noi Beach
• Katathani Resort Review
• Mom Tri's Villa Royale Review
• More Hotels near Kata Noi Beach

Rawai Beach

Close to Chalong Bay and Naiharn beach, Rawai is full of small restaurants and food stalls and is a great place to rent a longtail boat to nearby islands. Not a swimming beach really, but makes a good stop off on a tour of the southwest corner of Phuket.

• More about Rawai beach
• Hotels near Rawai Beach
• Boat trip from Rawai Beach to Koh Kaew Yai island

Layan Beach

Layan is very nice - a real beautiful spot at the far north end of Bang Tao. Part of the beach is a national park. There are a couple of resorts here, but they are built off the beach and do not detract from the beauty of the area. Very quiet. We have been a few times over the years for little BBQ's. It had been developed somewhat in 14 with a "beach club" arriving to spoil the view.



• More about Layan Beach

More Phuket Beaches...

Patong Beach

Not my favourite place in the world, Patong is the most developed tourist real estate in Thailand, and for the most part has not been made to look really pretty. If you are looking for full on tourism, plenty of accommodation and shopping, loads of restaurants, a shed load of bars and a beach full of tourists and sunburn, Patong is the place to be! I tend to visit Patong only if necessary for business, though there are some great hotels and a few places to eat that I like and even Patong has quiet spots away from the centre of town. Paradise Beach used to be quiet but is now a private beach club. I guess the north end of Patong is not too bad.

• My Recommended Patong Beach Hotels
• Patong Beach Hotels - Full List



Kata Beach

Of the main beaches, Kata is more popular with younger people, and is a very scenic beach with the island of Koh Pu offshore and with lots of accommodation nearby, but very little right on the beach since most of the beach road is taken up by Club Med. Only at the South end are other places right on the beach, such as Beyond Resort and The Boathouse. Kata somehow retains a quiet feel despite being pretty busy. Just over the hill to the south is the even quieter Kata Noi.

• My Recommended Kata Beach Hotels
• Kata Beach Hotels - Full List



Bang Tao Beach

Home to the Laguna resorts and a couple of other hotels, but Bang Tao village is not close to the beach, so if you stay there you need to drive or take a taxi to find any local life or more dining options. The Laguna hotels are some of the best in Phuket. There are also some other great hotel options in the area - most are quite expensive resorts, though with late booking you can get a very good deal - see Bang Tao Beach Hotels.

Surin Beach

Was very quiet a few years ago, but has rapidly developed. A lot of new hotels over the last few years such as Twin Palms and the new Novotel Resort, and a lot of condos/villas/apartments on the hillsides near the beach. Still, the beachfront is not that busy, there used to be a lot of beachfront development, but many places were removed by government order in 2014. Surin is just North of Kamala. In between you find Laem Singh beach which has been touted as a quiet beach for many years and thus is not so quiet any more! In 1999 when I came here, Laem Sing was very quiet and made a nice getaway from Patong. Now, if you want quiet, I think there are better options.

• More about Surin Beach
• Surin Beach Hotels



(above) my kids at Surin Beach



(above) Laem Sing Beach view from above

• More about Laem Singh Beach

OK, that’ll do for now. I have not even mentioned Mai Khao beach, Naiharn beach, Banana Beach, Freedom beach ... I guess some more "beach" blog posts are needed, and I need more spare time for blogging, but like I say, I’m not really a beach bum. See you in Phuket!

Phuket Beaches - Location Map