Exploring the beaches of Phuket

Phuket, Thailand's major tropical island, just an hour's flying time from Bangkok, is a beach-lovers paradise. The island is blessed with a climate where it never gets cold and is surrounded by azure seas with dozens of beaches and coves.

If you like crowds and action then Patong Beach, the island's most populous, is the place to be. If you want a tiny stretch of deserted sand hidden away, rent a long-tail boat and find a secluded cove.

The islands best beaches are on the western and southern shores. If you flew into Phuket in daylight from the west you would have been given an idea of the white sands as the aircraft passes directly over Nai Yang Beach. There are times when you feel like you're landing among the beach chairs on the final approach.

So here's a quick tour of the beaches with their pros and cons.

The most northerly major hotel on the western shore is the J.W.Marriott Resort and Spa, a giant complex with a lobby the size of Grand Central Station in New York. A huge infinity pool at the side of the lobby could serve as an Olympic site but this feature is for decoration only, not for swimming.

Adjoining the hotel is the Marriott Vacation Village. The complex is on Malkhao Beach. This is a clean beach but shelves quite sharply and there can be a strong undertow at times. If you want to visit the beach but are not a hotel guest you can drive past the hotel entrance and find a parking space among the trees and step onto the sand.

Kata Beach

The only beach north of this is Saikaew Beach which is close to the Sarasin Bridge. There are a lot of food stalls here, a narrow and not very clean beach, and this is somewhere that many Thais visit at weekends.

South of the airport is Nai Yang National Park on Nai Yang Beach.

The park makes an ideal spot for a picnic and just watching local fishermen at work. It's an easy drive from the airport if you follow the coast rather than head inland for the faster route to town. Not the best swimming beach but well shaded.

To the south is Naiton Beach, one of the few less developed areas on the island but that is changing rapidly. This exceptional beach has sunbeds and there are nice places to stay and eat just across the road. Parking alongside the beach is not a problem.

Bang Tao Beach is further to the south and home to the luxury resorts set in the Laguna area. Laguna is a whole world on its own.

There are plenty of water sports available here but much of it is reserved for guests at the resorts.

Further to the south are the beaches of Surin and Kamala. The beach at Surin is ideal for water sports of all kinds but can be very dangerous during the monsoon season because of a strong undercurrent. There are several very expensive housing projects in the area and also some quality hotels. Kamala used to be a quiet village but the opening of the multi-million dollar theme park FantaSea, has changed that.

The road follows the coast along to Patong. On the way you will see more new housing projects. The drive towards Patong takes you past Nakalay Beach and Kalim Beach. The beachside road in Patong is never quiet.

Kata Noi Beach

Patong, the heavily populated area on the western shore, is jammed with hotels and cheap inns. The beach is the most congested of all on the island and finding a beach chair is not always possible in the winter high season. There are jet skies galore, massages available on the beach and food and drink is everywhere. You can park alongside the beach but it may take a while to find an empty spot. If you like crowded beaches then this is the place to be. If not, drive on.

There are two more sandy bays concealed from the road, Tritrang Beach and Freedom Beach, before you arrive at Karon. These beaches require a fair downhill walk but are worth it for their seclusion. Karon is a town that has grown rapidly from a peaceful village to its present day status as a popular tourist area. If you booked your room because of a picture that showed your hotel on the beach then you are in for a disappointment. Somehow the camera omitted the road that separates the hotels from the sand.

As you reach the village of Karon Noi you have the choice of following the coast along to Kata Beach or cutting off the corner. In the triangle that is created by the short-cut is the massive Club Med complex and the Kata Beach Hotel. Kata Beach is one of the finest beaches on the island and gets very busy in high season. It is a safe three-kilometer stretch of fine sand. Parking nearby is difficult. If you enjoy a quiet beach walk or jog, be here when the sun comes up and you'll share this expanse with just a few people.

Nai Harn Beach

Once you pass the upmarket Boathouse resort the road forks. Staying to the right will take you to Kata Noi Beach, another fine beach but parking here is also a problem.

Retracing your steps back towards The Boathouse, turn right at the first intersection and the road takes you up over the mountain ridge. Atop is the View Point. This is the place for views, obviously. You can look back at the beaches of Kata Noi, Kata and Karon and ahead towards Nai Harn Beach. Nai Harn is a great, safe beach with lots of space, good parking nearby, with sun beds and umbrellas to rent. This is a great place to take a picnic.

There are beaches on the eastern side of the island but mostly they are not great for swimming.

At Rawai Beach there are dozens of boats available for rent to take you to some ideal beaches on the islands that are scattered in Phang Nga Bay.

About the author:

Christopher Evans, co-author of Adventure Guide to Thailand, a best selling guide book, has spent ten years visiting different parts of Thailand.

This article and images are copyright of Christopher Evans.

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