The best beaches of Thailand
Best beaches of the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand
Thailand has a great number of magnificent beaches, both on the Eastern Gulf of Thailand and on the Andaman Sea on the Western part of the country.
Though opinions will vary on which is the best beach, some beaches really stand out. While some will be looking for a quiet, unspoiled beach, others search for a beach with plenty of nightlife, bars, massage shops and day spas.
Phi Phi islands
Just East of Phuket and part of Krabi province the Phi Phi islands offer some of the best scenery in the country. Much of the 2000 movie “The Beach” was filmed here.
The two islands Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Le than can only be reached by boat have a number of magnificent tropical palm tree fringed beaches with beautiful clear waters. Maybe the best beach is the one of Maya bay, located in a small bay with tall limestone mountains in the background. There is no accommodation here since the island is part of a national park, but the bay can be visited by boat on day trips.
Koh Phi Phi Don has plenty of accommodation as well as very vibrant nightlife, this island as beautiful as it is, is probably not the best place for people seeking peace and quiet.
Phuket
The island of Phuket on the Andaman Sea offers a number of splendid beaches.
Patong Beach
Probably the best known is Patong beach, a kilometers long sandy beach with lots of entertainment like jet skiing, parasailing, kayaking and Thai massages on the beach. At night the area right behind the beach comes alive with vibrant nightlife with bars, discothèques and cabaret shows.
Kata & Karon Beach
A few kilometers South of Patong are three other great beaches, namely Karon, Kata Yai and Kata Noi beach. Like Patong, the palm tree fringed beaches are sandy and the waters are always warm. These are the beaches for romantic seafood dinners overlooking the sea. Karon, Kata Yai and Kata Noi are much quieter than Patong and great for those looking for a more relaxed environment.
Koh Samui
The island of Koh Samui in the Eastern Gulf of Thailand has become a very popular destination with foreign tourists.
Both Chaweng and Lamai have great long sandy beaches that can get very busy during high season with lots of nightlife, bars and restaurants
Other beaches like Mae Nam at the Northern end of the island are less developed and more relaxed.
Hua Hin
More family oriented are the beaches of Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand at a 2½ hours drive from Bangkok.
Hua Hin thanks its popularity to its many kilometers long sandy beach, shallow waters and the variety of things to do. While the beaches offer pony riding for kids, water sports activities like kite surfing and banana boat rides, the town directly off the beach has plenty of shopping, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops and some of the finest day spas in the country. For golfers, the Hua Hin area offers some of the best courses in Thailand.