Thai Beaches - February 2009
Thailand's Top 10 Beaches
by Peter Graham
by Peter Graham
Thailand’s beach resorts are legendary. Every year millions of people from around the globe head for these golden stretches of sand to enjoy a holiday in the sun. Of course, all the beach resorts on offer are not the same – they are as diverse as the tourists who flock to them. Whether you prefer a remote beach or one bustling with other tourists and attractions, there is one for you. We visit the Kingdom’s beaches and come up with a list of our top ten. Read on – and discover which ones appeal to you!
Patong Beach, Phuket
Three kilometres of golden sand fringing a sparkling aquamarine bay, Patong is probably the most popular beach in Thailand. For many, it is the reason to head for Phuket Island and the resort's high occupancy throughout the year is testimony to this. While many visitors move on to discover other beaches on Phuket and the islands of the Andaman Sea, Patong retains a surprising number of loyal fans. They love the lively beach scene, the wide array of watersports and the mass of restaurants and bars that line the beachfront.
Vendors, selling everything from bright sarongs and t-shirts to fake DVDs and plastic elephants endlessly tout their wares among the sunlovers. Have a soothing massage on a beach mat as you watch couples frolic in the waves. For those who enjoy meeting new people and watching a passing parade of holidaymakers of all shapes and sizes, Patong is great fun. And when the sun goes down, there are few places that can match this resort's fabulous nightlife.
Hotels: The Holiday Inn, the Novotel Phuket Resort and the Amari Coral Beach are all popular family choices. Boutique choices are the Impiana Phuket Cabanas, La Flora Patong and the Burasari Resort.
Khao Takiab Bay Beach, Hua Hin
One of Thailand's more traditional beach resorts and a favourite weekend haunt for well-heeled Bangkok families, Hua Hin is also the beach home of the Thai royal family. While the main beach in the town is popular, you should take time to visit the more interesting Khao Takiab Bay a few minutes drive up the coast. To get there, catch a green pick-up bus from the Hua Hin market.
A wide and long stretch of beach, it offers watersports, boat trips to nearby Singto Island and a chance to visit a spend time in the Golden Buddha temple. Have a beach massage, dine at seafront stalls, rent a bicycle and ride an elephant. You can also spend time in Khao Takiab's working fishing village, a world away from the luxury hotels down the road.
The Hotels: Sofitel Centara Grand is the traditional choice for old-world charm and luxury, while the Hilton Hua Hin and the Anantara offer a more modern choice. An interesting Thai-style hotel is the Baan Talay Dao Resort.
Railay Beach, Krabi
For picture postcard beauty, few beaches can match this one. Accessible only by longtail boat from Ao Nang town, Railay offers soft white sand, crystal-clear water and massive limestone cliffs. Whether you go to chill out on the beach, climb the rockfaces or enjoy the spas and bars of resorts lining the bay, this is many people's idea of a tropical paradise.
It's virtually impossible to take a photograph that won't have friends back home green with envy. Here you will sit on the beach watching the sun go down and dine on fresh seafood at a waterfront restaurant. At night, bars have a relaxed vibe, livened up by regular fire shows. For those seeking more nightlife, the bars of Ao Nang are only a boatride away. On either side of Railay are equally beautiful bays hosting five-star resorts, Rayavadee Premier Resort and the Centara Grand Resort.
Hotels: Rayavadee and Centara Grand offer supreme luxury, while the Railay Bay Resort and the Railay Village Resort are great choices for families and romantic couples.
Haad Rin Beach, Ko Pha Ngan
This is the home of the world-famous Full Moon Parties, which draw thousands of young revellers every month. From dusk till dawn, Haad Rin Beach is packed with globetrotters enjoying music booming out from the bars that line the beach. The biggest of these is over New Year, when up to 50,000 people descend on the island. However, you don't have to wait for the full moon to enjoy Ko Pha Ngan.
Located across the Gulf of Thailand from Koh Samui, it offers some of the most tranquil and relaxed resorts in Thailand. Here you can rent a motorbike, dine in tiny family-run restaurants and explore secluded beaches. And, if you feel the need for some night action, the beach bars at Haad Rin have a party atmosphere throughout the year. Sit on beanbags on the beach and share the extra-large cocktails with backpackers and local residents.
Hotels: Phanganburi Resort and Health Spa offers Thai-style bungalows with great sunset views, while the Drop In Club Resort and Spa is close to all the action.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
Lined by hotels and restaurants, Chaweng Beach is the most popular stretch of sand on this charming tropical island. There's a reason for that; its wide expanse of beach and gently-sloping sand offers the best swimming all year round. Here there is no road separating the front line of bungalows and villas from the sea, beachfront here means "right on the beach".
While the huge surge in popularity of the island means that it is no longer the remote outpost it once was, it has more than made up for this with its classy boutique resorts and emphasis on health spas and well-being. Chaweng also has an excellent array of restaurants, giving it an edge over many other island rivals.
Hotels: The 'grande old dame', the Samui Centara Grand, still reigns supreme on the best stretch of beach, but good hotels like the Amari Palm Reef and the Banana Fan Sea Resort abound. For something different, try the amazingly different hotel named The Library.
Surin Beach, Phuket
Often referred to as the “Hollywood of Phuket”, this is where you are most likely to run into a visiting celebrity or superstar. This is due to the plethora of multi-million dollar villas and world-class hotels clustered in the Surin Beach area. What you'll get here is a stunning white sand beach with water that seems to bubble with freshness. Rent a lounger and umbrella for a relaxing day on the beach or spend time in one of the many Thai-style restaurants that line the back of the beach.
Charter a yacht or speedboat for a cruise along the coast or go shopping in one of the exclusive boutiques nearby. From sunset until late, you can sip cocktails and dine at the Catch beach club or one of the other clubs that spring up on the golden sand. If you're a hedonist who loves the best of everything, Surin is for you.
Hotels: For world-class luxury, choose Amanpuri, the favourite haunt of supermodel Kate Moss, the classy Twinpalms Hotel or the nearby Banyan Tree. Family choices include the Courtyard by Marriott Surin and the Manathai Hotel.
Bamboo Island. Phi Phi Islands
Phi Phi Lei and Phi Phi Don are the islands made famous by the movie “The Beach”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and provide stunning backdrops for filming and photographs. Their beauty will take your breath away, but if you want to escape to your own private paradise, you should pack a picnic lunch and head for Bamboo Island.
Rent a longtailed boat or speedboat for the six kilometre trip to this tranquil spot. Part of a national park, there are no beach loungers, no vendors, no bars, no restaurants; just you, the sea and the sand. After a day swimming and snorkelling, return to your hotel on Phi Phi Don and enjoy a relaxed evening in one of the many bars and restaurants. This is the type of holiday that many dream of, but few ever experience.
Hotels: The Phi Phi Island Cabana Hotel will place you in the heart of the action. For a quieter time, try the Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort and Spa, the Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi or the stunning Zeavola Resort.
Koh Larn, Pattaya
If you want to take a break from the bustling beach scene of Pattaya, then head for the crystal clear waters of Koh Larn. Only a few kilometers off the coast and a 40-minute ferry ride, this is a different world. Where Pattaya is brash and exciting, the beaches here have a quaint, country feel. Roads from a small port village lead to superb beaches, where you can rent a deckchair for the day and dine in small restaurants run by the local people.
If you want to beat the ferryloads to the island, charter your own speedboat and get dropped on the beach of your choice. At the end of the day, you head back to Pattaya where a diverse and exciting world of clubs and bars awaits.
Hotels: The Royal Cliff Grand, the Sheraton and the Amari Orchid are the luxury choices, but there are a host of budget-beating resorts on offer. Closest to the ferry is the very comfortable Siam Bayshore Resort.
White Sands Beach, Koh Chang
An island in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Chang is gaining popularity as an alternative to the more established resorts of the Andaman coast. Only a five-hour drive from Bangkok, it is also very popular among Thai families. In fact, two-thirds of visitors are Thais, giving the resort a very local feel. Named for its wonderful white sand, the beach slopes gently into the sea and at low tide it becomes so wide that it is used as a football pitch by youngsters from the villages.
Most of the island is still jungle and is home to elephants and many types of birds. More than 85% of the land is protected as part of a national park. This keeps development in check, but resorts are still springing up all over. If you prefer wild animals to a wild nightlife, then Koh Chang is probably for you.
Hotels: Get great value at the beachfront Koh Chang Kacha Resort and Spa or opt for the luxurious Amari Emerald Cove Resort.
Khao Lak, Phang Nga
If you yearn for the Thai beach resorts of the past, when bungalow-style operations were strung along the coast and the beach was free of beach chairs, vendors, jet-skis and loud bars, then Khao Lak is the spot for you. Accommodation may be more upmarket than the traditional Thai resorts, but the area retains a laidback feel and only a handful of local restaurants and convenience stores line the bumpy roads leading to the beaches.
A nearby national park provides the opportunity to go jungle trekking on elephants and experience wild water rafting. There is little nightlife to tempt you and early mornings see scores of holidaymakers already enjoying the beaches. At Khao Lak you can experience the type of family beach holiday that is fast-disappearing elsewhere. If you really feel the need for some shopping therapy or a night out, Phuket is only a 90-minute drive away.
Hotels: Le Meridien Khao Lak, La Flora and the Ramada Resort offer luxurious lodgings, but you can also experience a more basic holiday at the Baan Krating Resort or Khaolak Bandari Resort.
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