20 Best Phuket Beaches ⛱️

1. Freedom Beach

Freedom Beach is one of Phuket’s most beautiful beaches, blessed with incredibly soft white sand and clear blue waters. Surprisingly, it’s just next to the crowded Patong Beach, but despite being a little heaven, it’s relatively quiet. The reason is simple: there are only two ways to access it: by long tail boat from Patong during high season or, if you are fit enough, from the top of the hill, through a very steep slope. Whichever way you choose to go there, it’s worth the effort.

Note that during the peak season, January and February, the beach becomes busier and even has a nice beach restaurant. Unless the weather is quiet and the sea calm, longtail boats don’t operate during the low season (roughly June to October) and the only way to get there is down a steep hill. Remember that walking back up that hill is not for the faint of heart! See how to access Freedom Beach here.

2. Kata Beach

Kata Beach is Phuket’s second-most-loved beach after Patong. It is a popular choice for families as it also enjoys a wide white sandy beach with an incredibly blue sea during the high season. The beach is quieter during the low season but is not always suitable for swimming. The waves are popular with surfers and kite surfers, and there are several surfing schools and board rental shops.

Kata is less crowded than Patong and offers a large selection of dining, street shopping, and a bit of nightlife. There are mostly bars but no nightclubs or beach clubs here. The night market in the middle of town is very popular for shopping and eating local food at low prices. The choice of hotels to stay is vast, from 4-star to budget hotels, but only two hotels have direct beach access: The Boathouse and Beyond Kata Resort.

3. Patong Beach

Patong is the main beach on the west coast of Phuket, and booking a hotel here is a personal choice. It’s a big town full of restaurants, shops, markets, bars, clubs and go-go bars, but it’s not truly Thailand anymore. The middle part of the beach can get busy, but it is still beautiful and relatively quiet on the northern end.

There are hundreds of hotels to choose from, but just a couple of luxury hotels, plus only three resorts with real beach access; the other hotels calling themselves beachfront are across the beach road. If you are here to party, Patong is the place to stay: party at night and recover on a beach lounger under an umbrella the next day. We particularly enjoy the food vendors selling cheap and good street food and fruits under tall coconut trees! It’s a great photo opportunity.

If you want to be in Patong but in a quiet area, there are several options: Stay in the north end, in front of Four Points by Sheraton Resort, where the sand is soft, and the beach is a lot quieter than in the main part of Patong but still at reasonable;e waking distance of Bangla Road. Option 2: stay in a hotel on the outskirts of Patong, like Amari Phuket, Avista Hideaway or the popular Courtyard Merlin Beach. Read more about Patong.

4. Karon Beach

Karon Beach is the second-longest beach in Phuket and one of the most popular. The beach is an impressive stretch of white sand and clear blue water in high season, so vast that it never feels crowded. There are many good hotels across the main beach road, but Centara Grand Beach Resort is the only one with real beach access.

There is a small town with many restaurants at the north end of the beach, where you can enjoy many restaurants, bars with live music, small shops, a bazaar, a temple market, and even decent nightlife.

5. Nai Harn Beach

Nai Harn is one of the best beaches in Phuket, a lovely cove surrounded by green hills and small islands. The sand is incredibly soft, and the water is bright blue in the high season (November to April). It’s very different from the touristy spots on the west coast like Patong, Kata or Karon Beaches.

Thankfully, Nai Harn hasn’t changed much because the park surrounding the bay is somehow protected, but you can find several Thai restaurants and street food just behind the line of trees. With only a handful of hotels, Nai Harn retains its original local atmosphere well. The beach is in a sheltered bay where sailing and fishing boats anchor in calm waters.

6. Kata Noi Beach

Kata Noi Beach is a wonderful bay if you want to be near Kata, but stay away from the tourist herds. This beautiful strand of sand has clear blue water during the high season and was once voted one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Fortunately, its ‘out of the way’ location keeps it relatively quiet, and unless you know about it, you probably will miss it.

Three hotels only offer direct beach access: The Shore at Kata Thani, Kata Thani Beach Resort and The Boathouse. Other hotels are higher on the hill or in the nearby Kata Beach. There are a few restaurants, massage and shops along the road in the back of the hotel.

7. Laem Singh Beach

Laem Singh has always been one of Phuket’s favourite beaches. It is like a Caribbean beach, a bit nostalgic and very green, with palm trees leaning over the sand. You have the beach almost for yourself. It looks and feels like a secret Robinson Crusoe hideaway, even more so since access to the public was closed in 2017.

The good news is there are still ways to go there if you know where and how. The easiest way during high season is to ride a little boat that stands by in front of Surin Beach nearby. The other way is to walk along the rocky coast, on a path starting also from the neighbouring Surin Beach. Read here how to get to Laem Singh Beach.

8. Ya Nui Beach

Ya Nui Beach is tiny but has the charm of small beaches tucked in a cove between the Windmill Viewpoint and the famous Promthep Cape south of Phuket Island. It looks like a secret beach, but it is not, and many people come to enjoy it, especially for snorkelling and even beach diving. It’s just easy to miss it if it was not for the number of cars parked along the road.

The beach can be busy during the high season, so when it gets too busy, have a nice lunch or drink at the terrace of one of the little local restaurants across the street. The shade of the tall trees over the open space is welcoming, and the prices are reasonable.

9. Kamala Beach

Kamala is a lovely, relatively peaceful beach with many beachfront restaurants, small hotels, and a beautiful line of coconut trees. The small town only has two parallel streets, one near the beach and a large one in the back. The street nearest the beach is quiet, lined with small hotels, some with beach access, Thai and Western restaurants, shops, and travel agencies.

The main attractions in Kamala are the two immense theme parks, Fantasea Park and Carnival Magic, and the famous Cafe Del Mar beach club. During the high season, the beach is beautiful and clear, especially at the northern end near the Intercontinental Resort.

10. Bang Tao Beach

Bang Tao is one of the longest beaches in Phuket, halfway between the airport and Patong on the island’s west coast. With its beautiful stretch of sand, Bang Tao is always associated with the resort complex Laguna Phuket, SAii Laguna Phuket, Banyan Tree and Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket and the best known, but there are many more to choose from now.

Bang Tao is fast becoming Phuket’s most lively and trendy beach destination, with many beach clubs and a vast selection of beach dining options. Boat Avenue at the entrance of the Laguna Resort Complex is now the new heart of Bang Tao, with many trendy restaurants, bars, a low-rise shopping village and two vast supermarkets selling a lot of imported goods.

11. Mai Khao Beach

Mai Khao is 11 km long, the longest beach in Phuket. Because it is part of a national park, it still looks as peaceful and deserted as when we first visited it in 1990. There are a few luxury hotels along the beach, with a narrow garden to cross, but beach chairs, umbrellas, and food vendors haven’t invaded the beach. You can still walk eleven kilometres and only meet three people; the beach remains mostly untouched.

There are two small modern shopping villages nearby but not much nightlife. Apart from Splash Jungle WaterPark, the most popular and unusual attraction nearby is to watch the planes landing over the beach, just a few meters over your head! (only using high season). Sala Phuket and Renaissance Phuket Resort are the most popular hotels on this beach.

12. Surin Beach

Surin Beach used to be a place to relax on beach chairs and walk to one of the many beach clubs or trendy restaurants along the beach, but all this is long gone, and Surin beach is now 100% natural. Surin today is very different; the beach is more beautiful than ever, free from loungers or umbrellas.

Only two real restaurants are still standing at the very south end, but dozens of local restaurants set temporary tables and chairs under the many coconut trees facing the oceans. Surin is one of the best spots in Phuket to spend the day. A few hotels, such as Twinpalms Phuket, are nearby, at a short walking distance.

13. Paradise Beach

With a name like Paradise Beach on a tropical island such as Phuket, people expect to discover another ‘beautiful-secret-hard-to-find-beach’, especially close to the busy Patong Beach! Yes, the sea is very blue, the sand is white and powdery, and it is remote and not easy to find, but it may not be as paradisiac as you expect. Paradise Beach has become a theme park with an entry fee and many constructions, bars and restaurants surrounding a sea of beach loungers. Paradise beach also hosts occasional full moon parties.

14. Pansea Beach

Private beaches are not allowed in Thailand, but you can get around by owning all the land around that beach. And those beaches are often the most beautiful ones. Pansea Beach, shared by The Surin Phuket and the exclusive and extremely expensive Amanpuri Phuket, is one of those amazing beaches, and the only way to enjoy this hidden gem is to be a guest of one of these two luxury hotels.

15. Nai Yang Beach

Nai Yang is one of our favourite beaches because it is just a little away from the main road and has remained relatively untouched. This sandy crescent features a few welcoming restaurants and bars on the beach and in the shade of trees.

The bay is home to a few luxury resorts, such as The Slate and Marriott Nai Yang, but you can easily find affordable hotels a little further from the beach. Nai Yang is a beautiful little hideaway far from crowded beaches but with enough to do all year round to have a good time.

16. Naithon Beach

Naithon Beach is another hidden gem on the west coast of Phuket because it is far from the main road. The beach is immense, the colour of the sea is surreal in high season, and the sand is soft and white, perfect for those searching for a peaceful spot with just enough facilities. A few restaurants and convenience stores are around to provide what you need for a weekend escape.

You will only find a few hotels, including the superb Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Resort. Ideally, you should rent a car or a motorbike to maximise your stay in Naithon. It might feel too quiet if you plan to stay during the low season, from May to November, but some travellers like it this way.

17. Ao Sane Beach

Ao Sane is a tiny hidden beach, visible from Nai Harn Beach, but you will never find out unless you know that you need to drive through The Nai Harn Hotel. Ao Sane consists of three tiny sandy bays, and you can walk from one to another through the few beach bungalows.

18. Banana Beach

Phuket is a worldwide famous holiday destination. Every corner of this tropical island has been explored, invaded, sold, developed and exploited. Or so you thought! Still, one tiny beach is hiding from the crowd, but it won’t last long.

19. Panwa Beach and Cape

Panwa is a cape with three beaches: 1) Khao Kat Beach, 2) Ao Yon Beach and 3) the private Panwa Beach. Located on the East Coast but facing west, the area is home to luxury villas and a few resorts, a great alternative to relaxing away from the crowded beaches of the West Coast.

Khao Kat Beach is not a swimming beach but has the charm of quiet bays, with several hotels along the bay. Ao Yon Beach is a remote hidden gem not many people take the time to explore while visiting Phuket. Panwa Beach is the most striking of the three beaches but is only accessible to the guests of the Panwa Hotel.

20. Rawai Beach

At the south end of Phuket Island, Rawai is not a swimming beach but offers beautiful views of the nearby islands. It is an anchoring point for the many longtail boats and speedboats going to Racha Island or Coral Island. It’s a great place to enjoy fresh seafood and a good starting point for island hopping.

Many expats live in this area because of its relaxed, local atmosphere. If you choose to stay in Rawai, the beautiful Nai Harn Beach and the iconic Promthep Cape, known for its superb sunset views are very near.