With long and winding coastline, Thailand is always a dream destination for beach lovers. It is almost impossible to count all the beaches, and the question pops up: How to I choose a beach destination for my trip to Thailand? The answer lies in matching your interests with the nature of the destination.
Popular beaches in Thailand
When you are talking about choosing a beach, make sure you choose the right island first. There are three big islands with major beach destinations in Thailand, namely Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui. Each of them cater for different types of vacation and some are very much season-related.
Phuket - something for everybody
For most first-timers, Phuket offers something for everybody. Its reputation is well-deserved, as its over 30 beaches grant all types of vacation maker a blast. Together with its 32 offshore islands, Phuket lies off the west coast of Thailand, facing the Andaman Sea. Under influence of the tropical monsoon climate, its temperatures stay between 25°C (77°F) and 32°C (90 °F). The best time for Phuket is from November to early March, with sunshine and mild temperatures, between 28°C (82.4°F) and 32°C (90°F).
Bangtao and Surin
Going half an hour southwest from Phuket airport, you will find a relatively peaceful stretch of white sandy beaches, Bangtao and Surin. Not much action going on there; those two lovely beaches keep a low profile, yet you may find the island's best resorts, restaurants and antique stores. Tucked away in a bay, the water is calm and warm, good for swimming and some water sports such as sailing and diving.
Khao Lak
Khao Lak is not a beach but an island which is located at the far north end of Phuket. Its name became famous through the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which has taken some 4,000 lives (local unofficial estimates topping 10,000). High buildings and busy streets are hardly seen; instead, your relaxing vacation is fulfilled in a beautifully preserved natural landscape and laid-back atmosphere. Upmarket yet low-key resorts and boutique hotels bring you comfort like at home but in a world far away from it all.
Kata and Karon
For some travelers, Kata and Karon outmatch others because of their best-value stays and their good balance between interesting nightlife, outdoor activities and calmness. Family travelers would love the good range of family-friendly resorts, featuring spacious rooms, kiddie pools and children's clubs. Not so many hotels own a private beach but most of them are just a few minutes walking distance away from the beach.
Patong Beach is Phuket's busiest beach, with countless guesthouses, nightclubs, restaurants, malls and shows. Most of the hotels were built during the early stage of tourism, and the people working there are quite sophisticated and speak good English. If you are looking for a budget-friendly, nightlife-rich and noisy-not-a-problem vacation, Patong might serve you well.
10-Day Island Hopping Tour around Eastern Thailand:
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My husband and I are planning a 3 week…
Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. More
, Mar 2024
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Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
Rylan Coache, Feb 2024
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Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
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Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
Tricia, Feb 2024
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Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
Ashley White, Feb 2024
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Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
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Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
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What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
Rachel, Feb 2024
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Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
Sandy, Jan 2024
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Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
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Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024
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Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
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Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024
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Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024
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Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
Taylor Jones, Jan 2024
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Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
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We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
Karen Rocque, Dec 2023
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Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023
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Krabi - better value for outdoor lovers and leisure travelers
Just an hour drive north of Phuket lies Krabi, which boasts of numerous islets and a mecca for rock climbers and outdoor adventurers alike. It consists of the main town Krabi and 80 smaller islands, including the famous Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi. The six months of rainy season run from May to November, and are accompanied by heavy rains, yet most are short downpours that bring down the temperature and brighten the sky.
The temperature is between 28°C (82.4°F) and 32°C (90°F), however, Krabi enjoys a milder climate than Phuket due to its location being nestled in the bay. Limestone rocks, mountains and national parks add interesting experiences to a common beach vacation.
Klong Muang
Among Krabi's famous beaches, Klong Muang is situated at the west end of Krabi and to the north of the busy Ao Nang Beach. It comports the idea of a genuinly relaxing holiday with its bucolic landscapes, wide-open views of the Andaman Sea, as well as some fine beachfront resorts. Not yet succumbed to mass tourism, Klong Muang is the very place that you find a slice of paradise at a fairly reasonable price.
Koh Lanta
Limited and somewhat troublesome transportation seem no problem for passionate travelers who love Koh Lanta. It is an hour by boat or car from Krabi town. With more than 70 smaller islands dotting the coastline, plenty of forest, coral reefs and under-water life, Koh Lanta is known for a perfect combination of diving, island-hopping, water sports and simply doing nothing. Most travelers would make their stay at least three nights to enjoy all its best.
Ao Nang Beach
With the most convenient transport between the airport and other islands, Ao Nang Beach reflects the past of the now over-developed Patong Beach in Phuket, yet with not that many touristic haggles. It is the starting point of most day tours and excursions and it has a cluster of accommodation of all rankings. The beach is moderate per se, yet its best draw goes to the good value of a 3-day holiday.
Railay
Railay is actually a small peninsula with four beaches, and it is famous for rock-climbing and diving. Less tourism-oriented, there are no roads, no buses and no cars, only boats and footpaths that lead you to limestone mountains, soaring cliffs and steep jungle valleys. That being said, some decent 4-star hotels present active travelers with a delightful chill-out.
Koh Samui - Ideal for Seasoned Travelers With a Heart for Peace
Due to the long flight distance and relatively costly accommodation, Koh Samui might not be on the hot list for first-timers to Thailand. The Thai government has been doing a great job in protecting this island from being spoilt by tourism and over-development, which might be the reason why it stays shy under tourism radar.
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Interests and travel season decide how you will spend the days
Different strokes for different folks. Setting aside the expectations created by travel websites and magazines, you should keep in mind your own interests and the time of traveling, when choosing the right beach.
Family Beach Holiday in Thailand
For a family trip, you would want something for everybody in the family, which means the beach should offer a balanced mixture of action and relaxation. With most school holidays during the summer, you would consider a beach in Krabi or Koh Samui, as these two islands don't suffer as much from rainfall as Phuket does, and the low season will look good on bills. Organizing your family holiday during the Christmas season might mean that you will pay a lot more for accommodation. In that case, some mid-range nice boutique hotels or 4-star resorts in Kata of Phuket might be your choice.
Honeymoon in Thailand
Romantic getaways, on the other hand, are not that easily tempered by climate. Privacy and comfort come first. You might go through options of Khao Lak of Phuket, Klong Muang and Koh Lanta of Krabi, Choeng Mon and Maenam of Koh Samui, all of which provide nice romantic resorts at a reasonable price, along with white, sandy, palm-lined beaches and crystal-clear water.
Have a beach holiday with Asia Highlights
Beaches might sell themselves for different draws, yet should be balanced with your interests and needs. We have done some excellent work at matching up both of these, so why don't you let us do that for you? Kick-start with a simple inquiry now: 'contact us' button.
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Our guide lele is a wealth of information, Lele is very professional and very attentive to our needs. Lele is amazing. Lele got everything spot on. It probably helps that Guilin is a brilliant place to visit so Lele has great material to work with but that doesn't take anything away from how much Lele helped make it a great trip.
moreOur guide for Beijing was super knowledgeable and experienced and able to help us to achieve as much as we wanted within the time given. We had a fun time guided by him as he is also super humorous and you can see how he interacts with the vendors and people whom he comes by. Thank you for a very enjoyable time in Beijing and accommodating to all our needs!
moreOur China Highlight guide. Michael, was attentive, thoughtful and knowledgeable. He narrated many interesting historical events about Chengdu while touring around the city and having afternoon tea with us. He was thoughtful to provide us with snacks during long hikes at Leshan or walks around the city.
moreShe was very flexible and added extra time when we needed it and we felt extremely well taken care of. She also chose the best restaurants for us,
moreOur tour guide Helen, was excellent, she was very kind, professional and passionate for her work and she also loves Pandas! She will take you to take the best panda photos and to know more about Chengdu city. Our tour was great, she took us to all our destinations always with the best spots: Temples, pagodas, famous streets, theaters, pandas...you name it! Everything was great.
moreHe picked up our pre-booked boat/other excursions tickets so we were able to avoid all the long lines and chaos. He is knowledgeable of the places we visited, courteous, fun to travel with and well-versed in Chinese classics.
moreTom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.
moreTom is the guide that will take you to where no other guide will. We pushed for the experience and Tom and the team delivered more than what we could have ever asked for. His English speaking ability and his Chinese history knowledge is second to none.
moreOur day trip to Hangzhou was phenomenal. Derek, our guide, was impeccable. By far the best guide we have had so far. He is extremely knowledgeable about the country’s history and geography and was always excited to share his insights.
moreXian es encantadora, el hotel Eastern house boutique muy buena elección por parte de la agencia, los desayunos muy completos para complacer todo tipo de gusto, lo recomiendo 100%, el itinerario fue muy acertado fueron 2 días en la ciudad xian, compartimos con la guía Susana, la atención, la amabilidad y sobre todo su profesionalismo fue lo que marcó la diferencia, sus detalles, estaba siempre en el lugar y momento correcto para hacer de xian un lugar inolvidable.
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