Top Ten Most Stunning Beaches in Thailand


 

 

Image by Abstinant sourced from wikimedia commons

Thailand is renowned for some of its stunning tropical beaches, and the SE Asian nation certainly has no shortage of them.

Beach-lovers may actually be somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to Thailand, which has everything from secluded, hideaway stretches with limited amenities, to bar-lined party destinations with spirited nightlife.

The Thai coastline is vast, and encompasses long stretches of beaches and shoreline running along both the Andaman Sea and Gulf Coast.

Image by Kallerna sourced from wikimedia commons

In fact, Thailand has somewhere in the region of 1,400 islands and islets where many of these paradisiacal scenarios are likely to be found, with much of the crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches that most people typically associate with the country lying in the southern regions.

And although it may be true that most of Thailand’s stunning beaches do reside in the southern reaches of the country, there are still a few beaches in other areas that come close, so we have also tried to include a couple of those in this list which, it has to be said, is by no means definitive.

1. Railay Beach (Krabi)

The Southern region of Krabi is undoubtedly one of the most stunning in terms of coastline. Unsurprisingly, this region has featured in many a cinematic release involving a Thai beach or two, including James Bond and Leonardo De Caprio movies for starters.

Railay Beach in Krabi is but one of those amazing clear-water scenarios, and is only accessible by boat which gives it an isolated island feel, although it is not that far from the mainland and is actually regarded as part of it.

Image by Koudkeu sourced from wikimedia commons

If all you need is clear blue water and tiny islands surrounded by limestone cliffs, then Railay has all of that. This is a resort beach with accommodation to suit a variety of budgets, stunning views with jagged cliffs and longboats bobbing on clear blue water, relaxation, and a few restaurants. There is a laid-back vibe and not that much else to do.

Railay is a top place for rock climbing though, and there are a few schools that teach the basics of sport climbing, with safety gear included, and for experienced climbers there are challenging boulder ranges right on the beach.

Railay Beach is still quite a bit more subdued and less developed than many other popular beaches in Thailand, which is the appeal of the place to most visitors, although this is changing with growing development, and during high season it can feel somewhat crowded — so a visit needs to be planned with that in mind.

2. Long Beach (Koh Lanta)

Koh Lanta is another southern region with those ridiculously idyllic clear blue water and white sand beach scenarios. And this beach in Koh Lanta lives up to its name — long. It’s possibly even one of the longest (and widest) beaches in Thailand, at 2.5 miles, and looks clean, natural, exotic, and open.

Image by Dirk Enthoven sourced from wikimedia commons

Long beach has little in the way of sharp, craggy rocks and other swimming hazards like many other Thai beaches. The sandy bottom is soft and sloping, and thus facilitates a dreamy swimming experience.

Not exactly as laid-back as somewhere like Railay Beach, and there does tend to be a little more in the way of social interaction, although anything that looks a little too raucous is easily avoidable if that’s not your thing as most of it is on or near the central beach area.

There are plenty of guesthouses, bungalows, resorts, bars, restaurants, and all the other delights that may be encountered on a tropical beach holiday, although they are situated a little way back from the sand, leaving the beach with a distinct sense of being uncluttered.

Koh Lanta is different to its nearby neighbour Phuket in that it has no airport. This means that it is accessible only by ferry, which to some degree has limited development on the island. No McDonalds in sight just yet then.

3. Koh Phi Phi

The horizon of Koh Phi Phi is actually visible from Long Beach, just to give some idea of its proximity. It is an island of the Phi Phi Archipelago, in the Strait of Malacca, and is actually part of Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park (Hat Noppharat Thara).

Maya Bay, one of the two main Phi Phi islands, is considered one of the most sublime beaches in Thailand, with its claim to fame coming by way of Leonardo’s hit movie The Beach.

Image by Diego Delson sourced from wikimedia commons

Undoubtedly this Thai beach is indeed stunning, with its dreamy white sands and crystal-clear and sparkling waters, all surrounded by a dense jungle backdrop scenario. It has been noted in recent years, however, that the tirade of tourism that has followed in the wake of the movie is starting to leave its mark.

In fact, the area has been undergoing something of a major conservation effort in a bid to give the local coral a chance to rejuvenate.
Having said that, many will be of the mind that a visit to the lush bay surrounded by cliffs with exceptionally white sands and clear waters (not to mention the exotic marine life), is still on their ‘to do’ list.

4. Bottle Beach (Koh Pangan)

Koh Phangan is in the southern Thai province of Suratthani, like many of the most stunning beaches in the country.

This particular province is actually renowned for its wild Full Moon Parties and other pretty raucous events, which do tend to leave their mark on the natural, pristine beauty of the area.

The island of Pangan itself boasts an array of beautiful sandy beaches surrounded by cliffs and mountains with lush, wildlife-inhabited patches of jungle. But for those seeking some well-deserved solitude and quiet away from the craziness of the party revellers, then there is Bottle Beach.

Image by Niro5 sourced from wikimedia commons

Certainly one of the most stunning and loveliest beaches is Bottle Beach. Not surprisingly, like most of Thailand’s beaches which are still well in reasonable tact, this is another one accessible only by boat.

This adds to the secluded and more isolated nature, and goes some way towards keeping the beaches peaceful and serene atmosphere. Bottle Beach is ideal for those seeking some quiet repose and hence is popular with more seasoned or long-term travellers in Thailand.

5. Kata Beach (Phuket)

A ‘Top Ten Most Stunning Beaches in Thailand’ wouldn’t be complete without at least one of the many that the southern island of Phuket has to offer.

Beaches in Phuket come with relative doses of liveliness, nightlife, and the usual hustle and bustle of a tropical holiday destination. Patong Beach and Karon Beach are typical examples of some of the more lively areas on the island, although just south of those two lies Kata Beach, which is a more relaxed and subdued stretch of sand in Phuket.

Image by Aklyuch sourced from wikimedia commons

Kata has all the tropical delights of a Phuket beach like palm trees, warm, clear water, and stunning scenery, but without the backdrop of the ever-increasing number of high-rise hotels or shopping malls that many other regions of the island display. The resorts lining the coast in this area also tend to be top notch.

The waves at Kata Beach can also be reasonably intense at some times of the year (typically low season), which makes it a popular place for a bit of shallow surfing or body boarding for some water-lovers.

A point of note for anyone considering a trip to Phuket is that it does get very busy for a couple of weeks during the somewhat chaotic Phuket Vegetarian Festival, otherwise known as ‘The Nine Emperor Gods Festival’ which usually occurs around September time, depend-ing on Chinese lunar months.

6. White Sand Beach (Koh Chang)

Koh Chang (Elephant Island) is Thailand’s third largest island after Phuket and Samui. It is located in the Gulf of Thailand in Trat province, which is not too far from the Cambodian border.

Part of the Mu Koh Chang National Park, this island has the trademark white, sandy beaches typical of any stunning Thai coastline region. The sand is soft, white, and powdery, with palm and coconut trees set against a backdrop of gently sloping hills and mountains.

Image by nakhon100 sourced from wikimedia commons

This island is also another example of a scenic sandy stretch that may once have been the domain of backpackers but has been developed into more of a resort scene in the last decade or so. There are in fact numerous resorts along the beach, although at the Northern end of ‘White Sand Beach’ some of the old island ‘bungalow charm’ can still be found, although this is changing.

To many travellers though, Koh Chang is still considered as slightly more of a budget island destination than many in Thailand, although the term ‘budget’ may have taken on a somewhat different context in recent years than it had, say, a decade ago.

Koh Chang has a wide selection of accommodation, and is a favourite getaway for many Bangkokians as it is one of the nicest islands within reasonable distance (5 to 6 hours) of the capital. There is also a fairly vibrant nightlife scene for those seeking a little entertainment, so those with families might want to consider the location of their ac-commodation with that in mind.

7. Ao Manao

Ao Manao (Lime Bay) is a curved bay on the western reaches of the Gulf of Thailand, which contains some beautiful stretches of beach that closely rival those in the southern provinces.

However, this particular stunning stretch of Thai coastline is actually closer to Bangkok than it is to Krabi, 5 km to the south of the Pra-chuap Khiri Khan province. It is reachable in as little as 2-3 hours from the nation’s capital, and this region also contains the popular seaside towns of Hua Hin and Pranburi, which are some of the closest beaches to Bangkok.

Image by Immoreel sourced from wikimedia commons

With spectacular karst scenery and white sands, fortunately this re-gion has much smaller crowds than those typically encountered in some of the southern resort areas. The gorgeous crescent-shaped beach can be experienced in relative peace and quiet, and is considered a veritable beach heaven for those familiar with.

It is actually under the jurisdiction of the military as it falls within the boundaries of an old base. This means that access is through the base, which may be somewhat strange to some visitors, and the main stretch comprises accommodation and seafood restaurants that are near to the trees that run quite closely to the beach.

8. Sai Kaew Beach (Koh Samet)

Koh Samet is a small island in the Rayong province that was, up until as little as a decade ago, one of the best kept secrets of many a Bangkok resident. Literally a couple of hours, or 200km away from the capital, this is a the best place to get anything close to the turquoise blue sea, white sand, and crescent bays that would otherwise require endless hours of travelling to reach.

With a vibrant and up-tempo nightlife, the island offers a range of accommodation from beach bungalows to luxurious cliff-top resorts. At one time it was possible just to arrive on the island and walk around looking for accommodation, but those days are long gone, so booking in advance is recommended.

Image by JTorquy sourced from wikimedia commons

The main beach, Sai Kaew, tends to pull in beach-goers who tend to-wards daytime relaxation and night time activity, so families might want to consider accommodation a little further away from the beach.

The beaches are lovely though, and have the typical Thai traits of cliffs, blue waters and white sand, which makes Koh Samet an ideal destination for many city dwellers. This also means that it is usually packed on weekends and national holidays, which might be worth taking into consideration.

9. Taling Ngam (Koh Samui)

Another island in the Suratthani region, Koh Samui’s plays a close rival to Phuket in the Thailand island stakes.

One of its most stunning beaches is considered to be Taling Ngam, the views from which take in the islands and islets prominent in the region’s crystal blue waters that comprise the Angthong Marine National Park.

Image by Павел Бондарчу sourced from wikimedia commons

This is beach is in a part of Samui still covered in lush, wildlife-rich jungle, and the pristine, white sandy beach has an inherently laid-back and unhurried air. This beach is also a popular place from which to gaze on a spectacular tropical sunset.

10. Koh Kood (Koh Chang)

Another stunning beach location in the Trat province, this much smaller island is one of the most remote, and the furthest south of the chain of islands of Koh Chang in Thailand.

The beaches of Koh Kood are truly gorgeous, although there is little else in terms of infrastructure, making it a slow-paced and tranquil getaway for those wishing to find real relaxation. This amazingly simple destination is presently much less developed than its neigh-bouring counterpart Koh Chang, making it in many ways more idyllic.

Koh Kood (sometimes spelled Koh Kut) is a different world to the bustling and lively resorts of Thailand’s better-known beach destinations. The crystal clear, turquoise waters on the shores of Tha Pho Beach are really quiet, and hence are home to a thriving underwater ecosystem incorporating sea turtles, stingrays, barracudas and reef inhabitants, which all co-exist in relative peaceful harmony untouched by mass tourism.

Image by Orkunozkaya sourced from wikimedia commons

There has for a while only been a smattering of homestays and budget hotels on the island, although there is an increasing degree of luxury resorts, towards which the island seems to be gravitating more and more.

That said, the small population of the island that has remained cov-ered with jungle, along with rubber and coconut plantations, is slowly moving more towards areas of tourist development rather than re-lying on the established local rubber, coconut, and fishing trades.

Aside from lounging and relaxation, there are a few activities such as snorkelling and trekking through some of the jungle available for the more action-oriented visitors to the island.

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