Thailand is famous for its beaches, and with good reason. Many people will think immediately of the famous island of Phuket. Gorgeous though the beaches of Phuket are, Thailand has an extensive coastline and a number of less-visited but no less stunning island getaways—the hardest part is knowing which one to choose!
An overview of Thailand's Beaches
Those looking for bustling resorts with lots of activity, restaurants and bars can do no better than head for Hua Hin, around 3 hours by car or train from Bangkok. Due to its easy accessibility, Hua Hin gets particularly busy at the weekends with city-slickers heading out of town. More intimate than Hua Hin but also within reach of Bangkok is the island of Koh Samed, which is 20 minutes by boat from Rayong and has just a handful of resorts catering to the upper end of the market.
Thailand’s second largest island is Koh Chang, reached by a 45-minute flight to Trat and a short ferry ride. A marine national park, it has many stunning beaches and coves and a few lovely resorts. It's much quieter than Phuket and Koh Samui, and provides good opportunities for walking and wildlife-viewing; those who prefer their beach holidays to involve more than just sun and sand will welcome the variety of activities on offer at Koh Chang.
Just one hour by air from Bangkok, Phuket is the major island resort in Thailand, its coastline home to dozens of resorts and a good infrastructure. It can get incredibly busy, however, though there are few private retreats on the island. Further south, and with its own airport, Krabi has a lovely wide beach, but again, there is a lot of development here.
Of the smaller islands, Khao Lak, just one hour from Phuket, has gorgeous white sandy beaches and some exclusive resorts and spas. Koh Yao is a tiny but beautiful island with just a few, and Koh Racha, about 20km south of Phuket, has crystal clear waters and, of course, white-sand beaches.
Koh Lanta, reached by road and boat from Krabi is much quieter than Krabi and offers a good selection of accommodation and adequate beaches.
Koh Samui, in the Gulf of Thailand, has regular flights from Bangkok and destinations in Asia and has a buzzing resort on the east coast, with one of the best beaches on the island—the north is quieter.
Koh Phangan, reached by boat from Koh Samui, is very sleepy in comparison to Samui without the noisy nightlife.
TRAVEL ADVICE
The dry season is normally from December from May for most of the country
The main season for the west coast is October to May
The Gulf of Thailand has the best weather from May to September
The oddities of the weather means that whatever time of year you visit Thailand, you will always be able to spend a few days on the beach
Thailand has a bewildering choice of resorts ranging from shabby chic to luxury
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