Popular Phuket Beaches - Best Places to Stay in Phuket

Phuket draws the biggest number of tourists traveling to Thailand and with areas such as Pattaya and Krabi competing for recognition, the island's splendid beaches has to have something to do with it. Most beaches are located on the Western side of the island with the best known tourist beaches being, Patong, Karon, Surin, Kamala and Kata Beaches to the southern half of the island's western shore. Below are all the information you need in order to make informed decisions and book the best hotels the island have to offer in a location that suites your unique requirements best. Visiting all these beaches should be top on your priority list while staying at one of our suggested Phuket resort accommodation venues, so don’t miss out on all they have to offer!

Patong Beach
Certainly the most popular, busiest and most “touristy” of them all is Patong, located in the centre of Phuket’s west coast. It boasts an impressive 3 kilometer stretch of fine beach with water sport activities galore and great for swimming. Patong is loaded with restaurants, beer bars, pubs, disco’s and clubs, shopping opportunities and all kinds of activities. Here there is no shortage of five star hotels to more budget friendly and everything in between. If you want to be in the thick of it, Patong is your place.
	However, in Patong you can be really close to the action, walking distance in fact, and still have tranquility. Head for Amari Coral Beach Resort or B-Lay Tong Phuket resort for instance.

Kata Beach
	White sands, crystal clear waters and the best hotels Phuket has to offer right on the beach. If you do not wish to have a road between your hotel and the beach, Kata is probably where you will find your choice of resort accommodation. It is popular with families and offers great restaurants. Kata is lively, but not raunchy and overly noisy. It is home to names like Mom Tri's Boathouse, Mom Tri's Villa Royale and the amazing Shore at Katathani Phuket.

Karon Beach
Karon is located just south of the glittering lights and buzz of Patong. It is much quieter than Patong, though only a short 5 minute taxi or tuk tuk ride away, offers a nice long stretch of fine white sand and is great for swimming. Though Patong is the busiest and most touristy, depending who you talk to, it is debatable whether Patong will always be regarded as more popular than Karon. Accommodation ranges from top notch five star hotels to a little more budget friendly and everything in-between.
	As one of the most popular Phuket beaches, Karon is a good all rounder and irrespective of your preferences, Karon will always be a good choice. Hotelshere include names like the fabulous Movenpick Phuket, a top notch Swiss managed hotel at surprisingly low prices. Other high-end accommodation in Karon to be recommended include Centara Karon Resort, Centara Villas Phuket and the Hilton Phuket Arcadia. The area also has no shartage of attractions, restaurants and markets.

Bangtao Beach
Bang Tao offers a 6 kilometer (4 miles) stretch of lovely beach. It is close to the village of Cherng Talay where villagers are to this day making a living by fishing and rubber harvesting. The northern end of the beach is quiet with basically no development. Here you may very well feel you have it all to yourself. A few bars and restaurants can be found along the beach and on weekends a large market, 2 kilometers above the beach, offers some shopping opportunity.
	Bang Toa offers good choice in terms of luxury accommodation with the Laguna resort complex being located here. The complex which is set amid tranquil lagoons and island greenery consist of names like like Allamanda Laguna Phuket, five star hotels like the Dusit Thani Laguna, Angsana Laguna, Laguna Beach Resort and the famly friendly Sunwing Resort and Spa. In Bangtao you will spend most of your time on the beach, utilizing the first class and family friendly resort facilities and activities or rent a jeep to check out neighboring beaches. Not busy, not quiet and very little if any night life.

Surin Beach
Aptly referred to as millionaires row, Surin is home to several top notch luxury five star hotels in Phuket and resorts including names like The Surin Phuket Hotel. Though a popular location, Surin is not a very busy area. It has its own town area, reminiscent of a little coastal village, yet cose enough to Patong.
	The beach is beautiful and the sand a fine white powder. The high end resorts Phuket offer on Surin has also given rise to some top notch restaurants and wine bars in the area. Should you wish to stay on Surin a little less expensive, check out the popular Manathai Resort. This is a stylish, small boutique resort with direct access to the white sand of Surin Beach.

Kamala Beach
This is one of the most beautiful places on Phuket and lies just north of Patong, but without the noise and buzz. Phuket Kamala Beach is also home to the Phuket FantaSea, one of the biggest tourist attractions on Phuket.
	This quieter stretch of lovely beach has a relaxed feel to it and the bay in which it lies is well enclosed and protected. To the back and sides it is flanked by forested hills contributing to the lovely setting and ambiance. Though it does not see hordes of tourists, those who come here do not stay at a Phuket resort anywhere else on their next visit. Kamala is home to names like the lovely Cape Sienna Hotel and Villas and several others.

Other Beaches on Phuket
Mai Khao Beach
	Mai Khao is located at the northern tip of Phuket west coast. It offers 11 kilometers of straight beach which sees a mentionable absence of commercial development. If you want to see as little other tourists as possible, Mai Khao is your place. The down side? The sand is course; you will notice some air traffic and swimming can be hazardous May to October. However, if you crave quiet time away from the crowds and some top notch five star hotels, come to Mai Khao. Sala Phuket Resort and Spa and Anantara Phuket are two quality resorts in Mai Khao that deserves a closer look.

Nai Yang Beach
	Nai Yang, located just south of Mai Khao and partly inside Sirinath National Park, is a laid back location promising true relaxation to its visitors. Located only 5 to 10 minutes’ drive from the airport, commercial development and accommodation is limited. Perfect for quiet quality time. The hotel accommodation that is found here is of a high standard and includes the five star Indigo Pearl Resort.

Nai Thon Beach
	Located between Bang Tao and Nai Yang, this is the ideal spot to get away from the crowds. Locals claim it to be the most beautiful beach on the island. During high season, November to April, it is great for swimming, relaxing at a beach bar or dining with your feet in the sand. During low season, May to October, it gets really quiet and the sea quite rough at times.

Nai Harn Beach
	A beautiful quiet little spot, on the southern tip of Phuket. It only has a few hotels and is great for swimming November to April. The rest of the year care should be taken with strong under currents at times. Restaurants located just above the beach are a great opportunity to enjoy a sundowner while appreciating the view.

Rawai Beach
Located toward the southern tip of Phuket, Rawai greets you with a quiet, relaxed and un-hurried atmosphere. Pre-Phuket tourist explotion, Rawai was the local and often also international tourist hot spot. Sunday picknicks were the in - thing. When one sits at one of the restaurants right next to the beach, it is easy to understand why. This is a place where you fall asleep in the shade of the casuarina trees lining the beach after Sunday lunch.
	The views of small neighbouring islands like Koh Bon, Koh Lone, Coral Island and Koh Lone does give Rawai some distinction. The beach itself does not exactly invite you to throw down a towel and catch a tan or to go swimming, though it would be a very safe swim. The water is shallow, the beach slightly muddy and lined with long tail boats, because today, Rawai is active as a departure point for tourist trips to the small islands mentioned above and also for the area’s local fisherman.