A Thailand travel guide is essential when planning Thailand's best beach vacations and resorts. In Thailand, you may choose from various beaches with sand colors ranging from caramel to pearl white and waters so clean that you can see the bottom of the ocean floor. Because even if one region of Thailand is rainy, another is almost always dry, Thailand's beaches, recommended by My Way Travel, are popular throughout the year.
One of the worst-kept secrets in Southeast Asia, however, is that Thailand has wonderful beaches. Their fame has spread far and wide, causing the West to engulf many of them. But I've found that even the busiest islands and sections of shoreline have their share of peaceful, real-feeling nooks and crannies.
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Krabi: classic Thai beach with the best views
Stunning as Halong Bay is in Vietnam, the Krabi shoreline is on par with it. Monolithic limestone karsts bend around bays and lagoons to provide natural protection. A tropical forest, from the ocean to the clouds, fringes the beaches on land.
The island comes into its own in its more tranquil areas, and it's perfect for getting away from it all or serving as the relaxing highlight of a larger cultural trip to Thailand. If you're looking for an active vacation, go elsewhere; this is a relaxing beach getaway with longtail boat rides across the calm sea to limestone islands for private lunch.
My favorite Krabi beach is Tubkaak, where one of my favorite Thailand hotels sits on the sand among gardens that flow into the surrounding forest.
Small enough to be intimate, the Tubkaak Krabi Boutique Resort. Although it is in a less central part of Krabi, it is convenient to go to a few small eateries for a meal. As the sun set behind the limestone islands in the Andaman Sea, I watched it illuminate the sky from where I was sitting.
When to go to Krabi?
Midway between October and the first of April. Even though the rain seldom reaches monsoonal proportions, I try to avoid the area between June and August, which is the green season.
Phuket: easily accessible beaches with a range of hotels
Phuket is a must-mention while discussing the beaches of Thailand. Located off the west coast of Thailand, directly across the water from Krabi, this is the country's biggest island. Take advantage of the city's proximity to an international airport in a pinch.
Although massive, faceless hotels are a reality on this busy island, there are still unspoiled beaches if you know where to look. It also offers the largest selection of hotels, motels, and resorts.
Palm-fringed In my experience, Pansea Beach is among Phuket's finest spots. Built strategically to prevent more construction from sliding in alongside, just two hotels serve the whole bay. The Surin is an excellent choice for a family vacation or a romantic getaway for two. Someone or something scatters many large villas over the slope below an infinity pool overlooking the water.
The black tiles in The Surin's pool may seem inconsequential, but they create a stunning optical illusion at sunset by reflecting the vibrant hues of the sky. Nightly fiery sunsets may be seen directly over the Indian Ocean.
Twenty minutes away is another cove with more eating and drinking options. A short distance from the beach, Twinpalms Phuket exudes elegance as a good-value resort. Someone or something sent me to the beach butler for my running needs, champagne in hand.
The hotel operates shuttles to many restaurants and beach clubs along the coast until late at night.
Heritage in Old Phuket Town
Old Phuket Town is the best place to experience the island's authentic character. Its magnificently decaying structures attest to its glory as a Portuguese commercial harbor in the early 1900s before Phuket City engulfed it.
Although few tourists go this far, I promise you will be satisfied. Following a local guide to various food stands, malls, and shops, I learned about the city. You may try dishes with Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian influences, many returning to the area's early settlers.
When to go to Phuket?
Between the middle of October and the beginning of April, the west coast has the most pleasant weather and calmest seas.
Khao Lak: a lesser-visited coast with plenty to do
Located about an hour's drive north of Phuket on the mainland's west coast, Khao Lak lacks the tropical island aesthetic of Krabi and the commercial legacy of Phuket. The marketplaces give the town away as a typical Thai fishing community with a distinct culture.
Khao Lak is farther from the action than other Thai resorts and has avoided becoming a major tourist hub. It's a remote beach for the time being.
Compared to other of Phuket's protected bays, the shoreline is flatter, and the sea is a little choppier along this section. Many accommodations in Thailand attest to the country's continued popularity as a family beach vacation destination.
I like The Sarojin. It's like being invited to a private party, with its opulent atmosphere and attentive staff. The food was excellent, and there was much to do if you wanted to spend time away from the crowds on the calmest shore I've ever seen.
The adjacent Similan Islands are a marine national park home to abundant marine life and coral reefs, making it a top 10 diving destination. It takes around an hour and a half to reach the islands from Phuket by speedboat, crossing the Andaman Sea.
Visiting the Khao Sok National Park
Khao Lak's closeness to Khao Sok National Park is one of the city's strongest selling points. With its karst landscape and abundance of orchids, birds, and uncommon species like elephants and deer, this park is the biggest tract of tropical rainforest in southern Thailand.
The park is a tonic of activity and exploration if you, like me, feel that beach tiredness may set in. Paddling through the mangroves, mountain biking on marked paths, and exploring the area on foot are all viable options.
From Khao Lak, going interior to the park takes up to a day. You may also spend the night elsewhere, and if you do, I suggest the Elephant Hills Floating Camp on Cheow Larn Lake.
When to go to Khao Lak?
From November to February, the dry season provides mild temperatures and little precipitation.
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Koh Samui: a castaway island with optional cocktail hour
If I were to be stranded anyplace in Thailand, it would be on the island of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. The airport, a simple wooden shack, adds to the overall ambiance of a classic tropical paradise. From Bangkok or Phuket, you'll fly in on a propeller aircraft.
Coconuts were formerly Koh Samui's major source of wealth, and the island is still mostly covered with plantations. From above, the island seems like a chaotic collection of palm palms held together by a sea of blue.
Some of Koh Samui's most popular beaches may be on the island's eastern coast. In the same way that Phuket is saturated with foreign hotels and fast food franchises, these islands are the most picturesque. Rather, I'd choose a remote location, like the luxurious Belmond Napasai on the island's northern shore.
In this manner, you may fully experience the island's two sides. The Belmond has a private, white-sand beach where guests may unwind and a restaurant overlooking the water where they serve delectable steamed snapper by candlelight. However, Bophut village, whose Portuguese stilt homes line the beach and host vibrant local restaurants and bars, is just 20 minutes away by car.
To see dolphins, green turtles, and macaques, take a day trip from Koh Samui to Angthong National Marine Park, a protected tiny archipelago with no development.
When to go to Koh Samui?
The months of February through September. You'll discover cheaper deals and less crowded beaches if you plan your trip outside the Easter and summer holidays.
Thailand’s smaller islands: secluded luxury escapes
A few tiny islands in Thailand are perfect if you want to rest in peace without feeling like you should be exploring the area.
Koh Samet
This T-shaped, 8-kilometer-long (10-mile-long) island has two main selling points. It's the driest island in the nation, a title it proudly bears. Secondly, it's the best beach and the quickest and simplest to get to from Bangkok.
From Bangkok, a trip to the beach at the Paradee Resort takes two hours by vehicle, followed by a quick trip on a speedboat across the water. With no other resorts in sight, this beach will make you feel like you've stumbled onto your little island.
While there are other resorts on Koh Samet, the island has mostly been left unspoiled, and the Paradee has its own secluded, shallow-water lagoon. It's a hideaway for grownups only (there are few things to do on the island, so it's not great for children) with 40 villas, each with a private patio and outdoor dining space.
When to go to Koh Samet?
The whole calendar year. Rain ceases after a few hours, and downpours are quite rare.
Koh Kood
The Thai government commissioned the construction of Soneva Kiri to compete with the extreme luxury of island resorts in the Maldives and Indonesia. And, yes, it was a success.
Koh Kood, a jungle-covered island near the Cambodian border, is an hour's seaplane ride from Bangkok. Soneva Kiri is located on a short peninsula to the north, while a few more basic hotels dot the shore to the south. Each villa has its own pool and gardens and is larger than most standard hotel rooms.
Your host will cater to your every desire at this eco-friendly bamboo resort, where you can comfortably go barefoot. If you can bear to tear yourself away from the white sand beach and the comfort of your villa, there is a large range of activities, from a self-serve chocolate room to a bamboo observatory.
When to go to Koh Kood?
The driest months are between October and May. However, travel is possible year-round. Outside of the window above, rain is infrequent and brief.
Koh Yao
Koh Yao is an unspoiled island in Phang Nga Bay, off the coast of southern Thailand, between the more popular destinations of Phuket and Krabi. There is a small, one-road settlement on one side of the island and a handful of hotels, including Six Senses Yao Noi, on the other.
Fly into Phuket, then take a speedboat to Six Senses' jetty, all within 15 minutes. The resort's infinity pool and the tranquility of its remote position are its crowning achievements, providing stunning views of the limestone pinnacles of Phang Nga Bay.
Candlelit beach meals and an extensive spa menu are just two examples of the luxury you can anticipate. However, they have also developed novel methods to pass the time, such as taking Muay Thai boxing classes and gathering a supply of farm-fresh eggs for breakfast.
When to go to Koh Yao?
You can best experience Koh Yao between October and March when temperatures are mild and precipitation is minimal, as it has distinct wet and dry seasons.
Start planning your trip to Thailand
Start thinking about your experience. These itineraries are simply suggestions for how you could enjoy some of the same experiences as our specialists. They’re just for inspiration, because your trip will be created around your particular tastes.
