Beach sights in Andaman Coast
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Hat Bang Ben
The most accessible beach in the park is Hat Bang Ben, where the park headquarters are. This long, sandy beach, backed by shady casuarinas, is said to be safe for swimming year-round. From Hat Bang Ben you can see several islands, including the nearby Ko Kam Yai, Ko Kam Noi, Mu Ko Yipun, Ko Khang Khao and, to the north, Ko Phayam. The park staff can arrange boat trips out to any of these islands. During low tide you can walk to an island just a couple of hundred metres from Hat Bang Ben.
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Ko Phayam
Ko Phayam has plenty of places to stay and is a friendly, demure little island. It has only a few hundred inhabitants, mostly Thais and Burmese, with a smattering of expats and a few dozen chow lair (sea gypsies) thrown into the mix. Tourists congregate on the island's pretty beaches, but locals support themselves prawn fishing, cashew-nut farming or working on the rubber plantations. Interesting fauna in the area includes wild pigs, hornbills, monkeys and snakes.
There's one 'village' on the island, where you will find the main pier, a couple of simple eateries, some small grocery stalls and a bar. From the pier area, motorcycle taxis scoot you to the bungalow operations…
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Hat Mai Khao
Hat Mai Khao is Phuket's longest beach. Sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach here between November and February each year. A visitors centre with toilets, showers and picnic tables can be found at Mai Khao, from where there are some short trails through the casuarinas to a steep beach. Take care when swimming at Mai Khao, as there's a strong year-round undertow.
Except on weekends and holidays you'll have this place almost entirely to yourself; even during peak periods, peace and solitude are usually only a few steps away, as there's so much space here.
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Laem Singh
Local beach boffins will tell you that Laem Singh is one of the best capes on the island. Walled in by cliffs, there is no road access so you have to park on the headland and clamber down a narrow path. You could camp here and eat at the rustic roadside seafood places at the northern end of Singh or in Ban Kamala, a village further south. If you're renting a motorbike, this is a nice little trip down Rte 4025 and then over dirt roads from Surin to Kamala.
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Hat Nai Thon
Improved roads to Hat Nai Thon have brought only a small amount of development to this otherwise pristine coast backed by casuarina and pandanus trees. Down on the beach, umbrellas and sling chairs are available from vendors. Swimming is quite good here except at the height of the monsoon, and there is some coral near the headlands at either end of the bay.
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Hat Nai Yang
Hat Nai Yang is good for snorkelling and is popular with Thai tourists. About a kilometre off Nai Yang is a large reef at a depth of 10m to 20m. Snorkelling equipment can be hired at many of the hotels. Judging from the lie of the reef, there could be a surfable reef break here during the southwest monsoon.
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Ko Khang Khao
Ko Khang Khao is known for a beach on its northern end, which is covered with colourful pebbles. Although underwater visibility isn't great around the island, it's a little better than on Ko Chang as it's further from the mouth of the Mae Nam Chan.
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Hat Praphat
About 50km south of Hat Bang Ben, is Hat Praphat, very similar to Bang Ben with casuarinas and a long beach. There is a second park office here, which can be reached by road via Hwy 4 (Petchkasem Hwy).
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Ko Kam Noi
The beach on Ko Kam Noi has relatively clear water for swimming and snorkelling (April is the best month), plus the added bonus of fresh water year-round and plenty of grassy areas for camping.
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Toe-Boo Cliff
Next to the visitors centre at Ao Pante Malacca, a steep trail leads through the jungle to Toe-Boo Cliff, a dramatic rocky outcrop with fabulous views of Ko Adang and the surrounding islands.
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Ko Kam Tok
One island on the other side of Ko Kam Yai is Ko Kam Tok. It's only about 200m from Ko Kam Yai, and, like Ko Kam Noi, has a good beach, coral, fresh water and a camping ground.
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Hat Laem Son
About 3km north of Hat Bang Ben, across the canal, is another beach, Hat Laem Son, which is almost always deserted. The only way to get here is to hike from Hat Bang Ben.
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Hat Bang Niang
About 2.5km north of Hat Khao Lak, Hat Bang Niang was also flattened by the tsunami, but is well worth a trip if you are looking for a little more peace and quiet.
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Ko Kam Yai
Ko Kam Yai is 14km southwest of Hat Bang Ben. It's a large island with some accommodation (camping and bungalows), a pretty beach and great snorkelling.
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Hat Pa Sai
An excellent beach, but bring along a mountain bike (pick one up from your resort in Phuket) if you want to explore the island's numerous dirt trails.
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Hat Tha Khao
An excellent beach, but bring along a mountain bike (pick one up from your resort in Phuket) if you want to explore the island's numerous dirt trails.
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Ao Son
A 30-minute boat ride or 8km walk south of Ao Pante you'll find Ao Son, an isolated sandy bay where turtles nest between September and April.
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Hat Tiikut
One of the island's best beaches, lined with casuarina trees.
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Hat Lo Paa Raet
One of the island's best beaches, lined with coconut palms.
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Lonely Beach
The island's backpacker hang-out is the five-o'clock shadow of beaches, a bit scruffy but ready for fun. During the day, most sunbathers are baking off a hangover earned the night before when Lonely Beach becomes the most social place on the island. The music is loud, the drinks are strong and the crowd is youthful and carefree.
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Khlong Kloi
At the eastern end of Ao Bang Bao, Khlong Kloi is a sandy beach that feels a lot like a secret though there are other people here and all the requisite amenities (beer, fruit, food, massage) and a few guest houses if you want the place to yourself. You'll need private transport to get out here.
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Hat Sai Khao (White Sand Beach)
The longest, most luxurious stole of sand on the island is packed with package-tour hotels and serious sunbathers. Finding a blanket's-worth of sand can be tough during the high season, unless you wait until the hot hours of the afternoon or hike past KC Grande Resort towards the remarkably low-key backpacker area in the far northern section of the beach. Along the main road, the village is busy, loud and brash – but the extremities provide a convenient break.
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Hat Kai Mook (Pearl Beach)
The pearls here are large pebbles that pack the shore and culminate in fish-friendly headlands. Swimming and sunbathing are out but there's good snorkelling. The stylish restaurant Saffron by the Sea is a scenic perch should you prefer to wet your palette instead.
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Hat Kaibae
A companion beach to Khlong Prao, Hat Kaibae is a great spot for families and thirty-something couples. A slim strip of sand unfurls around an island-dotted bay far enough removed from the package tour scene that you'll feel self-righteously independent. There's kayaking to the outlying island and low tide provides hours of beachcombing.
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Ao Khlong Prao
A relaxed counterpoint to Hat Sai Khao's energy, Khlong Prao's beach is a pretty sweep of sand pinned between hulking mountainous headlands and bisected by two estuaries. At low tide, beachcombers stroll the rippled sand eyeing the critters left naked by the receding water. Sprawling luxury resorts dominate Khlong Prao and the primary pastime is sunbathing at seaside pools since high tide tends to gobble up most of the beach.
With hired transport, you can depart the beach for some waterfall-spotting. The island's biggest is Nam Tok Khlong Plu, a three-tiered cascade with a swimmable pool. It is reached via a 600m jungle path and is most stunning just after the rainy season…
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