Phuket
Comparatively quiet and laid-back by Phuket standards, Hat Kamala is a well-enclosed sugar-white strand with a mostly rustic feel, framed between green…
Must-see attractions in Phuket & the Andaman Coast
Phuket Town
Painted in a striking yellowy-mango shade, this ancient building has a unique, early 1990s four-storey clock tower and a traditional police-cap roof. The…
Railay
Halfway along the trail linking Hat Railay East to Hat Tham Phra Nang, a sharp 'path' leads up the jungle-cloaked cliff wall to this hidden lagoon. The…
Phuket
Get a glimpse of Thailand's wondrous underwater world at Phuket's popular aquarium, by the harbour on the tip of Laem Phanwa (12km south of Phuket Town)…
Ranong Province
Located 12km south of Ranong, this 668-sq-km park preserves a rainforest and a 300m-high tiered waterfall. A short trail leads up to a section of the…
Khao Sok National Park
Reached on foot from the southwestern shore of Chiaw Lan Lake, Tham Nam Thalu contains striking limestone formations and subterranean streams. It is only…
Khao Sok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is close to the Andaman Sea, and possesses the classic Andaman topography: signature fern-covered limestone cliffs that shoot…
Railay
At the eastern end of Hat Tham Phra Nang is this important shrine for local fisherfolk (Muslim and Buddhist), who make offerings of carved wooden…
Phuket
A beautiful sweep of blonde sand washed by Andaman waves, Hat Surin was hit particularly hard by the Phuket beach clean-up, with all of its beach bars,…
Phuket
Local beach addicts will tell you that cliff-framed Laem Singh, 1km south of Surin, conceals one of the island's most beautiful beaches. Boats run to Laem…
Phuket
Within the southern boundaries of Sirinat National Park, Hat Layan's beautiful white-gold sands make up the northernmost tip of Hat Bang Thao. Pines…
Phang-Nga Province
A dam at the mouth of this cave created an artificial river, which visitors can explore, first by kayak and then bamboo raft as the cave narrows…
Phuket
Dotted with a few upmarket resorts, Phuket’s longest beach is a beautiful, secluded 10km stretch of pearl-white national park sand extending from just…
Phuket
A lovely protected strip of fine, golden west-coast sand fringed by jungle, 7km south of the airport and blissfully removed from Phuket's busy buzz. The…
Hat Patong
If Patong is getting to you, escape to this more peaceful slice of golden sand and clear aqua water. It's just 15 minutes or a 1500B (return) long-tail…
Phuket
The liveliest and most developed of Phuket's three relaxed northern national park beaches, this sandy blonde casuarina-shaded bay, 3km south of the…
Phuket
About 700m north of Laem Phromthep, tucked between the cape and Hat Nai Harn where the road dips down to the sea, is this gorgeous mellow cove with a…
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
Behind park headquarters at Ao Pante Malacca, on the northwest side of the island, a steep 500m (20-minute) trail winds through the jungle below a…
Hat Kata
From this majestic clifftop lookout, views sweep across Kata to the northern reaches of Karon and, to the south, wrap around the coast to Laem Phromthep…
Ko Lipe
With its slender strip of golden sand, gentle jungle-covered hills and serene bay that spills into the Adang Strait on the western side of the island, Hat…
Ko Lipe
Hat Sunrise, a sublime long stretch of powder-fine sand, runs along Ko Lipe's east coast and is the best beach on the island. From its northernmost point,…
Phuket
For a sensational sunset view that doesn't involve jostling through quite so many crowds as at Laem Phromthep, hunt down this slightly more secluded…
Phuket
Though not quite the secret it once was, this silky little tucked-away beach, 2km south of Hat Nai Thon, makes a refreshingly rustic Phuket escape. From a…
Phuket
This busy mosque provides a good insight into Phuket village life and makes an interesting change of scene from the beach. Its cream-coloured facade and…
Libong Archipelago Wildlife Reserve
Trang Beaches & Islands
This large mangrove area on Ko Libong's east coast at Laem Ju Hoi is protected by the Botanical Department. The sea channels are one of the last habitats…
Hat Kata
Hat Kata is carved in two by a jutting headland. Blonde Hat Kata Yai (known as the main Kata beach) lies on the north side, while Hat Kata Noi unravels to…
Ranong Province
This hot-spring area 6km south of Ranong offers several pools of varying temperatures and a cooler pool for swimming fed by a stream. Your entry ticket…
Ko Phi-Phi
This northeastern beach is long, white and sandy with a small chow lair (sea gypsies, also spelt chao leh) settlement at its northern end. Despite the…
Ao Phang-Nga Marine National Park
A stilted Muslim village clings to this small karst island, where most tours dock for lunch. It's busy, but Ao Phang-Nga tour operators can arrange for…
Phuket
This 4km-long west-coast stretch of squeaky-fine sand is popular with families and, while it does get busy, there's always plenty of space to spread out.
Trang Beaches & Islands
A short signposted track at the south end of the main beach leads past the Paradise Lost guesthouse and over the ridge to Hat Sunset, a mostly wet and…
Railay
This beach is a near-flawless white wonder and is the best place in Railay to swim, join an afternoon pick-up football game or watch a fiery sunset. It’s…
Railay
A steep, rough trail leads to this viewpoint, which offers fine vistas over the peninsula. The trail is halfway along the path linking Hat Railay East to…
Ko Phi-Phi
Ao Lo Bakao's fine stretch of northeastern palm-backed sand, ringed by dramatic hills, is one of Phi-Phi’s loveliest, with offshore views over aqua bliss…
Ko Lanta
This is thatched-roof, Rasta-bar bliss, with beach volleyball, moon parties and the occasional well-advertised mushroom shake. Still, it’s all pretty low…
Ko Lanta
A luscious, nearly forgotten cove at the southwestern curve just before the cape, this is one of Lanta's finest beaches. It's backed by elegant palm…
Ko Phi-Phi
This stretch of pure-white south-coast beach is perfect for swimming, but don’t expect to have it to yourself – it’s lively and popular with families,…
Phuket
Kamala was one of Phuket's worst-hit areas during the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. The 2006 Heart of the Universe Memorial pays tribute to lost loved ones…
Phuket
Just north of Hat Surin, this exquisite little secluded strip of white-gold sand fringed by green-clad headlands is home to two exclusive resorts. The…
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
The large stream flowing inland from Ao Pante Malacca, on northwest Ko Tarutao, leads to Tham Jara-Khe, once home to deadly saltwater crocodiles. The cave…
