Thailand Beaches

Photo courtesy of Flickr. All rights reserved.

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia. What many people don’t realize is that it’s a relatively large country and it’s not all bounded by water. Thailand beaches are either located on the Andaman Sea or the Gulf of Thailand, and most of Thailand’s best beaches are located on small offshore islands.

Map courtesy of wikimedia commons. All rights reserved.

Where to Go on a Thailand Beaches Vacation

If you’re going to Thailand for a beach vacation, you probably want to go to one or more of these highly-rated beaches:

Pattaya Beach, Koh Lipe

Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe has a lot to offer. One of the closest beaches to Bangkok, it’s not “remote” in any way, shape, or form. The beach is a 2.5-mile (4 km) crescent with numerous attractions, hotels, nightlife, shopping and activities.

Sunrise Beach, Koh Pha Ngan

Sunrise Beach on Koh Pha Ngan is famous for its 3 day long full moon parties with drinking, dancing, and cavorting on the white sand beach under the full moon.

Sunset Beach, Koh Pha Ngan

Sunset Beach isn’t far from Sunrise Beach, but it’s much quieter and more relaxed. That makes Sunset Beach the best of both worlds if you want to combine partying and R & R. Sunset Beach is 1.25 miles (2 km) of wide sandy beach, blue water, and warm sun.

Photo courtesy of flickr. All rights reserved.

Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi

According to jetsetter.com, “Maya Bay is always teeming with snorkelers, beach bums, and every other type of tourist imaginable, all shuttled in by ferries, catamarans, and long boats from Phuket and Krabi. But that said, the lush cliff-sheltered bay – with its silky white sands, exceptionally clear waters, and exotic marine life – still warrants a visit. Oh, and if it looks familiar, you’re probably a Leonardo DiCaprio fan (I mean, who isn’t); this is where The Beach was filmed, after all.”

Silver Beach, Koh Samui

Silver Beach is a crescent beach set in a bay near Lamai Beach. It’s less touristy than Lamai Beach and has good opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing on the beach.

Railay Beach, Krabi

Railay Beach is one of the most popular and photographed beaches in Thailand. (The picture at the top of this webpage is of Railay Beach.) It’s accessible only by boat because of the high limestone cliffs surrounding the beach, and its popular with rock climbers as well as beach lovers.

Kata Beach, Phuket

Phuket is the most popular island for foreign travelers in Thailand because it has both beautiful beaches and the infrastructure most tourists want. That’s one of the reasons Kata Beach ranks so highly. It has soft white sand and crystal clear water; it’s lined with palm trees: it’s popular with families and couples; and there are plenty of hotels, restaurants, shopping and nightlife nearby, but it isn’t all crazy partying.

Photo courtesy of wikimedia commons. All rights reserved.

Thailand Beach Resorts

According to the Luxury Travel Expert, Thailand’s 7 best beach resorts are:

Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood

Four Seasons, Koh Samui

Rayavadee, Krabi

Amanpuri, Phuket

Banyan Tree, Phuket

Como Point Yamu, Phuket

Six Senses Yao Noi, Phuket

As you can see, many of Thailand’s best beaches aren’t located near its best resorts. On the other hand, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Krabi have hotels and beaches on the best lists.

If you’re looking for a bucket list beach vacation, Thailand’s beaches may be the answer.