BEACHES

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Kata Beach has it all – beautiful soft sand, nodding palm trees, clean waters with a soft seabed, good surfing in the low season and snorkelling in the high season, and a fantastic laid-back atmosphere. Colourful long-tail boats are moored at the northern end, with a few budget food and drinks vendors often found nearby, while the southern end has a choice of beachfront hotels and restaurants and an exciting flow rider park at Surf House. At about 1.5 km in length, Kata Beach doesn’t usually get too crowded, either.

Kata Noi is the neighbour to Kata Beach (the name literally means 'little Kata Beach'), Kata Noi is just under 700 metres long but is an amazingly beautiful spot. The sand here is among the finest, the sea among the nicest and the surrounding restaurants among the best in Phuket. There are only a couple of hotels along its length, but they too are rated among the best available. A much quieter place than its big brother to the north, it has a more peaceful and relaxed atmosphere while still offering the same great surfing and snorkelling opportunities.

Ya Nui is one of Phuket’s smallest beaches and yet is amazingly popular for its size. It has a total length of less than 200 metres in an L-shaped curve. The shore has beautiful sand and sea and offers striking scenery, set just beneath Windmill Viewpoint. The beach’s rocky outcrop is somewhat iconic, is easy to climb on for striking holiday snaps and helps create great conditions for snorkelers. In spite of its small size, there's a good selection of nearby restaurants, vendors and accommodation options.

The name says it all – Paradise! Less than 200 metres in length and with a little rocky headland making it technically 2 beaches, this tiny cove near Patong has calm waters with a soft seabed pretty much throughout the year. The lovely white sand is shaded by nodding palm trees which look like they came straight off the cover of a holiday brochure. Being the home of Paradise Beach Club, the little cove has a great choice of facilities, including restaurants, bars, sea kayaks, beach chairs and more. It's also the home of Phuket’s only Koh Phangan-style beach parties.

The 660-metre-long Nai Harn Beach was once a quiet and secluded spot at the southern end of Phuket. It has been very definitively 'discovered' and continues to grow in popularity. Even so, thanks to the relatively small size of the bay and the presence of a large lake almost immediately behind the beach, the spot hasn’t been excessively developed, so it retains its quiet charm. With its soft sand, lifeguards on station and very gently sloping soft seabed, it's quite a family-friend beach, with a good choice of hotels, shops and restaurants nearby. On windier days, it is also a good spot for kite-surfing.

No list of the best beaches in Phuket could be complete without mentioning Patong. Undoubtedly the most popular stretch of coastline on the island, the beach could be said to be a victim of its own popularity, being generally busy right along its 2.5 km length. However, there's no part of Phuket with a livelier atmosphere. The town behind the beach is home to many great restaurants and hotels, as well as the best of Phuket’s nightlife, while the beach itself has nice sand and offers plenty of attractions and activities.

Karon Beach has the interesting honour of having the squeakiest sand in Phuket. Fine and soft, it makes a funny sound when you walk on it. At 3.3 km in length, it's the third-longest beach in Phuket and is close to being perfectly straight. It's beautifully lined with trees for a lot of the southern end, with volleyball nets and beachfront restaurants in the northern half. The sea here is very approachable, though it is noted for its strong riptides in the low season. There are virtually no rocks along the length of the beach, so you can take a cooling dip with no risk of hurting your feet.

Beautiful and almost deserted, Banana Beach (sometimes called 'Banana Rock Beach') is not known to many people in Phuket as it's relatively isolated. Nevertheless, it's one of Phuket's most glittering gems as far as beaches go, and has the aura of a 'hidden beach'.The beach is 180 metres long and features beautifully clear water. At high tide the waves can sometimes wash up as high as the tree line, so care should be taken when it comes to picking a spot to lay your towel. The extreme southern and northern ends are perhaps the best bet.