Thailand is world-renowned for its temples, beaches and fiery cuisine. The country’s beaches get special mention and often more than their fair share of media attention because they bedazzle even seasoned beach lovers who have been “to the moon and back” looking for the world’s best beaches.
With coasts on both its southwest and south-eastern seaboards and a scattering of islands in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Siam, it’s no easy feat to name the top 10 beaches in Thailand. Travelers clearly have their favorites, and here are the beaches they voted to be the best.
1) Ko Phi Phi
No other island defines Thai sun, sand and “sin” on the beach than this Hollywood legend. This group of 6 islands gained worldwide prominence after the 2000 film “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The location was shot at Ko Phi Phi Leh, one of the two main islands that make up the island group between Phuket and the Andaman Sea. The other big island, Ko Phi Phi Don, is a protected marine reserve featuring limestone formations sprinkled with natural-growth vegetation. Maya Bay is said to be the quintessential Thai beach unparalleled in scenery throughout the country.
2) Koh Phangan
Nothing screams “Full Moon Party” louder than Haad Rin Nok or Sunrise Beach, the definition of party beach that eclipses all other party beaches on earth. All the imaginable sort of hedonistic indulgences take place once a month in this golden sand island, and a devout sunworshipper slash party animal would be remiss in her moral obligation if she fails to make a pilgrimage to this bacchanalian mecca at least once in her lifetime. FMPs pierce Thailand’s beach serenity in varying decibels, but it is the FMP in Koh Phangan that is the loudest of them all – a riotous mash-up of Rio Carnival, Germany’s Oktoberfest and Las Vegas’ no-holds-barred nightlife all rolled into an island of neon-painted bodies cartwheeling in all directions.
3) Koh Mak
On the quiet front, Koh Mak tops the list. Named by the British “The Sunday Times” as one of their “Top Ten Beaches in the World,” this off-the-tourist-radar island on the Gulf of Thailand near Cambodia indeed lives up to its reputation. An embodiment of tropical paradise, Koh Mak is dotted with pristine forests and fringed with deserted beaches and sparkling waters, but without the over-development that has taken place in well-trodden Ko Phi Phi, Pattaya and Phuket. Plus, with a population of only 600, Koh Mak is tranquil and worlds removed from what happens in mainland Thailand and crowded islands. Koh Mak can easily be said as light years away from the madness that is Sunrise Beach in Koh Phangan.
4) Patong, Phuket
Patong is where most night-time action takes place in Phuket that it has earned a reputation as a deliciously decadent destination of sorts. By day, the heart-thumping sounds of discos and bars are replaced by the incessant whirrs and vrooms of jet skis, and gyrating bodies at night lie indulgent on soft white sands or wash off the evening’s sweat in its warm waters. Highly mature, Patong is where travelers can get the best of both worlds – convenience at their fingertips and the marvels of nature within reach.
5) Koh Lipe
A small jewel of an island in the Andaman Sea off the coast of southwest Thailand near the Malaysian border, Koh Lipe boasts of Pattaya Beach (not the same as Pattaya City, a beach resort on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand), a long stretch of fine white sands that offer an unparallelled view of limestone cliffs and blazing sunsets. Despite increasing tourist footprint, Koh Lipe still retains that small island charm where accommodation is simple but the joy that beach life offers is profound.
6) Bophut, Koh Samui
Bophut is a newcomer in the Thailand beach scene not because it lacks the natural requisites to be a tropical favorite but because it is only starting to build tourist infrastructure to cater to accommodation-needy travelers. White sand, swaying palms, legendary sunsets, a dash of Chinese influence, and surprisingly affordable Thai massage are all major tourist draws.
7) Rai Leh
Cut off from the rest of Krabi province by towering limestone massifs, Rai Leh is best approached by a longtail boat. Popular among rock climbers all over the world, Rai Leh also teases the senses with its desolate white sand beaches, clear, calm, shallow and azure waters that are as irresistible to swimmers as the limestone massifs are to rock climbers.
8) Ao Bang Thao, Phuket
Who can resist calm waters during high season and surf-friendly waves during low? With an 8-kilometer stretch of white beach, Ao Bang Thao offers the comforts and pleasures of a posh holiday and a private commune with the gods of the sea away from the crowd of Patong. The lavish Laguna Complex may scare away backpackers, but this stretch of Phuket (one of Phuket’s longest) has something for everyone.
9) Pattaya
No visit to Thailand can ever be complete without experiencing the second most-crowded destination after Bangkok. The Pattaya Bay Area (no relations to the smaller Pattaya Beach of Koh Lipe) is as famous for its nightlife as it is for its brown-red sandy beach in the central part of the town resort. What makes Pattaya brisk in both commerce and beach activities is its wealth of entertainment options ranging from family friendly and holistic wats, museums and botanical gardens, to sybaritic and adults-only “kathoey” cabaret shows and the largest LGBT scene Asia has even seen.
10) Koh Lanta
Two hours away from either Krabi, Phuket or Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta is an alternative destination for the beach lover who wants to get away from endless partying (of Phuket) and teeming crowds (of Koh Phi Phi). Koh Lanta easily fits the bill for the traveler who wants to have some alone time in a scenic getaway without being too far away from the conveniences of modern vacationing. Although the west coast of Koh Lanta Yai (big Lanta island) is strung with accommodations of all types, the islands (including Koh Lanta Noi or the small island) are rarely ever filled to capacity such that a handful of (golden and white) beaches remain pristine and undeveloped, a boon to the older crowd who would rather take long stroll along the beach than party all night. Long Beach, so aptly named, is a long strip of white sand popular for child-friendly swimming and easy lounging.
