Ao Yon
There are actually two Ao Yons lying south of Capa Panwa and they are separated by a rocky headland. Ao Yon junior is home to a large shrimp farm but is actually very attractive and virtually deserted with
a great view out to Chalong Bay and Lone Island. At the far western end, an ice cold stream coming down from the hills (there is a waterfall behind the beach) meets the sea. If you head over the hill and round the bend you will come to Ao Yon senior. Here it is best to leave your car on the main road and walk down one of the several paths leading to the sea. Ao Yon sparkles at any time of day and is a gem of a beach. Phuket Yacht Club is located here.
Bang Tao
Bang Tao is an area that’s still relatively undeveloped, and where most of the locals live as they did years ago, by fishing, farming and growing rubber trees. Bang Tao is the ideal place to leave everything behind and do nothing more demanding than eat fresh seafood in between bouts of suntanning.
Bang Tao beach is one of the longest on the island, and has been named by Forbes as one of Asia’s Best Beaches. In the middle of this 6 Km long stretch of stunning tropical beach are a few sunbeds and restaurants, whilst at the northern section you may often find that you have the beach entirely to yourself. During high season the sea is flat, calm and clear, but one should be more careful of the waves between May and October.
Convenient for golfing, there are a few scenic international courses to be found near the Bang Tao area, with a backdrop of tropical palm trees and heavily wooded hills.
Bang Tao is slowly developing into an upmarket area and attracting holiday-makers from all around the world. Many of the villas and apartments are located near the beach-front area, making them very
desirable for vacation rental, whilst others are situated in the hills where the ocean views are out of this world.
Boat Lagoon
The Boat Lagoon, next door to the Royal Phuket Marina, both offer the usual yacht storage, mooring and services, as well as a range of accommodation. Shopping, dining, fitness and leisure are also well catered for, making this an all-round community. The east coast location is away from the tourist crowds, making for a more relaxing atmosphere.
Cape Panwa
Hidden away in the southeast of the island, Cape Panwa is a new discovery for Phuket holiday-makers. Luxury holiday homes are in demand here as almost all of them have spectacular ocean views, and the area still retains its air of tranquility – you won’t see hawkers or even glimpse a jet-ski here.
The beaches are beautiful and undeveloped, with scenic hilltops overlooking them. In some places the sand is not as fine as other Phuket beaches, but that’s more than made up for by the vistas across Chalong Bay to the east and Phang Nga Bay to the west. Luxury villas are scattered along the coastline but aren’t that noticeable, tucked away between traditional fishermen’s huts and the mangrove trees.
Khao Khad viewpoint is a romantic spot to seek out as it commands the best views in all directions, where even Phi Phi Island can be clearly seen on a bright sunny day.
On Cape Panwa, amongst the peace and beauty of the surrounding area, it’s hard to believe that Phuket Town is only 15 minutes away. This area provides a tranquil haven for anyone searching for a private
escape, far from the madding crowds.
Take a trip by long-tail out to Koh Lone, or just relax on your own private terrace and watch the boats plying the clear calm waters surrounding this jewel of Southeast Asia.
Cape Yamu
Situated between Pa Klok and Ao Phor, Cape Yamu stretches out into Phang Nga Bay, providing one of the most peaceful and picturesque locations on the island. Relatively unpopulated, Cape Yamu has become popular with a few luxury developments taking advantage of the beauty and serenity of the area.
Chalong
Chalong Bay is situated on the southeast coast of Phuket, owning a large pier where tour boats and diving expeditions are boarded. This isn’t a great beach for sunbathing or swimming, but taking a stroll
along Chalong Pier always provides great views of the outlaying island. Within a short distance of the pier, you will find some high quality beachside restaurants and bars to enjoy.
Kalim
Located just outside of Patong, Kalim benefits from all of the amenities but at a much slower pace. A small, almost always deserted beach is pleasant for early morning or evening strolls. New developments and properties reach back into the hills and enjoy fantastic mountain and sea views. High end restaurants have made Kalim a more exclusive area and a food lover’s delight.
Kamala
This two kilometre long stretch of sand is situated on the west coast, south of Surin and north of Patong. This is relatively peaceful beach when compared to the major tourist laden beaches. Here you can enjoy a secluded afternoon sunbathing or relaxing in the nearby restaurants that offer great sea-views.
Not far from the airport, Kamala is also convenient for exclusive one-off shopping boutiques selling Thai silk, Chinese antiques and Phuket pearls. Natural healing and spas with herbal steam baths and sauna treatments are offered in the area using holistic therapies dating back hundreds of years.
Affordable villas in Kamala exist in harmony with the natural surroundings, many inspired by Thai culture and featuring a combination of indoor and outdoor environments and dramatic landscaping.
Contemporary styled holiday homes built to Western standards will delight and enchant anyone visiting Phuket on holiday.
Karon
Karon covers a large area, stretching a few kilometres from Kata in the south to the headland that separates it from Patong, as well as some distance inland. There are a wide variety of shops, restaurants, markets and entertainment venues to explore in this area, but the northern section is small enough to walk around and easily explore the beach, shops, bars and eateries of all types.
The beach in Karon has fine white sand and soft rolling sand dunes with a sprinkling of evergreen trees. Wilder than Kata, particularly during the low season from May to October, Karon is also less crowded, and the wide open promenade lends itself for a romantic evening stroll.
Karon is great for windsurfing and kiteboarding as there is plenty of space to manoeuvre, but you can also find waterskiing and parasailing here, and as the sun goes down out come the volleyball players.
There is plenty to entertain during the evenings here too. Spend the evening immersed in Thai culture, watching classical Thai dancing and music performances, followed by delicious Thai or foreign cuisine.
Karon has an abundance of luxury villas and apartments with ocean views, high quality facilities, and all the amenities you could wish for when on vacation in this exotic tropical destination. Choose your getaway amongst the tropical flora in a hillside private villa, or just a stone’s throw away from the fantastic sandy beach.
Kata
Located in the south west of the island, Kata is one of the most interesting and charming parts of Phuket, and has plenty to offer visitors here on vacation. Not as busy as Patong, Kata offers a more sedate night-life intermingled with fine cuisine and plenty of entertainment.
Families, couples and independent travellers love the long, golden beach. The waters are often calmer than other beaches on this coastline, and in December the ocean is littered with colourful yachts in
preparation for Asia’s leading sailing event, the Kings Cup Regatta, where there is a week of yacht racing.
Watch the sea and listen to the waves whilst enjoying first-class dining at one of the beachfront restaurants. Or treat yourself to a healing massage and spa treatment, before enjoying the sunset
with an exotic cocktail in hand.
Kata has luxury serviced villas for holiday rental, with impressive views of the ocean and surrounding mountains, and all the best amenities at your disposal. Many private holiday homes here are situated high on the hillside, where you are rewarded with panoramic views and peaceful starry nights.
Kathu
The central location of Kathu means the west coast beaches are just as easily reached as the Phuket Town area, with shopping, schools and hospitals. Golf courses are a main feature here and the slow pace
of life is continued with waterfalls and a peaceful reservoir, which is great to walk around or have a picnic by. A range of tourist activities are ideal for kids, such as elephant trekking, cable waterskiing and karting. Central Festival is located here.
Koh Kaew
The Koh Kaew area encompasses Sapam, the Boat Lagoon and the Royal Phuket Marina, as well as further inland near the British International School. Located on the main trunk road through Phuket Town, the nearby bypass road offers access to the south and many shopping venues. This busy Thai area is dotted with luxury apartments and villas, taking advantage of the central location and views over the bay.
Koh Maprao / Coconut Island
Although Koh Maprao is only a few kilometers away from Phuket, the two islands are completely different. While Phuket is a world-famous island known as the pearl of Andaman, Maprao is just small island hardly known to the world. But this island has impressed countless visitors with its fascinating nature, its friendly people, and its agro-tourism. Although Koh Maprao is just a small island, there still is a fascinating beach called Haad Yao, which is a long sandy beach with peaceful surroundings.
Laguna
This large hotel and residential complex is set in 1,000 acres of tropical parkland, along an 8km stretch of Bang Tao beach. With 7 luxury hotels, 4 villa developments, a golf course and a full range of facilities, Laguna is in a world of its own. The prestigious, world famous name has chosen one of the best beaches in Phuket and created the most breathtaking surroundings.
Layan
North of Bang Tao on the west coast, Layan is a secluded destination, convenient for the airport and not too far from the main roads that will take you to the rest of the island. With some of the most scenic spots you can imagine, it’s a place that takes you away from all of life’s little worries.
Layan hills act as the backdrop to many affordable, yet exclusive vacation villas and apartments, just a few minutes’ walk away from the glorious beach and a short drive to local dining venues. Featuring sea views, all modern conveniences and tasteful décor, these holiday homes have everything you could desire for a romantic island vacation.
Layan Beach guarantees you a tranquil break away from it all. The perfect image for a picture postcard, its solitude is due to the winding road that makes it the perfect getaway; turquoise waters and white
powdery sand, with just a few beach chairs, the palm trees, and the sound of the waves.
Layan is not far from many of the island’s activities, including international top golf courses, popular beach resorts, and other high end entertainment, spas, and shopping areas.
Loch Palm
At the Loch Palm Golf Club at Kathu, you have the choice of two high-quality golf courses at your disposal. The long-established Loch Palm Golf Course and the recently built Red Mountain Golf Course are both supremely constructed courses set to test even the best players. The Loch Palm Golf Course is centred around its Crystal Lake, which is a massive 48 acres in size.
Mai Khao
Surprisingly enough, this is the longest beach in Phuket. Situated in the far north of the island, this beach is also known as the ‘airport beach’, due to its close proximity to Phuket International Airport. This beach is a typical northern Phuket beach, generally deserted and a great place to relax. Swimmers should be careful because of the steep slopes, which hold many unseen dangers.
Mission Hills
Golfing demigod, Jack Nicklaus, designed the Phuket branch of the world-famous Mission Hills brand. How is that for name-dropping! The Mission Hills Golf Course is one of the flattest in Phuket,
but nonetheless is still a testing experience. This 18-hole golf course is set over an area of 6,806 yards of Paspalum Sea Isle 1 grass fairways and Paspalum Sea Isle 2000 grass greens. One of the unique features of the course is that 9 holes are actually floodlit and can be played at night.
Nai Harn
The area of Nai Harn is located just to the north-west of the southern-most tip of Phuket island, and is popular with both visitors and locals alike. One of the island’s most peaceful locations, this is the place to go if you want to get away from it all.
The beach is long, wide and quite undeveloped – perfect for enjoying a drink whilst watching the sunset. Just behind the large trees which shade a number of restaurants overlooking the beach, is a Buddhist
monastery, which lends a tranquil ambience to the beachfront. The bay is calm during the high season and is used as a mooring place for yachts. The normally tranquil waters can be quite wild in the low season though, drawing surfers and others who enjoy the larger waves during this season.
Behind the beachfront there are also a beautiful freshwater lagoon and park that attract cyclists and joggers during the early mornings and evenings. Very close to Nai Harn is Promthep Cape, one of Phuket’s most stirring seascapes, and a very popular spot for sunset watching.
Live the tropical life by renting a holiday home in this serene haven. This quiet area is the perfect location for family holidays, with convenient shops and restaurants, as well as a great beachfront.
Nai Thon
When people use the term ‘untapped’, they were thinking of Nai Thon Beach. This secluded bay clings to the south side of Sirinat National Park and is a thing of immense natural beauty. The beach is ideal for swimmers, not only because of the privacy you receive, but also because the bay is protected at both ends by granite outcrops that serve as a shield against the elements.
Nai Yang
Nai Yang is idyllically located on a part of the northwest coast of Phuket which falls under the protection of the Nai Yang National Marine Park, making it a relatively unpoilt and tranquil area. Tall casuarina trees line the beautiful beach stretching along the secluded bay at Nai Yang, which is so laid back that most people staying here can’t help it but to ditch the weight on their shoulders and slip into castaway mode.
The southern end of Nai Yang has a number of charming Thai-style restaurants right on the beach, where you can sit at a table right on the sand if you like, to eat or have a drink. There are also some rustic bars here, offering all the usual drinks in a friendly and relaxed beach setting – a great spot for gazing at a spectacular tropical sunset whilst enjoying the quiet atmosphere of this tranquil area.
To complete this picture, there are some massage huts where you can have your aches and pains kneaded away, while listening to the natural rhythms of the sea and a gentle tropical breeze sighing through the trees.
The northern end of Nai Yang borders on the Sirinath National Park and here you will often see food cart vendors serving freshly barbecued seafood and drinks to local Thai people sitting in the shade under the large trees or splashing around in the sea. This is a favourite picnic spot, and a great place to savour Thai delicacies that you won’t normally find on restaurant menus.
Also under the protection of the National Park is a coral reef at the northern end of the beach, behind which bathers are afforded the luxury of relatively safe swimming all year round. Nai Yang beach is also a favourite with kite-boarders and windsurfers during the windier months between June and August. There are also a few salas (open-sided pavilions) here, in which to relax out of the sun and enjoy the cool sea breeze.
Going north out of Nai Yang the road will take you to the airport in less than 10 minutes. Although Nai Yang is so close to the airport, and one can often see the planes approaching from over the sea, there is no real disturbance from aircraft noise in the area. This road is also the way to the world famous Blue Canyon Country Club, with its two internationally renowned championship golf courses, which is about 15 minutes’ drive from Nai Yang.
From Nai Yang going south there is a winding road that will take you through all of the other beach towns on the west coast, with some great ocean views along the way. Following this road all the way to Patong will take at least 40 minutes by car though, so people usually get there via one of the roads that lead to the central north-south highway.
Pak Lok
Pak Lok is to the east of Heroines Monument and is a mixture of traditional Thai homes, low cost residential estates and high end properties. A peaceful and undeveloped area, the air is clean and fresh and those near to the coast enjoy views over Phang Nga Bay. The main road winds its way through the village and up towards Mission Hills Golf Course and eventually back round towards the airport. Paklok is also the home of Ao Por Grand Marina.
Patong
Patong is one of the main holiday areas in Phuket, and has undergone a lot of development in comparison to many other areas. Although there are some secluded spots still to be found, don’t expect a
quiet break if you plan to stay here… Patong is all about non-stop action and party.
Patong Beach is a beautiful bay of golden sand embraced by rolling hills, and generally packed with sunbathers, jet-skis, hawkers and long-tail boats. A popular place at sunset, you can enjoy the view
and a cool drink here, or directly over the road there are plenty of places to sit back and soak up the buzz.
There are a wealth of activities to entertain in this busy resort town – the streets are full of shopping opportunities and restaurants offering international cuisine from every country. If you like the
nightlife then this is the place for you. Or, as many visitors to Phuket do, you could opt to stay in a quieter area and just come into Patong for shopping and partying when you’re in the mood.
You can find all kinds of affordable sports and entertainment in Patong, and its central location on the west coast makes it the ideal base from which to explore the rest of the island. Within easy reach are 6 golf courses, first-class spas, and numerous water-based activities and dive shops.
To get the most out of this tropical destination, try renting an apartment away from the crowded beach-front, or even high on the hillside where the best sea views are all yours.
Rawai
Rawai is a destination that attracts tourists as well as locals, due to its casual atmosphere and proximity to Rawai and Nai Harn Beaches. It is the perfect base from which to explore the south of Phuket island.
Rawai beach isn’t a sunbather’s paradise, as the beach is quite narrow and often chock full of boats, all ready to take you out on a fishing trip or an excursion to one of the nearby islands. Coral island, Racha Noi and Bon island are just a few of the islands you can explore by boat from Rawai. Find a deserted golden sand beach, and have it all to yourself, or discover the colourful underwater sea life by snorkeling or Scuba diving, or just enjoy a relaxing and therapeutic swim in the tranquil, warm ocean.
There is a sea gypsy village next to Rawai pier, and most of the inhabitants make their living from fishing. Stop by the market to take some interesting photos and buy souvenirs or fresh seafood. Not far
from Rawai is Promthep Cape, the southernmost point of the island, where you can regularly capture the most amazing images of the stunning sunsets.
If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat in Thailand, then a private pool villa is the ideal getaway for you. Indulge yourself by staying in a sumptuously decorated holiday home offering the latest in facilities and services.
Surin
Surin is a choice destination with more than its share of luxury holiday homes, elegant restaurants and stylish wine bars and night spots to frequent. The area’s casual outlook and upmarket amenities have
caught the attention of some of the more affluent residents of Phuket, many of whom have built dream homes dotted around the hilltops overlooking the beautiful Andaman Sea.
Surin still maintains a village atmosphere though, and beach life here is also more laid back – you won’t find jet-skis or banana boats here, as with some of the busier southern beaches. Wide and lengthy, with majestic casuarina trees as a backdrop, Surin beach is an idyllic place to feast on delicious fresh seafood, and there are plenty of restaurants located right on the beach itself, perfect for that romantic evening occasion.
There’s a wealth of activities to choose from in this area. Nearby are a number of international golf courses, and some of the best diving opportunities in the region. There are also a number of spas in the
area, ready to pamper you with a herbal spa treatment, relaxing massage, or revitalising body wrap.
Surin has a wealth of luxury villas and apartments, offering modern comforts and 5+ star facilities in a tropical paradise. Whether you are in Thailand with your family, as a couple, or on business, your accommodation needs can definitely be met – and surpassed – with an ocean view holiday home in Surin.
Thalang
Thalang is the northernmost district of Phuket province, the other two being Muang and Kathu. To the north is Takua Thung of Phang Nga Province, separated by the Pak Prah strait. Thalang contains the Khao Phra Thaeo Non-hunting Area, which protects a swath of rainforest. The Heroines Monument in the south of the district commemorates the local heroines Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Sri Sunthon, who forced the Burmese army to retreat.
