Best Beaches in Thailand

Which part of Thailand has the best beaches?

Your boat noses onto white sand below a limestone cliff, and nobody else has arrived yet. The best beaches in Thailand sit on two coasts with opposite seasons. The Andaman coast, with Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi, has the cliffs and the sunsets, and is at its best from December to March. The Gulf coast, with Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, is best from February to April.

Choose the coast by your travel month. A Phuket beach in September can be grey, with red flags and big waves, while Koh Samui is often calm. In November it flips: the Andaman turns dry and the Gulf gets its heaviest rain.

The Andaman side has dramatic karst islands, deep blue water and long west-facing beaches for sunset. The Gulf side is softer, with palm-lined bays, shallow water and easy island hopping between Samui, Phangan and Tao.

You can combine both coasts. In February and March both are usually dry, and a short flight links them. With only one week, pick one coast and two bases rather than four hotels.

Our picks, by who is coming:

• Couples: Phra Nang Beach, Railay, for cliffs and calm water.
• Families: Kata Noi, Phuket, for a gentle bay in the dry season.
• Yacht days: Phang Nga Bay and the Hong islands, reached only by boat.
• Seclusion: Koh Kradan in Trang, or a private cove off Ang Thong.
• Nightlife nearby: Choeng Mon on Koh Samui, a short drive from Chaweng.

For island-by-island advice, read our guide to the best islands in Thailand.

Andaman coast beaches: Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi

The Andaman coast has Thailand's most dramatic beaches, and these six are the ones we book most. All are best between December and March.

Kata Noi (Phuket). A small bay south of Kata, framed by green hills. Best for families and swimmers in the dry season. Our note: arrive early for shade, and stay on the south side, where the sand is widest.

Fine resorts sit above Kata Noi, with good restaurants in Kata a short drive away.

Surin Beach (Phuket). A short, lively beach on the north-west coast, near some of Phuket's finest resorts. Best for a beach club lunch and sunset. Our note: in the monsoon, the Phuket provincial office has placed red flags here and told visitors not to swim.

Laem Sing (Phuket). A small cove between Surin and Kamala, reached by steps from the road. Best for couples who want a hidden feel. Our note: it is small and fills quickly at weekends, so go early or arrive by boat.

Speedboats link Phuket with Phi Phi, Krabi and Phang Nga Bay, and long-tail boats reach beaches with no road. On a private boat you see two or three of these beaches in one day.

Phra Nang Beach (Railay, Krabi). White sand below towering limestone cliffs, reached only by boat or on foot from Railay. Best for couples and photographers. Our note: stay at Rayavadee, on the peninsula, and walk to the beach before the day boats arrive. By late afternoon the cliffs throw shade on the sand.

Maya Bay (Phi Phi). The famous bay from the film The Beach, now protected. Best as a view, not a swim. Our note: swimming is banned, and the bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September. The park fee is ฿400 for a foreign adult, TAT says. Boats land passengers at Loh Samah and then move to an official buoy. Go early in the morning.

Koh Kradan (Trang). A quiet island with soft sand and clear water, in Hat Chao Mai National Park. Best for seclusion and snorkelling. Our note: the park closed Koh Kradan from 1 August to 30 September in 2026, so plan for October onwards. Nearby Koh Muk, home of the Emerald Cave, makes a good second stop on the same day. The cave closed for September in 2026.

Read our guide to Maya Bay for the rules, landing times and the private way in.

Which Gulf beaches on Samui, Phangan and Tao come first?

The Gulf of Thailand has softer, calmer beaches, at their best from February to April. These four are our favourites.

Choeng Mon (Koh Samui). A calm, curved bay on the north-east tip, close to the airport and Chaweng. Best for families and short stays. Our note: the water is shallow and gentle, and several fine resorts sit on the bay, so you step from your room to the sand.

Lipa Noi (Koh Samui). A long, quiet beach on the west coast, facing the sunset. Best for couples and sunset dinners. Our note: the shallow water stays calm for children, and Nikki Beach sits here for a stylish afternoon.

Bottle Beach (Koh Phangan). A small bay on the north coast, easiest to reach by boat. Best for guests who want to switch off. Our note: we arrange a private boat from Samui or Phangan, so you stay as long as you like. A few small resorts and almost no traffic: that is why you go.

Koh Nang Yuan (off Koh Tao). Three small islands joined by a sandbar, with clear water and coral close to shore. Best for snorkelling and photographs. Our note: the island resort's own site lists a ฿250 fee per visitor, paid on arrival. Arrive early or late in the day to avoid the dive and snorkel boats from Koh Tao.

Box jellyfish live in parts of the Gulf, including around Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reports one family of box jellyfish there during the south-west monsoon, and others almost all year. TAT says hotels, beach restaurants and dive operators in these areas must keep vinegar ready.

Ferries and speedboats link Samui, Phangan and Tao, but a private boat saves hours and leaves when you are ready. Koh Tao is the furthest of the three and the best base for diving and snorkelling.

See our Gulf of Thailand guide for the islands and the coast.

Where in Thailand has the clearest water?

The clearest water in Thailand is around the Similan and Surin islands, in season only. Mu Ko Similan National Park is open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027, and the foreign entry fee is ฿500 per adult. Koh Nang Yuan in the Gulf and Koh Lipe in the far south are also very clear.

Both the Similan and Surin parks close every year from mid-May to mid-October to let the reefs recover. Daily visitor numbers are limited, and tickets are e-tickets linked to your passport number. Several dive sites, including Ko Tachai, are closed indefinitely.

Koh Lipe, in the far south of the Andaman Sea, has soft sand and very clear water. It takes a flight and a boat, so it suits a week or more, and we plan the crossing times.

For the best water, go early in the day and early in the season. Our guide to the Similan Islands explains the routes and the private boat options.

After heavy rain, rivers carry sediment into bays near the mainland, so the outer islands stay clearer.

Private coves you can only reach by yacht

Some of Thailand's most beautiful beaches have no road. The Hong islands, the hidden coves of Phang Nga Bay and the Ang Thong archipelago off Koh Samui are best reached by private yacht. A day on a Princess 65 out of Phuket lets you choose the cove, the time and the lunch.

Ao Phang Nga is a national park with a ฿300 fee for foreign adults. Ang Thong is closed from 1 November to 15 December 2026, so plan Gulf yacht days for later in the season. In every park, boats must moor at buoys and never on coral.

A private charter turns a crowded beach into an empty one: arrive before the day boats or after they leave. Our Phuket yacht charter page lists routes and boats.

Example plan for a yacht day. You leave the marina around 09:00. By late morning you are swimming off the first island, and lunch is served on board in a sheltered bay. In the afternoon the tender lands you on a quiet beach, and you are back before sunset.

When is each coast at its best?

Each coast has a clear best season, according to Thai Meteorological Department figures. The Andaman coast is driest in February, with about 24 mm of rain, and wettest in September, with about 350 mm. The Gulf coast at Koh Samui is driest from February to April and wettest in November, with about 445 mm.

December and January are excellent on the Andaman side, while the Gulf can still be wet in December and early January. For the full month-by-month picture, read our Thailand weather guide.

The shoulder months suit a flexible trip. April on the Andaman coast and May on the Gulf often bring hot, clear days and quieter resorts.

Where to stay on the beach

The best beach stays put you on the sand or on a private bay.

• Amanpuri: pavilions and villas on Pansea Beach, with Three MICHELIN Keys (2026 guide).
• Trisara: pool villas on a private bay on Phuket's north-west coast, home of PRU.
• Rayavadee: 26 acres on the Phranang Peninsula, steps from Phra Nang Beach.
• Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve: a quiet Krabi bay facing the Andaman islands, with Three MICHELIN Keys (2026 guide).
• Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui: pool villas above its own bay at Laem Yai, with a kids' club for ages 4 to 12.
• Six Senses Samui: villas on a headland at Bophut, most with private pools.

Compare more choices in our list of the best luxury resorts in Thailand.

Choose your hotel by the beach you want to wake up on. All beaches in Thailand are public by law, but some resorts sit on bays that only boats and guests reach easily.

For families, book a resort with a kids' club and a calm bay; for couples, a pool villa above the sea. For a group, a private villa near the beach beats several hotel rooms.

What to know before you swim

A red flag on a Thai beach means do not swim. TAT warns of big waves and rip currents on the Andaman coast from May to October. Swimming is banned at Maya Bay. In national parks, sunscreen with oxybenzone or octinoxate is banned, with fines up to ฿100,000.

The Department of Disease Control gives clear advice for a box jellyfish sting. Leave the water, call 1669, keep still and pour household vinegar on the sting for at least 30 seconds. Do not rub it or wash it with fresh water.

Conditions change quickly in the monsoon. In late September 2026, the Phuket provincial office warned visitors not to swim in the sea during strong wind and waves. Follow the lifeguards and the flags, and ask your hotel about the sea each morning.

Some beaches change with the tide. At low tide, parts of Railay East and other shallow bays turn into rock and mud flats. Check the tide before you plan a swim.

Boats must slow down near beaches, reefs and dive sites in national parks. Choose a captain who follows these rules: it protects the reef and keeps swimmers safe.

How we choose

We choose beaches for sand and water quality, ease of access, crowd levels and a luxury stay within reach. We check park rules, fees and closures against the Department of National Parks and TAT before every update.

We leave out beaches that are closed, unsafe for most of the year or too crowded. Where a beach is best reached by boat, we say so. When you plan with Tanner, one planner books the boat, the villa and the car for any group size. Our Thai team checks the sea on the morning of each boat day, and we tell you which famous beach to skip.