Rawai Beach

A beach for a picnic, not for a swim.

Tags: Phuket - Rawai Beach - Beaches

Rawai Beach

Rawai Beach is not very suitable for swimming. The seabed is rocky, and the beach hardly slopes into the sea. At low tide, you have to walk quite a bit to get wet ankles; as you can see on the picture of a bunch of tourists who are heading to a rented boat.

Typically, only the local children go for a swim at Rawai Beach, and perhaps a single confused tourist trying to get a morning dip. The sand is not particularly inviting for playing around because it is full of pebbles and seashells.

The beach does offer a fine view of a number of islands on the horizon, though. Along the beach, under the trees behind the beach, you will find small tables and benches, widely used by Thais and foreign residents for a meal in the shade and with a sea view. On the opposite side of the road, you can buy food in a number of restaurants.

Rawai Beach

You will find several hotels within walking distance to the beach; Phuket Sea Resort and Thai Palace Resort is next to the beach and has quite reasonable prices.

Rawai Beach is very easy to find because the main road runs along most of the beach. GPS for the southern part of the almost 1.5 km (1 mile) long beach: 7.770866, 98.319908.

Beaches in Phuket

Read more about Phuket's beaches in the article Beaches in Phuket, or learn more about the individual beaches through the overview below.

I have not yet written about all of the beaches in Phuket; thus, there are a few inactive links on the list. Please be patient, I will get to them. The list is in geographical order, starting at the north side of Phuket, then down the west side and finally up the east side.

Tags: Phuket - Rawai Beach - Beaches

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Mai Khao Beach

Mai Khao Beach Stretching 9 kilometres (5.5 miles), Mai Khao Beach is Phuket's longest beach. The beach is a part of Sirinath National Park; therefore, it is not developed. Behind a part of the beach, you will find a string of 5-star resorts and a water park.

Sai Khaew Beach

Sai Khaew Beach Sai Khaew Beach is the northernmost beach on Phuket's west side. It is an undeveloped beach without hotels, and swimming is not permitted.

Nai Yang Beach

Nai Yang Beach Nai Yang Beach is a part of Sirinath National Park in Phuket. At the north end of the beach, you have the option to rent a tent and camp in a small narrow forest next to the beach. Many of the local people go on a picnic here to enjoy their food while sitting under the shade of the trees and enjoying the view of the beach and the sea.

Bang Tao Beach

Bang Tao Beach Behind the middle part of the 8 kilometres (5 miles) long Bang Tao Beach in Phuket, you will find an area known as Laguna. Here a number of five-star resorts are situated. At the southern end of the beach, you will find a very wide beach and some more affordable hotels.

Nai Thon Beach

Nai Thon Beach Nai Thon Beach is not exactly crowded with tourists. In the low season, you can usually have the beach all to yourself. Even in the high season, the tourists may be few and far between. The few guests are mainly because there are not many hotels here and because the beach is off the beaten track.

Banana Beach

Banana Beach Banana Beach is a very beautiful beach. At both ends of the beach, there are rocks; and in the middle of the beach, there is a small dollop of rocks too. On the landside, trees and shrubs surround the entire beach, which shields the beach from the rest of the world.

Layan Bay

Layan Bay In Layan Bay, you will find a beach for dipping your toes not to take a dip. The beach is fine for small children, though, as the water is shallow and there are no waves to speak of.

Layan Beach

Layan Beach The sand on Layan Beach is some of the finest you will find in Phuket and the water quality is fine too. Despite that the junta and the governor of Phuket does not like sun loungers at the beaches, it is possible to rent sun loungers several places along Layan Beach, either under the shade of the trees behind the beach or on the beach itself.

Surin Beach

Surin Beach Surin Beach is one of the best beaches in Phuket. You can rent mattresses and parasols, and you can get food and drinks at the restaurants and stalls behind the beach.

Laem Sing Beach

Laem Sing Beach Laem Sing Beach is a beautiful beach with cliffs and surrounding forest. The quality of the sand and the water is fine; in addition, the water around the rocks at both ends of the beach is fine for snorkelling.

Kamala Beach

Kamala Beach Located just north of Patong, Kamala is suitable if you are a family and if you want easy access to shopping etc. while avoiding the more lively nightlife in Patong. The beach is fine, although a little greyish.

Pon Beach

Pon Beach Pon Beach is pretty, although it has shingles that make the beach less suitable for swimming. However, there should be a great opportunity for snorkelling at a coral reef 100 meters from the shore.

Nakalay Beach

Nakalay Beach Nakalay Beach is not really worth a visit. The beach has a lot of shingles and a rocky seabed, especially at low tide. In addition, the pier would ruin the image of a beautiful tropical beach, even if it were a beautiful tropical beach.

Rayee Beach

Rayee Beach Rayee Beach is divided into two beaches by rocks. Nonetheless, even though you get two beaches here, you will realise that quantity does not trump quality. Rayee Beach is neither suitable for swimming nor for sunbathing.

Patong Beach

Patong Beach Patong Beach is certainly not the best beach in Phuket; however, it is by far the most developed beach and the most crowded beach in Phuket. Read more about the many offerings at Patong Beach.

Kalim Beach

Kalim Beach You will find Kalim Beach north of Patong Beach. A couple of hotels lies near the beach; however, if you choose to stay at one of them, you should be prepared to go to Patong Beach if you want to visit a beach. There is not much beach at Kalim Beach. Certainly not anything that resembles the wonderful tropical beaches you will see in travel magazines and brochures.

Karon Beach

Karon Beach Karon Beach is one of the best beaches in Phuket. The almost 3.5 km (2,1 miles) long and straight beach of fine white sand is more quiet and peaceful than Patong Beach, yet still have many offerings. The beach slopes gently into the water and is especially at the northern end suitable for small children.

Kata Beach

Kata Beach Kata is suitable for a family vacation or for travellers who want to have some distance to the "hectic" life in Patong. Nonetheless, it is only a short tuk-tuk drive away from Patong, should you want to go shopping or enjoy the nightlife there.

Kata Noi Beach

Kata Noi Beach Kata Noi Beach is a nice beach; snorkelling is possible at the rocks at both ends of the beach. In the monsoon season, the beach is popular with surfers.

Yanui Beach

Yanui Beach Yanui Beach is a small beach with cliffs, a small rock formation on the beach and a small island, Koh Kaeo Noi, a little off the coast which breaks the flat horizon. You can rent mattresses and buy cold drinks and some food on the beach.

Laemka Beach

Laemka Beach Laemka Beach is not much of a swimming beach, and the sand is not particularly fine; nonetheless, it is one of the best beaches on Phuket's east coast. It is easy on the eyes with rocks and a view to an island.

Rawai Beach

Rawai Beach Rawai Beach is not very suitable for swimming. The seabed is rocky, and the beach hardly slopes into the sea. At low tide, you have to walk quite a bit to get wet ankles. However, the beach is suitable for a picnic, offering you a view over the sea and several islands.

Friendship Beach

Friendship Beach Friendship Beach is not a beach for swimming, nor is it a beach for working up a tan. At high tide, a good part of the beach has all but disappeared. At low tide, the beach can be very wide, at some places more than 100 meters (110 yards) wide.

Freedom Beach

Freedom Beach At many beaches in Thailand, you will find that the sand is a bit coarse and somewhat yellowish rather than fine and white; however, there are exceptions and one of them is Freedom Beach in Phuket. I cannot recall having visited a beach in Phuket with finer and whiter sand than the sand at Freedom Beach. Read more about Freedom Beach.

Tri Trang Beach

Tri Trang Beach If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of Patong Beach, yet be close to Patong, Tri Trang Beach may be the beach for you. Tri Trang Beach is a quiet beach, although an ugly green fence put a damper on the natural beauty of the beach.

Relax Beach

Relax Beach The five-star hotel Le Meridien Phuket owns the land in front of Relax Beach, and the hotel does not allow strangers access to the beach during the daytime. If you want to visit the beach, you can rent a long tail boat and arrive by sea, or you can stay at the hotel.

Paradise Beach

Paradise Beach Most people visit Paradise Beach not only for the sand, water and sun, but even more so for the music, parties and fun. Here, you find full moon parties, half moon parties, foam parties and parties for whatever reason the "owners" of the beach can think of.

Merlin Beach

Merlin Beach Merlin Beach is an unattractive beach with pebbles. Directly behind the Beach, you find a hotel; however, the guests will probably prefer the pool rather than going to the beach.

Nui Beach

Nui Beach Nui Beach does not look like the typical tropical beaches you see in glossy magazines and brochures. Instead, Nui Beach is a small, natural, rock-filled beach and the sand is full of pebbles. The beach is for lovers of nature, not for lovers of photos in glossy magazines and brochures.

Trisara Beach

Trisara Beach Trisara Beach is a small beach in a beautiful natural setting. Despite the natural beauty of the beach, you can have it all to yourself. Read more about why Trisara Beach often is empty when less attractive beaches are full of people.

Nai Harn Beach

Nai Harn Beach Nai Harn Beach is a 700 meters (0.4 mile) long lovely beach with fine sand and excellent swimming conditions in the season between November and April. At Nai Harn Beach, you are not disturbed by noisy motorized beach toys such as jet skis and speedboats.

Ao Sane Beach

Ao Sane Beach Ao Sane Beach is three small beaches separated by rocks near the southern tip of Phuket. The beaches are not good for a swim; however, they are suitable for snorkelling.

Khao Khad Beach

Khao Khad Beach Like most beaches on the east coast of Phuket, Khao Khad Beach is not very sexy at low tide because of the lack of water and a rocky sea-bed. At high tide, the beach is prettier, and you can better enjoy the view of sailboats in Chalong Bay.

Ao Yon Beach

Ao Yon Beach Ao Yon Beach in the south of Phuket offers you two beaches separated by a rocky headland and a small stream and a view of sailboats in the bay.

Cape Panwa Hotel Beach

Cape Panwa Hotel Beach Cape Panwa Hotel Beach is named after the excellent five-star Cape Panwa Hotel located behind the beach. The beach is on the east side of Phuket; it is a nice beach if you stay at the hotel and if you are content going for a swim only at high tide.

Ao Kham Beach

Ao Kham Beach Ao Kham Beach is in the Ao Kham Bay on the south-east side of Phuket. Like most of the beaches on the east side, it is far from the picturesque beaches you see on photos in tourist brochures of tropical beaches.

Heowat Beach (Panwa Beach)

Heowat Beach Technically, Heowat Beach is a beach; although, it is neither suitable for a swim nor for lying on the beach to work on a tan. At high tide, the beach looks nice, and you can enjoy the view of the bay and the islands Koh Tapao Yai and Koh Tapao Noi.