#surin beach

[koolandgang]

#when the sun goes down

[rusty-ford]

I sure love my Eastern Washington hills, but I think in an alternate universe there's a version of me who lives on a tropical beach, drinks fresh coconut, snorkels all day and chases geckos all night.

[koolandgang]

[koolandgang]

[antonio-frattaroli]

Patty at Surin beach Phuket

[antonio-frattaroli]

Antonio and Patty in Phuket

[antonio-frattaroli]

Patty enjoying herself at Surin beach

[parbhattravel]

The Beaches of Phuket, Thailand

Many British tourists head for Phuket to enjoy the sun, sea and sand on a relaxing beach holiday. It is a fabulous place to chill out and top up your tan so if you want to explore the area at a leisurely pace, stopping to relax here and there, you could spend a pleasant day or two seeking out a few of Phuket's best beaches. Here is a bit of information about five very different sections of coastline to get you started.

1. Patong Beach

This is Phuket's most famous beach with many sun seekers spending all day every day sunbathing here. This means that the beach can become very crowded and if you want to sunbathe, you do need to hire a sun lounger because they cover virtually the whole beach. Many different services are offered on the beach. Massages; hair braiding; towel hire; drinks and snacks will all be brought to you should you want them. If you don't like people trying to sell you things then this can get a bit annoying but they're never too pushy if you say no. There are lots of water sports available in Patong, from speed boating to snorkeling to parasailing to banana boating. Do make sure that you check the condition of any boat or jet-ski that you hire and that you're happy with the people you hire from.

Patong Beach is even more famous for its nightlife than its daytime activities. It is widely regarded as the party capital of Phuket. There are hundreds of nightclubs, bars, restaurants and pubs, mainly concentrated in Soi Bangla. If you want to see the party scene of Phuket then this is definitely the place to head for.

2. Bang Tao Beach

Eight Kilometre long Bang Tao Beach boasts stunning scenery ideal for relaxing, walking, swimming and snorkeling. It is flanked by luxurious resorts and villas and is very popular with tourists. Like Patong, there are sun loungers to hire and there are always people walking along the beach trying to sell you things but they are not pushy if you say no. The beach is clean, more spacious and less crowded than Patong and water sports are available. Bang Tao has more of a family atmosphere rather than the party atmosphere found in Patong. The beach is sandy with clear water that's not too cold. As you would expect in an up market area, there are numerous excellent restaurants alongside the beach with various themes, many specializing in seafood.

3. Surin Beach

Surin is situated just south of Bang Tao. It is a relaxed beach about a kilometre long with a notably fewer people than Patong or Bang Tao. Whilst excellent for sunbathing on the golden sand, the sea is not safe for swimming, particularly for small children because the beach slopes away quite dramatically into the sea and there can be strong undercurrents. Set back on the road a couple of hundred metres from the beach, there are restaurants offering fine-dining. There is also a range of shops from high end clothes shops and tailors to supermarkets.

4. Nai Thon Beach

Nai Thon is located to the north of Bang Tao. There are far less large resorts in this area and as a consequence the beach is refreshingly quiet despite having golden sand and crystal clear water. In the high season, beach restaurants appear where you can eat excellent food without leaving the sand. To get to Nai Thon, you travel down a narrow road through a forest and then along stunning coastline. Boat hire and scuba diving are available in peak season.

5. Banana Rock Beach

If you decide to hire a car for some or all of your stay in Phuket, there are numerous smaller beaches that are rarely found by tourists. Tucked away between Bang Tao and Nai Thon beaches is a real hidden treasure of a beach called Banana Rock Beach. Heading North from Bang Tao, shortly after passing Trisara you will see a little blue sign nailed to a tree saying Banana Beach. You need to park your car there and walk down through the trees. Its relative isolation means that it is often virtually deserted and you may find that you almost have the beach to yourself. It is a small beach by Phuket's standards at under 200 metres long. You can swim there from November to May, but it is dangerous the rest of the year and even during those times you should check the weather and tide forecast before you swim. There is one restaurant by the beach, a seafood restaurant which is also where you can hire a sun lounger from. The restaurant is relatively expensive because if you want to spend the day at Banana Beach you are a bit of a captive audience with nowhere else to dine.

Get more information about tour: https://www.parbhattravels.com/