These beaches in Phuket, compared: the table sums up what the overview page covers in individual cards. If you only have one question - "Where do I find shade without renting a sunbed?", "Where can I park with a car?", "Where is snorkelling worth it?" - one look at the right column is enough.
| Beach | Sand | Waves / swimming | Shade | Services | Parking | Access | Snorkelling | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Mai Khao | fine, very wide | open, surf; watch the flags | barely any, only under trees at the edge | next to none, cafes at the southern end | free at the access roads | open, long walks | no | national park 200 THB + 30/20 THB per vehicle |
| 2. Nai Yang | fine, shallow | calm, shallow entry | good under the casuarinas | complete (restaurants, convenience stores, massage) | roadside and car parks, free | open, checkpoint 08:30-16:30 | moderate, rocks at the northern end | national park 200 THB |
| 3. Nai Thon | golden, curving | shallow, often calm | good under the trees at the access | small restaurants; since 2025 no sunbeds, no public toilets | at the access, limited, free | open | good in calm seas | none |
| 4. Banana Beach | fine, small | calm, rocks at both ends | barely any | restaurant extended, lounge chargeable, toilet/shower 20 THB | 100 THB per car, large car park at the end of the beach | car park, no footpath any more | very good, reef from the shore | beach free, parking expensive |
| 5. Bang Tao / Laguna | fine, 8 km | moderate; northern end more sheltered | at the resorts | complete, but expensive | car parks at the accesses, full at peak times | open | little | none, food and drink expensive |
| 6. Layan / Le Phang | fine, unspoilt | calm, sheltered | under the casuarinas | next to nothing; bamboo huts to the north | roadside, free | variable, accesses partly closed | little | none |
| 7. Laem Singh | fine, cove | calm | trees at the edge | few vendors in season | in Surin, then boat or rock path | no road access since 2017 | good | boat 100-200 THB |
| 8. Surin | soft, wide arc | clear, current possible | good under the trees | none on the beach (cleared May 2025); food by the road | available, some entrances blocked by barriers | open | moderate | none, no sunbeds |
| 9. Kamala | fine, long | calm, family-friendly | under the trees | complete | roadside, usually possible | open | little | none |
| 10. Kalim | coarse, rock slabs | shallow, calm | barely any | few shops, restaurant in the evening | roadside, limited | open | moderate at the rocks | none |
| 11. Patong | fine, 3 km | Nov-Apr calm; May-Oct current and surf | scarce, few trees, taken early | complete; sunbeds 200 THB, free section available | along the shore road, scarce in high season | open | little | sunbeds 200 THB, beach free |
| 12. Freedom Beach | fine, small cove | strong; temporarily closed since 11 Aug 2026 | trees at the edge | reduced after the clearance; toilets available | chargeable at the junction | longtail from Patong or steep jungle path | very good | reported free (formerly 100-300 THB) |
| 13. Karon | fine, 3 km | stronger, amber/red flag | rows of umbrellas | complete (sunbeds, food, massage) | plenty, but chargeable | open | little | sunbeds 100-200 THB |
| 14. Kata | bright, very wide | hardly any waves, swimming allowed | little, under palms towards the road | complete; toilet 20 THB | free and plentiful (Club Med wall, one-way street) | open | little | sunbeds 200 THB, toilet 20 THB |
| 15. Kata Noi | fine, curving | calm, swimming allowed | scarce, none without a sunbed | complete; toilet/shower 40 THB | very scarce, wall spaces often blocked | short steep access road | moderate, reef in the south | sunbeds 200 THB, toilet 40 THB |
| 16. Nai Harn | fine, wide arc | shallow, current at the southern end | under the trees | complete | spaces and roadside, full | open | moderate | none |
| 17. Ya Nui | fine, shingle, 120 m wide | calm; rocks at both ends | under the trees | sunbeds, shade, snorkel and kayak hire | on the beach, very scarce | open, right on the coastal road | very good from the shore; highlight Koh Man (300 m) | kayak about 100 THB/hour, beach free |
| 18. Nui Beach | fine, small cove | usually calm inside the bay | trees at the edge | none since the demolition in June 2026; lifeguards present | upper car park, free | on foot only or by 4x4 shuttle (about 200 THB) | good, boulders left and right | none, admission not permitted |
| 19. Ao Sane | coarse, shingle | calm, sheltered | trees at the edge | none, restaurant and bungalows demolished | few spaces above, tight | across an open building site or by kayak from Nai Harn | very good, coral garden | none |
| 20. Tri Trang | coarse, stony | calm, rocky shore | good under the trees, hammocks | none, restaurants in the hotels | few spaces by the road | open, winding | good at the rocks | none |
| 21. Rawai | shingle, rock, mud | not for swimming, boats, low tide | trees along the shore road | seafood market, restaurants, boats to the islands | along the shore road | open | no | food; beach free |
| If you ... | then ... |
|---|---|
| you want shade without renting a sunbed | Nai Thon (trees at the access), Surin (casuarinas), Kamala, Nai Harn, Tri Trang |
| you want easy parking with a car | Kata (free along the Club Med wall) or Bang Tao; avoid Kata Noi |
| you want to swim with small children | Kata (hardly any waves), Nai Yang, Nai Thon; not Karon and not Freedom Beach |
| you want to snorkel | Ao Sane (coral garden) and Freedom Beach; Banana Beach from the shore |
| you want quiet | Tri Trang, Ao Sane, Layan; not Bang Tao, Kata or Karon |
| you want a sunset | Kamala, Kalim, Nai Harn; at Ao Sane the sun is only partly visible |
| you don't want to pay an entrance fee | all except Mai Khao, Nai Yang and Nai Thon (national park) and Banana Beach (parking) |
As of November 2026. Based on our own visits (4 November 2026) and statements by Sirinat National Park. Prices and opening hours change - the table is a snapshot, not a promise.
