Thailand boasts three of the top 100 beaches globally, according to BeachAtlas, a UK-based startup focusing on beach information. The beaches include famous Maya Bay, which came in fifth on the 2024 Golden Beach Award list. Visitors flock to Maya Bay for its stunning blue waters, dramatic cliffs, and beautiful white sands. Despite the one-hour speedboat trip from Phuket or Krabi, the beach sees between 4-5,000 visitors daily.

 

The top four ranked beaches were Bora Bora in French Polynesia, Boulders Beach in South Africa, Waikiki Beach in the USA and Copacabana in Brazil. Other notable beaches in the top 10 include Black Sand Beach, Glass Beach (Reynisfjara) in Iceland, JBR Beach in Dubai, Skeleton Beach in Namibia and Omaha Beach in France.

 

Krabi’s Railay Beach, frequently on 'world's best beach' lists, ranked at number 66. This beach, reachable only by boat, features stunning limestone cliffs, crystal-clear waters, and soft white sand.

 

Perhaps the most unexpected entry was Pattaya Beach, securing the twelfth spot despite lacking the stunning beauty of many of Thailand's other beaches. It ranked high in categories like 'Party and Lifestyle', 'Community', and 'Cultural Significance', turning the seaside city into an exciting destination for both day and night activities.

 

Conversely, Railay West Beach in Krabi came in at the sixty-sixth position. The beach selection was not solely based on beauty, but also considered aspects like cultural significance, community presence, and party lifestyle.

 

File photo for reference only. Courtesy of Unsplash

 

-- 2024-05-06

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Pattaya beach?.......Yea before they cut down all the shade trees and removed most of the seating it was kind of nice...

 

But now.....Pattaya beach is a very hot almost unusable place now during the day unless you pay to sit under a umbrella...

Has BeachAtlas sacked the author yet? There are 5 beaches in Hua Hin alone better than Pattaya.

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Perhaps the most unexpected entry was Pattaya Beach, securing the twelfth spot

This says it all. There are almost 12,000 beaches in Australia and I'll bet each and every one of them is better.

Won't stay clean for long, now that western media has spread the news all over...But only 3 out of the hundreds of beaches in Thailand clearly states that if you are a beach lover, far better off in south of France or Italy and of course Mallorca, Ibiza, Tenerife etc...Never understood people comming to Thailand for the beaches. Come for the girls, food, what ever ok but the beaches ?

46 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

This says it all. There are almost 12,000 beaches in Australia and I'll bet each and every one of them is better.

 

Best Beaches In The World, 2024 - Voted by Travel Experts (worlds50beaches.com)

Just now, still kicking said:

 

Wrong button

21 minutes ago, SingAPorn said:

Won't stay clean for long, now that western media has spread the news all over...But only 3 out of the hundreds of beaches in Thailand clearly states that if you are a beach lover, far better off in south of France or Italy and of course Mallorca, Ibiza, Tenerife etc...Never understood people comming to Thailand for the beaches. Come for the girls, food, what ever ok but the beaches ?

There are men and women on the beaches.

What happened to PhiPhi?  I stay at the end of Island, for months at a time up on the cliffs.  Absolutely stunning.

 

Phuket . . . Nai Harn is breathtaking ! ! !

These Brits don't go get out very much next time they'll be saying Grimsbys in the top 10. Why not Brighton Beach. They might even say the ponds in Hampstead are number one.

8 hours ago, susanlea said:

Has BeachAtlas sacked the author yet? There are 5 beaches in Hua Hin alone better than Pattaya.

Pattaya beach is a joke wouldnt rate in the top 100000 nevermind the top 100

2 minutes ago, cookie1974 said:

Pattaya beach is a joke wouldnt rate in the top 100000 nevermind the top 100

These ratings must be based on nightlife, food and hotels. So basically nothing to do with beach quality.

Blackwater beach everywhere Thailand on the list?

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

, according to BeachAtlas, a UK-based startup focusing on beach information. 

 

They won't last long if this is the quality of their information.

I can only be thankful they didn't get within 500 miles of any of my favourites.

Surprised Da Nang and Hoi Ann beaches are not mentioned.  I heard they were recently ranked #3 and #2 respectively by some other publication, and deservedly so imo.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

according to BeachAtlas, a UK-based startup focusing on beach information

I am willing to bet that they never went to any of these beaches in person. Copy/Paste, Collate, AI, Algorithm..., but no firsthand.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand boasts three of the top 100 beaches globally, according to BeachAtlas, a UK-based startup focusing on beach information. The beaches include famous Maya Bay, which came in fifth on the 2024 Golden Beach Award list. Visitors flock to Maya Bay for its stunning blue waters, dramatic cliffs, and beautiful white sands. Despite the one-hour speedboat trip from Phuket or Krabi, the beach sees between 4-5,000 visitors daily.

Amazing how this beach maintains it's beauty...  4-5,000 visitors a day trampling around.

I personally prefer a more isolated deserted beach to chill-out on.

Seen better beaches in Australia - no people - can do what you want!

This is a startup well they might concidering hiring people with a brain cell, bunch of idiots working their now won't last long, and unless you have walked on those beaches you can never tell a true story. 

10 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Pattaya beach?.......Yea before they cut down all the shade trees and removed most of the seating it was kind of nice...

 

But now.....Pattaya beach is a very hot almost unusable place now during the day unless you pay to sit under a umbrella...

Pattaya mayor defends cutting trees as part of latest beach revamp

By Pattaya Mail

August 18, 2021

 

Most of these Best Beaches are very crowded, and that's a major put-off for me. 

TIP > My 'best beach' would be Secret Beach at Koh Kood. It didn't steal its name, also because there are signs that it is private and belongs to the resort situated there. But that's obvious not true as it is a 50 meter walk on a non-private road to access the left part of the beach which is not in front of the resort. 

And at that part there is even a wooden bar situated in case you need an alcoholic or other beverage (when it's open because if there are 5 people on that part of the beach, that would be 'crowded'). 

It's by far the beach with most beautiful view on Koh Kood and it being deserted adds to its attraction. 

Whenever you visit Koh Kood, be sure to check it out.  Also the 10 minute motorcycle drive on a well-maintained and equally non-crowded road to get there, is a drive through jungle paradise (cars except for tourist transport are not allowed on Koh Kood).

Im not telling you my favourite beach, 

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Amazing how this beach maintains it's beauty...  4-5,000 visitors a day trampling around.

I personally prefer a more isolated deserted beach to chill-out on.

Before covid I went there and was talking to a park ranger he said 10,000 visitors in high season, 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Visitors flock to Maya Bay for its stunning blue waters, dramatic cliffs, and beautiful white sands. Despite the one-hour speedboat trip from Phuket or Krabi, the beach sees between 4-5,000 visitors daily.

At that rate it is not going to stay nice for much longer.

9 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

At that rate it is not going to stay nice for much longer.

They did close it for a couple of years

11 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Pattaya beach?.......Yea before they cut down all the shade trees and removed most of the seating it was kind of nice...

 

But now.....Pattaya beach is a very hot almost unusable place now during the day unless you pay to sit under a umbrella...

Up until recent times it was only 3 metres wide in places due to erosion.

9 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

Never understood people comming to Thailand for the beaches. Come for the girls, food, what ever ok but the beaches ?

40 years ago I would have rated many beaches in Thailand as world class but, alas, those days are long gone. The fact that Pattaya is on the list must throw some doubt of credibility upon it and the author of such a list. 
 

I would reckon Pattaya Beach should be higher on the list for the very reason the writer thinks it mayeb should not (not have stunning beauty), actually Pattaya Beach have many stunning beauties. At a fairly affordable rate.

 

What Beach can beat that?