Beaches In Phuket

[bino]

I'm going to be in Phuket this week with my 71 year old grandparents, and wondering which would be the best beach for swimming... no dangerous currents or heavy surf, with chairs and umbrellas / beach service.

Any advice from people living there would be great!

Thanks in advance.

Bino

[geoffphuket]

I'm going to be in Phuket this week with my 71 year old grandparents, and wondering which would be the best beach for swimming... no dangerous currents or heavy surf, with chairs and umbrellas / beach service.

Any advice from people living there would be great!

Thanks in advance.

Bino

Hi bino,

Hmmm...A difficult one at this time of the year, most of the beaches that have chairs, umbrellas and service, also have the large waves and currents that you don't want. Much depends on whether you’ve got transport and can get about.

One of the best beaches can be found at Nai yang near the airport, an offshore reef stops the breakers from reaching the beach. However, there are no chairs – or much else for that matter!!

Forget Karon, Kata, or Nai Harn, great beaches and again big waves etc. So, that leaves Patong beach – and its neighbor over the bridge, where the ‘Phuket Merlin Beach Resort’ is situated. It’s got everything and isn’t too bad at the moment.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit negative, but the monsoon season is well and truly upon us right now so it’s very difficult. Mid December onwards would have been much easier.

Hope this helps

geoffphuket

[Kan Win]

Nai Narn Beach is great.

[geoffphuket]

Nai Narn Beach is great.

Nai Harn is a great beach, but not at this time of the year - In fact it has one of the islands worst reputations for rip currents…and testimony to that are the frequent tragic stories published in the Phuket Gazette. Surin beach also comes in the same category.

[Kan Win]

Hi bino,

Hmmm...A difficult one at this time of the year, most of the beaches that have chairs, umbrellas and service, also have the large waves and currents that you don't want. Much depends on whether you’ve got transport and can get about.

One of the best beaches can be found at Nai yang near the airport, an offshore reef stops the breakers from reaching the beach. However, there are no chairs – or much else for that matter!!

Forget Karon, Kata, or Nai Harn, great beaches and again big waves etc. So, that leaves Patong beach – and its neighbor over the bridge, where the ‘Phuket Merlin Beach Resort’ is situated. It’s got everything and isn’t too bad at the moment.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit negative, but the monsoon season is well and truly upon us right now so it’s very difficult. Mid December onwards would have been much easier.

Hope this helps

geoffphuket

[geoffphuket]

That's the one. It seems to keep changing its name....Crystal bay ?

[geoffphuket]

Just giving this some more thought, Laemka beach near Rawai would be ideal. Being on the east coast there's no monsoon waves. It's also got the advantage of having large trees that overhang to the shore line, giving great shade. There's usually a massage lady and a few chairs for rent - umbrellas not needed.

Edited October 16, 2006 by geoffphuket

[Kimera]

Hi bino,

Hmmm...A difficult one at this time of the year, most of the beaches that have chairs, umbrellas and service, also have the large waves and currents that you don't want. Much depends on whether you’ve got transport and can get about.

One of the best beaches can be found at Nai yang near the airport, an offshore reef stops the breakers from reaching the beach. However, there are no chairs – or much else for that matter!!

Forget Karon, Kata, or Nai Harn, great beaches and again big waves etc. So, that leaves Patong beach – and its neighbor over the bridge, where the ‘Phuket Merlin Beach Resort’ is situated. It’s got everything and isn’t too bad at the moment.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit negative, but the monsoon season is well and truly upon us right now so it’s very difficult. Mid December onwards would have been much easier.

Hope this helps

geoffphuket

Now theres a photo from the end of the road !! the foods good and the people are Thailands best.

[simon43]

Just to comment re my local beach - Nai Yang, near the airport. As GeoffPhuket says, it has a reef, so it's ok/safe to swim almost all year round.

And I can't agree re the lack of chairs etc! I went down to the beach yesterday. Plenty of sunloungers, chairs, umbrellas, beach restaurants, internet cafe, mini-mart - all open!! But it certainly isn't Patong!!

Simon

[donna]

patong beach today is a perfect picture of serenity (aside from the 2 rows of purple umbrellas now set up for 'high season' that is). the sea looks stunning, no big waves. blue skies. its a real treat at the moment.

[Chantal]

patong beach today is a perfect picture of serenity (aside from the 2 rows of purple umbrellas now set up for 'high season' that is). the sea looks stunning, no big waves. blue skies. its a real treat at the moment.

The same applies with Kata Beach. It seems that the weather has switched into high season mode.

[Kan Win]

Karon Beach North to South.

Please note that should you see a RED FLAG like in this Panoramic Photo do NOT swim in the sea.

Yours

Kan Win

P.S. photo taken September 2006

[bino]

We went looking for Laem Ka beach.... was difficult to find, so I got the GF to ask some locals, and apparently Leam Ka is closed / inaccessible to the public.

We found our way to Laem Ka Noi beach, which didn't turn us on. We went to the Merlin Beach instead and had a swim, and it was OK.

We went to Nai Yang this morning, and it was absolutely great. There were chairs and umbrellas available, and the water was perfect! My Grandfather wants to go back again tomorrow morning!

Thanks to Geoff, Kan Win, Simon, et al for your replies and advice!

Bino

[Kan Win]

And thank you for asking all of us Bino

Have a great time

[khall64au]

To tell the truth, all the beaches are changing daily at this time of year. Almost overnight, Nai Harn beach went from being rough with some great surfing waves ... to being safely flat as a tack - just how the tourists like it

My advice is: take a drive when the sun is shining and visit a few beaches to see what's happenning... and you get a nice scenic tour of the island at the same time!

Edited October 19, 2006 by khall64au

[oleary]

Yep...do your self a favour...stay in one of the nice resorts near some of the more well know beaches. Nai Yang is a reasonable beach but too many stray dogs and deck chairs. Not any upmarket hotels.......Patong is lovely at the moment or one of the other beaches close to it.