The Top 10 Most Beautiful Beaches in Thailand

Of course, Thailand is not the only place in the world where you can find superb beaches lined with palm trees and tall coconut palms, where the water is about 30˚ Celsius and there is sunshine throughout the year. But all the same, the Kingdom of Siam is where tourists yearning for hot sands are sure to find the greatest number of such beaches, nearly all of them nestling on islands in the Andaman Sea or along the shores of the Gulf of Thailand. Dream beaches where you can take your ease, indulge in water sports and underwater activities, and party when night fades.

Sunrise Beach on Koh Lipe

The shape of Thailand is oddly like an elephant’s head. At the end of its trunk – and accordingly in the far south of the country, adjoining Malaysia – lies the superb little island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman Sea. The beaches along its coasts are all equally idyllic. Sunrise Beach offers a postcard tropical décor of white sand, clear turquoise water filled with shoals of fish in all the colours of the rainbow, and vegetation fit for a desert island.

Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi

In the south of the island, on the side facing the Andaman Sea, the celebrated Maya Bay looks like a Hollywood set. Picture a beach which is almost enclosed, a blue lagoon blending with the azure sky, and gigantic karst limestone cliffs standing guard as they drop sheer into turquoise sea. It was in fact here that the film The Beach, with Leonardo Dicaprio and the French actress Virginie Ledoyen, was filmed. Unfortunately the ensuing publicity given to this unique place drew too many tourists there, threatening the ecosystem. Covid has provided a breathing space, and now only a hundred or so lucky visitors per day may explore the legendary beach.

Silver Beach on Koh Samui

This is undoubtedly the most beautiful of the beaches on this island out in the Gulf of Thailand. Tourists who want to ‘get away from it all’ will find sand as fine as it is hot on the soles of their feet, crystal-clear water and a temperature permanently around 30˚. Not surprisingly, the beach, which is easy to reach, is quite busy. In the high season it is hard to find peace and quiet there, let alone to play at Robinson Crusoe. On the other hand, you can enjoy a traditional Thai massage or sip a tropical cocktail in a dreamlike atmosphere.

The beaches of Koh Similan

These are among the wildest and most idyllic beaches in Thailand. The colour of the water is unique, the protected seabed a riot of colour, and thousands of fish can be seen swimming there. It is a snorkelling paradise. The Similan islands are a group lying out in the Andaman Sea. The archipelago was made a National Park in the 1980s because of its exceptional fauna and flora. The number of visitors is strictly controlled: advance booking is compulsory and there is a limit imposed on the availability of accommodation. The park can be reached by boat from the jetty at Thap Laam on Khao Lak.

Nai Harn beach at Phuket

Phuket has many gorgeous beaches, with fine sand and turquoise water, but unfortunately they are overcrowded, with too much going on. It is impossible to enjoy them because of the jet skis and motor boats. For a sublime context and relative peace and quiet you have to go to Nai Harn, in the south of the island. Being a little harder to reach, Nai Harn – a superb sandy beach surrounded by pine-covered hills – has stayed less crowded and accordingly a little more unspoiled. It is definitely the most beautiful beach on the island. In the monsoon season you can even surf there!

Bottle Beach on Koh Pa-Ngan

Bottle Beach (a direct translation of its Thai name Haad Khuat) lies in the quieter northern part of the island. You can only get to it by taking a boat from the fishing village of Chalokhlum or on foot by a mountain track. The relative inaccessibility helps to preserve the tranquility of the place. The magnificent beach is made of fine sand, surrounded by karst limestone rocks, with a vivid turquoise sea. There are some characteristic bungalows and grass-hut restaurants where you can sleep and eat in peace. It is undoubtedly the perfect place for a few days rest after enjoying the famous full-moon parties that take place on Haad Rin at the opposite end of the island.

The beaches of Railay

Together with Maya beach, Railay is probably the best-known beach in Thailand. Railay is a peninsula in Krabi province, close to the village of Ao Nang. The beach is only accessible from the sea, by classic Thai long-tailed boat. Railay is famous worldwide for its lofty karst limestone cliffs that tower over the beach and its fine sand. Climbers come there from all over the globe to enjoy their sport high above the turquoise sea in a unique atmosphere. To avoid crowds it is better to arrive early in the morning or in the late afternoon, or to go to the neighbouring Tonsai beach, which is just as beautiful but less popular.

Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao

Koh Tao is world-famous for its sapphire blue waters and its diving spots. All around the island there are numerous beautiful beaches with first-class, very easily accessible snorkelling. The prettiest spot is probably Koh Nang Yuan, an islet 500 metres to the west of Koh Tao, facing Sairee beach. Koh Nang Yuan’s beach of fine sand joins two little peaks with a double access to the sea. The water is full of multicoloured fish and corals that are easily visible if you swim out just a few metres. An earthly paradise.

The beaches and mangrove thickets of Koh Kood

Located in the Gulf of Thailand close to Cambodia and the island of Koh Chang, Koh Kood is still relatively unknown to overseas tourists but is held in high regard by rich Thais from Bangkok. It is easy to get there from the capital, via Trat. Koh Kood is plentifully supplied with attractive waterfront resorts. All its beaches are made of fine sand but have no coral reefs. It is therefore not a place for snorkelling but for lazing about and swimming peacefully in a sublime setting.