Thailand has more than 3,000 km of coastline across two seas, and the beach you want depends less on a ranking than on what you plan to do on it. A party beach and a turtle-nesting beach can be 40 minutes apart. This guide sorts the best beaches in Thailand by traveller type, then points you to our detailed island beach guides and hotel pages so you can book with the right stretch of sand in mind.
Beach quality here is seasonal. The Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe) is at its best from November to April, while the Gulf coast (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) is generally drier from January to September. Pick the coast first, then the beach. For more detail on timing, see our Thailand island guides and the weather notes on each island page.
At a glance: which beach for which traveller
| You want | Beach | Island or area | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nightlife | Patong | Phuket | Nov-Apr |
| Full Moon Party | Haad Rin | Koh Phangan | Year-round (monthly party) |
| Resort bars and shopping | Chaweng | Koh Samui | Jan-Sep |
| Cliffs and scenery | Railay | Krabi | Nov-Apr |
| Soft white sand near Bangkok | Hat Sai Kaew | Koh Samet | Nov-Apr |
| Space and quiet | Mai Khao | Phuket | Nov-Apr |
| Coral and castaway feel | Koh Kradan | Trang | Nov-Apr |
| Families | Hua Hin, Karon | Gulf coast, Phuket | Nov-Apr (Karon), year-round (Hua Hin) |
| Snorkelling and diving | Sairee | Koh Tao | Mar-Sep |
Best Thailand beaches for nightlife and parties
Patong Beach, Phuket
Patong is the busiest beach in Thailand: a long curve of sand with jet-skis, sun loungers and the Bangla Road nightlife strip one block back. Swimming is fine from November to April but the surf and red flags make it risky from May to October. If you want a beach for the day and a bar for the night within walking distance, this is the one. Families and anyone who wants peace should look at Karon or Mai Khao instead, both covered below.
Compare every Phuket stretch in our Phuket beaches guide, then see where to stay in Phuket for the best areas by budget. For boat trips, browse Phuket tours.
Haad Rin, Koh Phangan
Haad Rin (also written Had Rin or Hat Rin) is the home of the Full Moon Party, which draws thousands to the sand each month. On non-party days it is a pleasant, narrow beach with a backpacker crowd and calm swimming on the sunrise side. Plan your dates around the party calendar, because accommodation fills and prices rise in the days either side. For quieter water, the north and west coast bays are far better.
Our Koh Phangan beaches guide covers Had Rin and the bays beyond it, and Koh Phangan hotels lists where to base yourself.
Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui
Chaweng is Samui’s main strip: a long white beach backed by resorts, restaurants, beach clubs and a busy night scene. It is the liveliest beach on the Gulf side without the full-moon crowds of Koh Phangan. The sand is soft and the water shallow for a long way out, and the north end is quieter than the centre.
See the Koh Samui beaches guide for Chaweng, Lamai and the quieter north-coast options, and the Koh Samui hotels page for area advice. Browse Koh Samui tours for Ang Thong marine park and island trips.
Best beaches in Thailand for scenery
Railay Beach, Krabi
Railay sits on a peninsula cut off by limestone cliffs, so the only way in is a longtail boat from Ao Nang (approximately THB 100 each way as of 2026). Railay West has the sunsets, Phra Nang has the cave shrine and the postcard view, and the whole area is a rock-climbing centre. Day-trippers arrive from late morning, so the best light and the calmest sand are early and late. Our full Railay Beach guide has boat details and costs, and the Krabi hotels page shows where to stay in Ao Nang, Railay and Krabi Town. See also best tours in Krabi.
Hat Sai Kaew, Koh Samet
Hat Sai Kaew (“Diamond Beach”) is Koh Samet’s widest and most developed beach, about 1 km from the pier, with fine pale sand and plenty of places to eat. Samet is the closest island beach to Bangkok, which makes it the practical pick for a short escape, though weekends and public holidays get crowded and a weekday visit is much better. Read the Koh Samet island guide and check the Koh Samet hotels page before you book.
Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe’s Sunrise Beach and Sunset Beach have clear, calm water by Andaman standards, and the island is small enough to walk across in 20 minutes. It is far more remote than Phuket, so allow for the speedboat from Pak Bara and a reduced schedule in the rainy season. The Koh Lipe beaches guide explains each beach, and the Koh Lipe hotels page covers where to stay. Koh Lipe tours include snorkelling trips to nearby islands.
Best quiet beaches in Thailand
Mai Khao Beach, Phuket
Mai Khao is the northernmost and longest beach on Phuket, running along Sirinat National Park near the airport. It has few bars, little traffic and wide stretches of sand, and from roughly November to February sea turtles nest along it, which is one reason the area stays lightly developed. The sea has strong currents in the wet season, so swim only where flags show it is safe. It suits couples and anyone who wants Phuket without the crowds. Our Phuket beaches guide lists the quieter north-coast options and the Phuket hotels page explains the resort areas.
Koh Kradan, Trang
Koh Kradan is a small Trang island with a long, thin beach and reef close to shore. There are only a handful of simple resorts, and most visitors are day-trippers on boat tours from the mainland. It is a good example of how far a short boat ride can take you from Phuket’s busy west coast. Our Trang city guide explains how to reach the islands, and best tours in Trang lists island-hopping options. Check Trang hotels for mainland bases.
Koh Kood
Koh Kood, on the eastern Gulf, is a large and sparsely developed island with calm bays, white sand and almost no nightlife. Bang Bao and Khlong Chao are the best-known beaches, and the island is best from November to May. The Koh Kood beaches guide compares the bays, where to stay on Koh Kood lists the area options, and Koh Kood tours cover the islands and waterfalls.
Best beaches in Thailand for families
Hua Hin Beach
Hua Hin is the easiest family beach in Thailand: a long, flat beach two to three hours from Bangkok, with shallow water, pony rides on the sand, kitesurfing nearby and plenty of restaurants. The water is not as clear as the islands, but the logistics are simple and there are no boat transfers. Our Hua Hin guide covers the town, and where to stay in Hua Hin compares beachfront and town options. Browse best tours in Hua Hin for day trips.
Karon Beach, Phuket
Karon is a long, wide beach on Phuket’s west coast, calmer and less commercial than Patong, with a gradual slope and a good run of cafes and restaurants behind it. It is safe for children from November to April, when lifeguards patrol, and it has a flat promenade and park. Details on Karon, Kata, Surin and Nai Harn are in the Phuket beaches guide.
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta’s Long Beach and Klong Dao are relaxed, wide beaches with shallow water and small, family-run places to stay. Lanta is a slower island than Phuket and good for toddlers and teenagers alike. See the Koh Lanta beaches guide, the Koh Lanta hotels page, and Koh Lanta tours.
Best beach for snorkelling
Sairee Beach, Koh Tao
Sairee is Koh Tao’s longest beach, on the west coast, and the island’s main base: dive schools line the sand, boats leave for snorkelling trips every morning, and the sunsets are good. For snorkelling right off the sand, the bays on the southern and eastern sides are often clearer than Sairee itself, so use Sairee as your base and take a boat or taxi. Koh Tao is best from March to September. Read the Koh Tao diving and snorkelling guide, the Koh Tao hotels page and Koh Tao tours.
Maya Bay: current status
Maya Bay, the Phi Phi Leh beach made famous by the film The Beach, is open as of October 2026. It reopened on 1 October after its annual closure from 1 August to 30 September, which the national park uses to let the reef recover. The next closure is scheduled for the same dates in 2027, but dates can change, so confirm with your tour operator or the Department of National Parks.
Boats do not enter the bay. They moor at Loh Samah Bay on the other side and visitors walk along a boardwalk to the beach, where time on the sand is limited and swimming in the bay is not allowed. The park fee is approximately THB 400 for foreign adults. Go early to avoid the crowds, and avoid reef-unsafe sunscreen, touching coral and flying drones, all of which are banned. Book via Koh Phi Phi tours and read our Koh Phi Phi guide for the surrounding area.
How to choose your beach
Start with the month you are travelling, because it decides the coast. From November to April, choose Phuket, Krabi, Lanta or Lipe. From January to September, Samui, Phangan and Tao are more reliable. Next decide how much infrastructure you want. Patong, Chaweng and Hua Hin have everything within walking distance, while Kradan, Kood and Mai Khao need more planning for food and transport. For swimming, check flags and local advice, since rip currents occur on exposed west-facing beaches in the monsoon months. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s official site has regional information and updates on current conditions.
For a longer trip that links several of these beaches, our island hopping and transport planning page shows how to get from Bangkok to the coast.