| Beaches in the South
As you head south from Bangkok down Thailand’s southern peninsula, the sea and the white sand beaches that meet it take center stage. Beach resorts and fishing villages, inlets and limestone cliffs line the east coast along the Gulf of Thailand, down to Surat Thani, then feature on both coasts all the way down to Phuket. Perhaps best of all, seafood plays a large role on the dinner plates of both locals and visitors.
Eastern Seaboard
East of Bangkok, Pattaya is a foreign tourist haven with great nightlife, but its beach is so-so compared to those in the south. Near Pattaya are Bang Saen and Jomtien. These pleasant resorts are popular with locals from the capital.
Gulf of Thailand
178 km south of Bangkok is Cha-am, famous for fresh seafood and Thailand’s longest white-sand beach (7 km): with no town center, this is the focal point. Although weekends and holidays are busy with city vacationers, weekdays are generally quiet. Down the coast, Hua Hin is more atmospheric and easier to walk around, with accommodation to suit everyone’s pocket. There are plenty of decent restaurants selling Thai and international cuisine. The long clean beach has flour-like sand with a refreshing sea breeze. Traveling south, the larger towns of Prachuap Khirikhan, Chumphon, Surat Thani and Songkhla all have fine, albeit smaller beaches nearby. Near Songkhla, Khukhut Waterbird Sanctuary hosts 200 bird species.
Southern Gems
On the west coast lies Phang Nga Province, with several national parks and lovely beaches on the Andaman Sea. With its limestone cliffs, rock formations, caves and fishing hamlets, picturesque Ao Phang Nga is a perfect getaway in its own right, or even as a trip out from nearby Phuket. Krabi Province has some of Thailand’s best mainland beaches, particularly at Hat Nopparat Thara, Ao Nang and Hat Tham Phra Nang. This whole area, dotted with caverns and mystical shrines, provides excellent rock climbing, diving, snorkeling and sailing. |
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