---
title: "Thailand's Best Beaches & Islands"
description: "Thailand's best beaches and islands ranked: Railay, Maya Bay, Freedom Beach, Chaweng and more — with tips on access, seasons and what to expect."
url: https://bestofthailand.org/beaches
locale: en
---

# Thailand's Best Beaches & Islands

Krabi, Samui and the rest: which beaches are worth the journey, and what each one is actually like.

![Bang Tao Beach, Phuket](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-bang-tao-beach.jpg)

Phuket

## Bang Tao Beach

Eight kilometres of sand fronting the Laguna resorts — room for everyone, with beach clubs at the north end.

Beach clubsFamily friendlyLong walks

![Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-chaweng-beach.jpg)

Koh Samui

## Chaweng Beach

Samui's liveliest stretch: watersports by day, beach bars and night markets after dark.

NightlifeWatersportsRestaurants

![Freedom Beach, Phuket](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-freedom-beach.jpg)

Phuket

## Freedom Beach

A steep path keeps the crowds off this white-sand cove near Patong — clear water and barely a beach bar in sight.

QuietSnorkellingWhite sand

![Hua Hin Beach, Hua Hin](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-hua-hin-beach.jpg)

Hua Hin

## Hua Hin Beach

Five gentle kilometres of sand below the royal town — pony rides, kite surfing and seafood shacks.

KitesurfingFamily friendlySeafood

![Koh Larn (Coral Island), Pattaya](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-koh-larn.jpg)

Pattaya

## Koh Larn (Coral Island)

A 30-minute ferry from Pattaya delivers surprisingly clear water and six beaches to choose from.

Day tripFerry accessWatersports

![Lamai Beach, Koh Samui](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-lamai-beach.jpg)

Koh Samui

## Lamai Beach

Chaweng's calmer sibling: good swimming, a relaxed strip of restaurants and the Grandfather/Grandmother rocks.

SwimmingRelaxedRestaurants

![Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-maya-bay.jpg)

Koh Phi Phi

## Maya Bay

The famous cove restored by conservation closures — visits are capped and swimming restricted, but the scenery remains unmatched.

Protected parkSnorkelling nearbyIconic scenery

![Phra Nang Beach, Krabi](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-phra-nang-beach.jpg)

Krabi

## Phra Nang Beach

Cave shrines, karst towers and powder sand at the tip of the Railay peninsula.

CavesClimbingIconic scenery

![Railay Beach, Krabi](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-railay-beach.jpg)

Krabi

## Railay Beach

Reachable only by boat, framed by limestone cliffs — one of Thailand's most photogenic beaches and a world rock-climbing mecca.

ClimbingLongtail accessSunset views

![Silver Beach, Koh Samui](https://bestofthailand.org/images/beach-silver-beach.jpg)

Koh Samui

## Silver Beach

A compact boulder-framed cove between Chaweng and Lamai with calm, glass-clear water.

SnorkellingCalm waterSmall & scenic

Our business directory covers Bangkok only, so there are no beach-side hotels, dive shops or restaurants to list alongside these cards — everything we track is in the city. For the coast, use these pages to pick a region, then the [day-trips guide](https://bestofthailand.org/day-trips) for what is actually reachable from Bangkok in a day, and the [directory](https://bestofthailand.org/directory) for the places we can vouch for by name.