Phuket has some of
the most deal and breathtaking beaches in the world.
The best known includes Patong which has develped
a lively night-time scene. Therer are also more sedate
beaches like Kata and Karon, sharing Phuket's wonderful
coastline with the Andaman Sea. There are only a few
beaches on the island's eastern coast but more just
beyond the southern tip of Cape Promthep, a famous
spot on Rawai Beach for watching sunsets.
Mai Khao Beach :
Located in the Nai Yang National Park, Mai Khao
Beach at the northern end of Phuket is the longest
beach on the island. It is a place full of peace and
serenity. Camping grounds are available at various
locations. The beach, however, shelves steeply, and
is unsuitable for swimming.
Mai Khao also serves
as the egg-laying ground for sea turtles. Despite
an increasing awareness of the necessity of protecting
these rare species, the number of sea turtles have
continued to fall in recent years. In an attempt to
keep these rare breeds alive, there are annual efforts
to protect the beach in the nesting season between
November and February. And baby turtles are annually
released back into the sea on April 13.
Nai Yang Beach :
Set in the national park and located to the south
of Mai Khao, Nai Yangis a tranquil and isolated bay
suitable for a picnic and swimming.About a kilometre
offshore, thereis a large coral reef for those veteran
scuba or snorkel enthusiasts to appreciate the undersea
world up close.
Nai Thon Beach :
Set on the rim off a quiet bay to the south of
Nai Yang, Nai Thon Beach provides a private world
for those day-trip-pers. Both ends of the beach are
protected by granite outcrops, which shield the bay
and provide homes for diverse marine flora and fauna.
While the beach is always crowded with tourists, one
can escape into the other isolated realm on Hin Kruai
Bay by walking south a few hundred metres.
Continuing southwards,
Bang Thao is another fine, casuarinafringed beach
with a crescent bay about eight kilometres in length.
The centre of the beach is dominated by the Laguna
Phuket Complex. Bang Thao is perhaps more associated
with sports than any other beaches on the island.
The Phuket Laguna Triathlon is held here every December.
Besides, the Phuket Laguna Riding Club offers horseback
riding along the beach. Yachting is a favored pastime
of grests at the Phuket Laguna, too. The constant
but fairly gentle breeze blows most of the time, making
the waters of Bang Thao Bay also ideal for windsurfing.
At the south of the beach, there is a small exclusive
beach comprising about 250 metres of pristine white
sandy beach called Pansea. One of the finest beaches
on the island, Pansea is suitable for snorkelling
over nearby coral reefs.
Surin Beach : This
beach lies a short distance north of Laem Singh from
which it is separated by a small cape, Laem Mai Phai.
Lined with casuarina trees, this beach far from the
madding crowds of Patong is suitable for sunbathing.
But it's not good for swimming because of its steeply
sloping sand shelf, especially during the Southwest
Monsoon.
There are several Muslim
fishing communities with their attendant mosques along
the west coast of the island, but perhaps the most
attractive and appealing is to be found at Bang Thao
Village, just inland from Surin Beach. The local mosque,
Matsayit Mukaram, is an elegant, whitewashed structure
with lacquered wooden doors.
