Southern Thailand: 8 hidden and beautiful beaches on Koh Samui and other paradise islands is written by Circle line Lemas.
The 8 best beaches in Southern Thailand can be found here
The holiday island of Phuket is often the destination when traveling Thailand's southern islands. Here you can explore the island's beaches, which are known worldwide - and where James Bond himself has also lived.
Besides Phuket's many beaches, you are just a short walk from the fantastic island trio of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Here you will find even more beautiful beaches that you may not know in advance. They are definitely worth a visit. We have gathered the highlights here.
Enjoy the tranquility of Southern Thailand at Freedom Beach on Phuket
Many visitors experience the city Phuket as noisy and full of tourists, where peace and quiet are not easy to find. But Freedom Beach has just what you are looking for; idyllic landscape and rock formations surrounded by Thai jungle forest.
Although Freedom Beach is a short distance from the famous Patong Beach, you will quickly find that the two beaches are opposites. The cool thing about Freedom Beach is that the beach is only possible to visit if you sail there with a 'longtail boat' in high season. It also means that it is limited how overcrowded the beach can become.
Mai Khao Beach on Phuket, where the planes land over your head
In the northwest corner of the island Phuket you will find a more recognizable beach. You may have seen pictures on social media of people posing on a long, gorgeous beach with airplanes landing and taking off right above one's head. It's Mai Khao.
Mai Khao beach is especially known for fly-spotting at the southern end, and that is probably also the highlight of this beach. Mai Khao is similar to so many other Thai beaches with the white sand and the turquoise blue water.
If you visit the beach in April, you also have the opportunity to see baby turtles hatching on the beach during the Songkran festival - and that just makes the beach much more attractive to visit if you are traveling around Phuket and Southern Thailand in the month of April.
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Southern Thailand is full of secluded beaches like Silver Beach on Koh Samui
A little north of the beach Lamai Beach on the island Koh Samui you will find the beautiful beach Silver Beach; a 250-metre white sand beach that offers idyll and tropical surroundings.
There are many options here - at Silver Beach you can sunbathe, snorkel, kayak or enjoy a fantastic Thai massage.
Many tourists think that the beach is only for the guests staying at the Silver Beach beach resort, which is not true, because according to Thai law, everyone is welcome at Silver Beach.
Therefore, this beach is not particularly visited, and you can therefore enjoy the silence at the beach and the beautiful view from the water's edge.
Southern Thailand's idyllic Maenam Beach on Koh Samui
If you are on Koh Samui anyway and want peace from the touristy beaches, then Maenam Beach is definitely worth a visit. Here you can enjoy some privacy and with a beautiful view to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan.
The beach offers a bit of everything, and you will find beautiful and idyllic bungalows along the sand at one end. At the other end of the beach you will find beautiful and large five-star resorts.
Maenam Beach definitely deserves a spot on your must-visit beaches list travel to Thailand.
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Thong Nai Pan on Koh Phangan - definitely worth a visit
Koh Phangan is best known for wild 'full moon parties' and the many influx of backpackers.
Many of the island's beaches are not nearly as beautiful as many other of Southern Thailand's paradise beaches. But if you are still visiting the island and want to find a beautiful beach, then Thong Nai Pan is a really good bet. Here you will find a quieter corner that the island is otherwise not known for.
Thong Nai Pan gives you the perfect Thai vibe with calm coral blue water and white sand. If you're on Koh Phangan anyway, you should definitely make your way past Thong Nai Pan.
In general, it's actually fairly peaceful on the island if you're there when there aren't full moon parties.
Dive for sharks and sea turtles at Shark Bay on Koh Tao
The name of the beach Shark Bay gives a little itself. Shark Bay is a fantastic area Koh Tao in Southern Thailand, where you have several opportunities to snorkel and dive. As many other tourists on the island do, you can snorkel around the surface of the water by walking in from the beach.
You can also rent an arranged boat trip, where you have the chance to experience sea turtles and black-tipped reef sharks. If you want a slightly quieter and unfamiliar area to snorkel in, you can jump directly in from the bridge at the cliffs at Shark Bay.
However, it must be said that even though this writer has been to Shark Bay several times, he still has not managed to meet a shark or sea turtle. But it may well be that you succeed.
An adorable southern Thai rock spring on Tanote Bay on Koh Tao
If you are a bit more of an adrenaline seeker as a person, then Tanote Bay is on Koh Tao just something for you.
The experiences start from the second you get into the car heading for the beach on Koh Tao. You get a very bumpy and almost flying car ride out to Tanote Bay. In any case, it is not at all recommended to drive there yourself on a scooter, as the road is very uneven.
When you arrive at the beach, you can see several tourists trying to climb the very high cliff in the middle of the water. The trip up there is only for those who in no way suffer from fear of heights.
To get to the top of the cliff, you have to climb the hot rocks yourself and then use the rusty iron chain to get to the top of the cliff.
From here there is only one way down, and it is about to jump out into the deep blue sea. If the rock outcropping is too much of an adrenaline rush for you, the snorkelling opportunities are also really good here.
Pure paradise on Koh Nang Yuan – next to Koh Tao
If you have visited Koh Tao before, you have probably also been to the island of Koh Nang Yuan.
The beaches on the island are like paradise, and at low tide you can see that the beach is divided into two parts. The island offers a lot, and since the island is plastic-free, you can buy soft drinks, beer and light meals at the café.
If you want a little challenge, you can wear a pair of good shoes and take the trip up to Koh Nang Yuan's viewpoint, which has a unique view of the island. The trip only takes 15-20 minutes each way.
The beach has it all and is perfect for a day trip of snorkelling, sunbathing and hiking.
You can easily spend 4-5 hours on this island. There are plenty of nooks and crannies to snorkel in, depending on what fish you want to explore under the water's assault.
With these eight amazing beaches in Southern Thailand, you are now more than ready for one adventurous journey around the Land of Smiles. Really good trip to Thailand's southern heat!
What beaches to see in Southern Thailand?
- Freedom Beach, Phuket
- Mai Khao Beach, Phuket
- Silver Beach, Koh Samui
- ? Maenam Beach, Koh Samui
- Thong Nai Pan, Koh Phangan
- Shark Bay, Koh Tao
- Tanote Bay, Koh Tao
- Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Tao
Did you know: Here are editor Anna's 7 favorite islands in Thailand
7: Koh Mai Thon south of Phuket
6: Koh Lao Lading at Krabi
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