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Thailand's Top Beaches
by Holiday Rental Centre Team
July 2010
Thailand is a country blessed with an array of both manmade and natural wonders, which make it a perfect haven for tourists from across the globe. The stunning mountainous greenery of the north slides into sensational beach resorts around the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, some of which are often touted as being amongst the world’s finest. It is no exaggeration to say that there are few countries that can match Thailand for its sheer volume of beautiful beaches. The only problem is deciding which ones to visit. If you're not sure where to look, or your Lonely Planet isn't giving you the answers you need, then take a read of this article for three of the best.
Ko Tao
Located in the Gulf of Thailand as part of the Samui archipelago, Ko Tao lies north of Ko Phangan, making it a perfect stop off before or after one of the legendary Full Moon parties. On the west of the island lies the beautiful Sairee beach, which stretches some 2km before the hills roll in from the north side of the island. This is particularly popular with the young tourist set, so if you want something more low key and empty, then head to the South East of the island at Sai Daeng. Ko Tao is also a particular favourite of scuba divers, with plenty of newbies gaining their open water qualification at one of the many diving schools. If you can beat your Sam Song hangover, or fancy escaping the rays for a few days or more, take a look for a dive course and head underwater!
Ko Phi Phi Don
38 km to the South West of Krabi lies the beautiful Ko Phi Phi Don, a hedonistic paradise which hasn't gone unnoticed by mass tourism. If you can stand the beach crowds and bucket drinking twenty ething’s that flood the streets in the evening, then this is a place of astonishing natural beauty. Ao Lo Dalam is the most popular of the beaches, encased by steep rising cliffs whilst having an incredible difference between high and low tide. Make sure you visit here for sunset, and, if you're looking to party, come down after 11PM to shake your moves. Once you've beaten your hangover in the day, then a long tail boat trip to nearby Phi Phi Ley is highly recommended. This national park was the setting for 2000's The Beach, starring Leonardo Di Caprio and with its bays and lagoons surrounded by astonishingcliffs it's not difficult to see why.
Railay
One of the most curious features of Railay is that it isn't an island, but yet it is only accessible by boat. The reason for this oddity is that its beaches are surrounded by sheer cliffs, which would take a superb climber quite some time to navigate. However, a rocky long tail boat trip is well worth the journey, as upon arrival at either Hat Son Tai or Hat Railay West, you'll be greeted with two of Thailand's best beaches. With astonishing cliffs falling down into turquoise waters, this is a place to watch waves and incredible sunsets in tranquility. Because of its relative inaccessibility, Railay remains one of Thailand's less frequented top beaches, so get here while there's still some peace and quiet to be had. To get to Railay, and to Thailand itself, try some of the Internet’s comparison sites for flights that fall on the more economical end of the spectrum. Try DialAFlight.com, for a range of flights to Thailand. They currently offer flights to Bangkok, Thailand’s buzzing capital, for £325.00,inclusive of tax, from Heathrow.