Bang Tao Beach

Overview

Bang Tao Beach is the long one on the northwest coast, running roughly 6 kilometres from the Layan headland in the north down toward Surin in the south, and it has become the centre of gravity for new development in Phuket. Twenty years ago this was tin mining land. Today the middle of the bay is the Laguna complex, and behind it sits Cherng Talay with the Boat Avenue and Porto de Phuket dining and shopping district, an international school run and a large share of the island's expat population.

None of which spoils the beach, because the beach is very long. The sand is soft and pale, the bay shelves gently, and even with beach clubs at either end there is enough space that a walk north from the middle empties out quickly. It is the most convenient beach on the island for people who want swimming, restaurants, groceries and a gym all within a few minutes, and it is the least characterful if you were hoping for a fishing village.

The southern half is where the beach club scene lives, and it is a genuine scene. The northern half toward Layan Beach is quieter and greener.

What to expect on the sand

Services vary enormously depending on where you stand. In front of the resorts and beach clubs there are loungers, umbrellas, food and drink service and staff. Between them there are long stretches with nothing at all, which is where residents walk dogs and run at dawn.

The bay is wide and open, so there is little natural shade beyond the treeline at the very back. Bring or hire an umbrella if you are staying for the middle of the day.

Behind the beach the density is unusual for Phuket: Laguna Phuket occupies much of the central strip, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket sits on the sand with a day pass at its beach club, and the club scene runs from Nora Beach Club to the bigger names further along the bay. There are also several wellness and sauna venues a few minutes inland, including Breathe Phuket, which tells you something about who lives here.

Swimming, surf and safety

High season, November to April, is when Bang Tao swims best. The gradient is gentle for a long way out, the water is usually clear, and the sheer length of the beach means you can find a quiet patch even at the busiest time of year.

The green season, May to October, is a different matter and Bang Tao deserves particular respect in these months. It is a long, straight, exposed bay facing directly into the southwest monsoon, which means swell arrives across its whole length and rip currents form widely. Lifeguard cover exists in front of the developed sections but there are kilometres of beach with nobody watching. This is not a beach to swim alone on a rough day. Where there are flags, obey them, and where there are none and the sea is up, stay out.

Our guide to the best time to visit Phuket sets out the year month by month.

Location and getting there

Bang Tao is on the northwest coast, about 20 minutes from the airport and roughly 20 kilometres northwest of Phuket Town, which makes it one of the easier beaches to reach on arrival. Cherng Talay sits immediately inland with the main shopping and dining strip.

Parking is available at the public access points and at the commercial developments, and it is much less painful than Patong, though the Boat Avenue area gets busy in the evening. Songthaews run from Phuket Town to Cherng Talay, and taxis and app based rides are easy. A car or scooter makes far more sense here than anywhere else on the island, because the area is spread out and the good food is inland rather than on the sand.

Good to know

Entry is free and the whole 6 kilometres is public and walkable.

Sunset faces west with an open horizon. The beach clubs are covered in our roundup of the best beach clubs in Phuket, and resorts here sell some of the better value pool and spa access on the island, listed on our day passes page. For quieter sand, walk north toward Layan. Every other beach is on our Phuket beaches page.