6 miles from Patong Bay
A beautiful bay framed by two rocky headlands, this is the favourite spot for paradise seekers and ageing hippies who prefer the short longtail or tuk-tuk ride from Patong to the gruelling bus ride to Krabi.
Anchor in 3-12 metres on a sandy bottom. This beach has currently fallen victim to the new beach rules and there are no umbrellas or food vendors. With a 300-metre steep climb to the main road, make sure you take your refreshments with you.
To the north around the headland is Surin Bay, one of the island’s only zoned public beaches and park, it has been designated a heritage beach in honour of HM King Bhumipol. As such, there are now no restaurants, beach clubs, toilet amenities or facilities of any kind except 400 metres away behind the park.
Previously this was home to the famous Catch Beach Club, the first beach club on Phuket, which is now rumoured to reopen in Kamala in 2016 and be renamed HQ.
We can’t predict what will come next after the clearance, but the repeated delays and mind changing over the last two seasons gives us hope that some sensible compromise may be possible. What is a day at the beach if you can’t have lunch and a drink?
Anchor in 5-8 metres anywhere off the beach outside any swim lines that may still exist. From this headland north, the private housing and the hotel accommodation becomes increasingly exclusive and expensive.