Bang Tao Beach
บางเทา
Home to white sands, Laguna Phuket and a huge number of quality hotels, villas and restaurants
Recommended by us
Two Heroines Monument
The roundabout statues of Chan and Mook — the two sisters who rallied Phuket's defence in 1785. A two-minute stop that gives the island's history a face.
Wat Phra Thong
Famous for the half-buried gold Buddha image that legend says cannot be moved. The compound is calm and rarely crowded — a good counterpoint to Bang Tao's beach-resort strip.
Thalang National Museum
Phuket's main history museum, a short drive east of Bang Tao. Two floors covering the Heroines' War, tin-mining, and Peranakan culture — useful context before you head south to Old Town.
Half-Day Phuket Easy Thai Cooking
A 4.9 from 124 guests — a relaxed half-day class that covers the five dishes most visitors want to take home. Finishes in time for an afternoon on the beach.
Get to Bang Tao Beach
Fly into Phuket International Airport — Bang Tao is the closest beach, about 20 minutes south. Grab a metered taxi or arrange hotel transfer on arrival.
eSIM for Thailand
Land with data already working and skip the airport SIM queue. We tested six plans — code THAIHOLIDAY saves 10%.
Travel insurance
Scooters and speedboat day trips are the norm around Bang Tao — sort cover before you go and check that the motorbike clause is included.
Getting to Bang Tao Beach
Compare buses, trains, ferries, and flights to Phuket.
Top sights & experiences
Things to do in Bang Tao Beach
Where to stay in Bang Tao Beach
Browse Stays in Bang Tao Beach
Tours in Phuket
2 dives at coral reefs, Half day for certified divers
2 dives on coral reefs – no prior experience required
3 Fun Dives in Racha Yai and Racha Noi for Certified Divers
3-Hour Private Treatment and Massage Spa Buffet Package in Phuket
3 Hours Mandala Art Workshop Activity in Phuket
4 Element Day with Zipline Adventure Expedition
60 Minutes Private Mood Massage in Phuket
A beautiful afternoon with our elephants
Aerial Yoga Class in Kata, Phuket
Baba Tastes Phuket Food Tour with 15+ Tastings
Blue Elephant Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour in Phuket
Coral Island Private Boat Tour
When to go
Nov–Feb Peak season for Bang Tao's beach club scene — Laguna Phuket hums with activity, the sand is wide and clean, and you can walk for kilometres without a crowd. Book ahead: the better pool villas fill fast from December.
Mar–Apr Still largely dry and the beach clubs stay open, but heat builds through April. Fewer package tourists than Patong means prices don't spike as sharply. Worth it if you're after the Laguna resort vibe without the December crush.
May–Oct Afternoon storms roll in and some beach club operations scale back, but the long beach empties out dramatically. Room rates drop across the Laguna strip. Mornings are often clear — head out early and you'll have the sand to yourself.
From the blog
Bang Tao Beach guides & reading
More to explore around Phuket
About Bang Tao Beach
Last updated July 2026
Bang Tao Beach stretches six kilometres along Phuket’s northwest coast — one of the island’s longest unbroken stretches of sand. The Laguna Phuket resort complex anchors the northern end, with five interconnected luxury hotels sharing pools, a golf course and a lagoon system linked by a free internal ferry. The southern half is quieter, with beach clubs, smaller boutique properties and a stretch of open beach that locals actually use.
The Beach
The sand is wide and white, and the gradient into the water is gentle — genuinely good for families and easy swimming in the November-April high season. The water turns rough from May to October when the southwest monsoon brings surf; red flag days are common and swimming outside designated safe zones is inadvisable. The lagoon behind the beach is worth a kayak trip — mangroves, birdlife and quiet channels away from the main tourist strip.
Beach clubs line the middle section of the beach. Xana is part of the Angsana Laguna resort, with a 35-metre pool facing the sea. RAVA, which opened in 2025 as part of Banyan Tree Phuket, has three infinity pools stretching across 150 metres of beachfront — currently one of the larger beach club setups in Phuket. Daybeds and cabanas at both require packages; cocktails run around 400-600 baht.
Where to Eat
Boat Avenue, the shopping strip adjacent to the Laguna complex, is the main off-beach eating hub. Suay Cherngatalay does modern Thai with Michelin recognition; Ta Wai offers traditional Thai in a garden setting; Hosay Bowl covers açaí and poke. The Fun Friday Night Market runs weekly at Boat Avenue from 4-9pm with Thai street food and craft stalls. For lower prices, walk south along the beach past the resort zone where Thai-run restaurants serve fresh seafood at roughly half the resort rates.
Where to Stay
SAii Laguna Phuket (8.7 on Agoda) sits inside the Laguna complex with direct beach access and a family-friendly setup. Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket Hotel (8.6) is the upscale option at the northern end with its own Casuarina Beach Club. Budget options are scarce here — Bang Tao sits firmly at the mid-to-high end of Phuket’s accommodation market.
Getting There
Bang Tao is about 30 minutes from Phuket Airport — one of its practical advantages over the southern beaches. Grab and Bolt both cover the area well and are the easiest way in from town or Patong (15-20 minutes). Songthaews from Phuket Town are infrequent and not reliable for a single trip.
Insider Tip: Walk south along the beach past the Laguna resort zone to reach the open sand where locals swim. Thai-run restaurants here serve fresh seafood at roughly half the resort prices. The contrast with the Laguna complex a kilometre north is immediate.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bang Tao Beach
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What is Boat Avenue and is it worth visiting?
How far is Bang Tao from Patong and Phuket Town?
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