All our Thailand guides tagged beaches.
A calmer, more established beach town two to three hours from Bangkok, built around a royal summer palace, a long beach, golf courses and an easy train ride rather than a party scene.
The cove made famous by The Beach was loved into serious trouble, closed for years to let the reef recover, and reopened under rules that keep changing: what a visit actually involves today, and where to go instead if swimming is the point.
Shallow water with a gentle shelf, short transfers, a walkable strip and no party scene: which Thai islands genuinely suit young children, and which ones do not.
One legendary beach party and a whole quiet island around it: how Koh Phangan actually works, where to stay for which experience, and how to stay safe on the big night.
Long west-facing beaches, a road down the spine, no nightlife to speak of and a season that shuts half of it: the quiet alternative on the Andaman coast.
Big beaches, big resorts and a ring road: what Samui is actually like, which coast to choose, and why its season is the opposite of the Andaman.
Chaweng, Lamai, the north coast or the quiet south: what each Samui bay is like to wake up in, what the ring road costs you, and where the noise is.
Thailand's largest island holds a party strip, quiet family beaches, an old Sino-Portuguese town and a national park: which end suits which trip.
The party strip, the family bays, the quiet south and the empty national park coast: which Phuket beach matches which holiday, and what each costs you in transport.
Andaman or Gulf? Compare Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi against Koh Samui, Phangan and Tao: the scenery, the seasons, the vibe, and how to pick the right Thai island for your trip.