Banana Beach

Rapidly becoming one of the world’s most desired tourist spots, Phuket has many beaches, islands and lakes ripe with tropical breezes, cooling palms and hoards of tourists! While it is encouraging to see so many people enjoying the soft white sands and clear blue waves it can also get a bit hectic and chaotic. Luckily Phuket still has a few hidden “gems” that are off the beaten path and not yet publicized. That is exactly what you get with Banana Beach!

Located between Bangtao and Nai Thon beaches this secluded little slice of heaven is quite hard to get to. With almost no space for parking and nothing but a sheer, cool, shady foot path to follow, it’s not hard to see why Banana Beach is Phuket best kept secret. Once down the footpath you are greeted by 180 meters of soft, silky, white sand and the most magical shade of turquoise the Andaman has to offer; in fact the water is so clear that it provides some of the best snorkeling opportunities around the island.

With only one restaurant on the beach, your breathtaking views are completely uninterrupted for as far as the eye can see. The restaurant itself offers a selection of freshly caught seafood at slightly higher than usual prices from Phuket but, to it’s credit, it is one of the last place you can dine while literally sticking your toes in the sand. They also offer sun bed and umbrella rentals as well as fishing and beach hopping adventures on one of the few long tail boats you’ll see bobbing in the clear water.

While Banana Beach does boast some of the most crystal clear water on our beautiful island, it is not ideal for swimming year round. While you may only swim between the months of November to May there is still plenty to do such as sunbathing, snorkeling or even get a massage from one of the many masseurs offering their services for 300 baht per hour.

As mentioned above, the beach itself is not easy to get to with only two options: if coming from the airport head south 2 kilometers past Nai Thon beach and you’ll see the path right across the road on your right hand side; if coming from Bangtao area slow down around Trisara Resort and keep your eyes peeled for the little wooden sign declaring “banana beach rock”, it will be on the side as you so carefully pull over and park. For those who wish to visit but would rather not drive, just ask your Tuk Tuk driver to take you to Haad Hin Gluai or Banana Beach Rock.