Let's get one thing clear. I'm not really a beach person as far as sitting on a beach or swimming in the sea goes. Not that I never do those things. To me, a beach is in the main, something to walk on while breathing in that nice salt air, a place to launch a boat in order to go fishing, or perhaps a place to sit in a quiet shady spot and have a cold drink. I also love to take photos of beaches. They are certainly beautiful places. I live in Patong. It's a great beach for an early morning or early evening walk, or for the joggers, a jog. I like to go walking in the early mornings because I can get to meet a few locals at that time. Gets much too populated  for me  between 10am and 4pm, especially in the high season. Then again most places are too populated for me at that time. It is a lovely stretch of beach to spend your time on. Hire a deckchair for 50 or 100 Baht, depending on the time of the year, relax under your umbrella while receiving a relaxing foot massage, purchasing goods off the beach vendors, or simply let the sea breeze send you off into a gentle slumber. As for away from the beach well, like Alice's Restaurant, in Patong you can get anything you want. It has everything anyone may need and probably much more than any one person could possibly want. While it's not everyone's cup of tea, I love living here.

The next populated beach south of Patong is Karon Beach. A open, long, straight beach which is very popular. A little too open for me, I like a tree lined beach with some shade when required. However, it's one of the most popular tourist beach on Phuket. Some beautiful resorts here and plenty of guest houses for those seeking budget accommodation. 

Kata Beach, made up of Kata Yai and Kata Noi, is certainly a great beach and very popular with surfers during the low season, when the sea is rough. As with all of the beaches it has some great accommodations, shopping, and restaurants in close vicinity. One of my favourite beaches.

Over the hills past the Kata Viewpoint, which is a great photo opportunity, and onto Nai Harn Beach. The site of the Le Meridian Yacht Club Resort and a lovely quiet beach with sentinels in the shape of a couple of wind turbines and, further down the coast, Laem Promteph.  

Laem Promteph, Promteph Cape, besides being a great place to watch the sunset and check out the lighthouse museum, is a rather special place for Thai people. There is a small temple decorated with thousands of elephants. A market near the car park and several food vendors complete the picture. Worth a look but does get crowded with tour buses at times.

Down the hill to Rawai Beach. Not the place for a swim but a super place to eat. The beach road is lined with small restaurants which serve delicious Thai food. grab yourself a mat on the beach and order some fine food and a refreshing drink. Can get some different light effects at dusk on this beach where long tail boats are often lined up along the beach. You can hire one to take you to you to the nearby islands if you feel like a boat trip. 

Heading north from Patong, the next beach is Kamala Beach. A quiet beach with a long stretch of open sand and a few trees for shade. The usual cluster of restaurants and food vendors are to be found here and of course the neat rows of beach chairs with their colourful umbrellas. Not as popular as other places and not such a large range of accommodation although it is a popular beach for ex-pats to live. Onwards to Laem Sing

Laem Sing is a bit of a hidden cove that you have to walk down a hill to get to, and worse still, walk up the hill to get back. It's not a difficult climb at all. Lovely little spot though and has some good Thai restaurants there. While it's almost impossible to see from the road, a large number of vehicles mark both of the access points.

Just down the road from Laem Sing is Surin Beach. I sometimes go to Surin for the great breakfast at the Surin Bay Inn or to visit  Diver the legend, at his most hospitable establishment, on the south end of the beach. It's another beautiful stretch of beach. One of the most dangerous beaches for swimming during the low season, when the sea gets up and the undertow is at it's worst.

Travel north from Surin Beach, staying on the coast road, and the next beach you run into will be Bang Thao Beach. A wonderful beach with some great restaurants to enjoy a fine dinner, accompanied by a superb sunset.

Layan Beach is not one of the more popular beaches however there is an enormous amount of construction taking place in the area and it is certainly on the edge of a boom. lovely spot for sunset photography.

If I do feel like a swim then I'll normally take a drive to Naithon Beach. Magnificent beach, clean and not crowded. Having said that, since the construction of Naithonburi and some other resorts in close proximity, there's been quite a few tourists about the place. Well worth the drive, which is quite a highlight.

Nai Yang Beach is set in a national park and to get there requires a drive through a forested area of the island. The national park extends out to sea. About 1000 mts or so off shore are some lovely coral reefs which are popular with snorkellers. Lots of good restaurants set in the shade of the trees at the edge of the beach.  

The last of the well known beaches on the Island is Mae Khao Beach. It stretches quite a long way and is, in the main, quite empty. How long t will stay this way is anyone's guess. There seems to be plenty of development planned for this area according to those who should know. A quiet spot for a rest after a long but beautiful drive.

The East coast, while not really possessing so many nice swimming beaches, is well worth taking a drive through. Cape Panwa has a great lookout as well as some lovely resorts. A very nice part of the island and really shouldn't be missed.