Beaches and Islands in Thailand with Family

In Phuket, everything depends on the time of year. Between November and March, it's packed. The southern beaches like Kata, Kata Noi, and Nai Han will be crowded. We prefer Bang Tao, further north. The beach is huge and extends north toward Layan Beach. Unfortunately, they're concreting over the northern part, which had remained wilder. Real estate projects are multiplying. That said, Bang Tao is more upscale and pricier. For a little story, we stayed there for New Year's Eve 2023 and didn’t regret it. Thais gather there with family (like every weekend). They arrive by late morning with pick-ups loaded with gear, tents, chairs, barbecues, and beer, and for New Year’s, fireworks. At midnight sharp, it was a breathtaking spectacle. Otherwise, I recommend taking a few days first, then visiting each beach yourself—that’s what we did. It’s the only way to really get a feel for it. And only you know what you truly like. For us in Phuket, the main issue is wanting the beach during the day and Thai gastronomy in the evening. But Thai gastronomy is mostly around Phuket Town. So if you want to catch the sunset, you leave the beach late, then get stuck in rush-hour traffic heading down to Phuket Town. But then you find gems—often little restaurants on the edge of street food. Just so you know, since 2022, Phuket has seen *a lot* of Russians.