Surin Beach

Surin Beach (Ao Surin) is on the west coast of Phuket, about 15 km north of Patong. Surin Beach lies a few kilometres north of Kamala Beach, and has one of the most beautiful beaches on Phuket Island. A soccer field, and the remnants of a over-grown golf course have kept the hotels well away from the sand, and it's a shame that other beaches on Phuket haven't developed in a similar manner.

The beach is wedged between two headlands -- Laem Singh to the south and Laem Son to the north. The latter is home to Pansea Beach and a couple of super-high-end resorts, while the southern headland has the lovely Laem Singh beach which can only be reached by boat or on foot. Both are within long-walking distance of Surin Beach so don't feel you're restricted to just the main strip of sand.

During peak season from November to April the crystal clear water is calm and suitable for swimming and snorkelling. The rocks at the far ends of the beach are good for spotting colourful aquatic creatures like the abundant parrot fish, although divers say that the coral reefs haven't fully recovered from the tsunami. Umbrella chairs can be rented on the beach and there's usually a speedboat for banana boat rides and water-skiing.

During the monsoon season the waves can be 3 to 4 feet high. They're perfect for a little bit of surfing, but can make swimming conditions treacherous. There are sudden drop-offs in the water's depth as well as rip tides, and Surin Beach claims a few lives each year. If there are red flags flying on the beach do not go in the water. There is no lifeguard on duty, so children should be watched very closely.

Getting to Surin Beach

Surin Beach can be reached by songtheaw from Ranong Rd in Phuket Town. The trip costs 30B and the songtheaws run between 07:00 and 17:00 after which taxis and tuk tuks are your only option. Expect to pay around 400B for a tuk tuk from Surin Beach to Phuket Town.

Get Around

Taxi and Tuk Tuk cost around the same price.

What to Do

Surfing
For surfers, Surin Beach gets reasonable waves at both its northern and southern end, but watch out for the rocky section at the centre -- it's nasty.

Snorkerlling
For snorkellers you'd think the rocky headlands would be good for coral, but we saw very little. There is lots of fish though, so it is still fun for a frolic.

See Hotels in Surin Beach