Ao Nang beach

The main Ao Nang seafront again — the long promenade beach where the town meets the water. It fronts the whole strip of restaurants, tour desks and the longtail pier, so it's more thoroughfare than hideaway, but the swimming is easy and the offshore karsts make the sunsets. Grab a deck chair, watch the boats load for the islands, and stay for the light. If you want quieter sand, the Monkey Trail at the east end leads to Pai Plong in five minutes.

Highlights