Phuket

Phuket’s beach clubs cluster on the west coast. Bang Tao has the biggest concentration and the longest beach, Kamala and Patong bring the livelier crowd, and the hillside clubs above Kata look straight out at the sunset. On the east side, Cape Panwa and Coconut Island are quieter and more resort-like.

Visit between November and April for calm seas. In the wet season, swimming in the sea can be unsafe on west-coast beaches, but the pools stay open.