Beach Bang Tao

Bang Tao Beach has been favorite among celebrities. Famous actors Jason Statham, Jessica Alba and Tommy Lee Jones visited Bang Tao Beach during the shooting of movie Mechanic 2. Thai Princess Chulabhorn Valaalaksana had spent her vacation here previously. The legendary musician and one of the founders of The Rolling Stones also could not miss the opportunity to visit Phuket. Many years ago Mick Jagger could spend the night in a cheap motel or tourist bus, but in Phuket he preferred a comfortable rest in the chic villa near Bang Tao beach.

Stretching more than six kilometers, this golden shore is the second longest beach on Phuket. A short walk away is the small village of Cherng Talay, which lies in stark contrast to the area’s luxurious hotels. If you’re looking for solace, head to the beach’s northern tip. It’s much less populated, free from large hotels, and relatively untouched. You’ll likely run into a fisherman or two, out looking for their daily catch. But be careful, the surf is rougher here than it is on the southern part of the island.

Long time ago, many Phuket beaches were tin-mining quarrys, including Bang Tao beach. Tin mining brought all the wealth to Phuket. During the tin-mining days Bang Tao had a barren, industrial moonscape with all the tropical foliage scraped away. It’s now home to the huge, leafy-green luxury Laguna Phuket resort complex, which opened in the early nineteen nineties after resort owners spent years cleaning up and restoring the beach and lagoons.