Banana Beach on the north-eastern tip of Koh Hey (Coral Island) has white sands bordered by the clear blue sea and is backed by bright green jungle. The beach is a popular destination for people visiting Phuket. Though it's less than 10 km from the mainland, it is largely untouched by construction and tourism.
Coral Island is one of the most popular places for island-hopping day trips from Phuket. You can get to Coral Island by longtail boat or speedboat from Rawai Beach or Chalong Pier.
photo by Beth Williams (CC BY 2.0) modified
Since the island is part of a national park and a marine preservation area, buildings have been limited to only a few huts. Most visitors come for the day to enjoy a variety of water sports. Banana boats are popular here (which is how the beach got its name), as well as snorkelling, sea kayaking and parasailing. Scuba diving is also available and, because the area is protected, divers can often see lots of colourful fish.
A speedboat from Chalong Pier takes less than 30 minutes and offers good views of the ocean and islands. The speedboat is the start of the adventure for most visitors, and many people also arrange a day of activities here in advance.
There is one restaurant serving food here that has been built from bamboo to keep the beach free from concrete. Don’t forget to bring your camera along as you'll find plenty of wonderful beach angles to capture.
photo by Beth Williams (CC BY 2.0) modified
Banana Beach on Coral Island
Location: Banana Beach, Coral Island, Phuket 83130, Thailand
