Kalim Surf Beach #3

Come here for the waves, not the sand. This is a reef break on Phuket's west coast, a short way north of Patong, and it draws a mix of surfers who know what they're doing and beginners having a first go at standing up. The setting is scruffier and more open than the resort strips nearby, with far less development crowding the shoreline, which is exactly why I'd point people this way.

If you're not surfing, it still works as a place to walk the shore and watch the sets roll in, with casual cafes and small eateries close enough that you don't have to go far for lunch. It isn't a manicured swimming beach, though, and I wouldn't come expecting one during swell season. Outside the surf months the water settles right down and it becomes a much easier place to get in.