Layan Beach, Phuket: The Quiet End of Bang Tao

Layan is the northern end of Bang Tao bay, where the six-kilometre beach curves into a headland and the resort strip gives way to casuarina trees, a national park and a handful of restaurants. It is the calmest water on the bay, shallow for a long way out from November to April, and the beach we send guests to when they want space: on a high-season afternoon you can walk 500 metres without passing a lounger. It is ten minutes from the villas in Cherng Talay and 30 from the airport.

What it is like

The beach is wide and pale, backed by trees rather than hotels, with a small river mouth at the northern end where longtail boats moor. There are a few sunbed operators and a beachside restaurant or two that will bring a cold drink to your towel, a massage lady under the trees, and not much else. The northern part of the beach sits inside Sirinat National Park, which is why nothing has been built on it and why the pine forest behind the sand is still there. A small entrance fee may be charged at the park gate on some days.

Facing due west, Layan has the same sunset as the rest of the bay with a fraction of the crowd; the headland to the north frames it.

Swimming

Layan is the sheltered corner of Bang Tao. In high season the water is glassy and shallow enough for small children well out from the shore. In the green season, from May to October, it still gets some swell but noticeably less than the middle of the bay, and it is the section we would choose on a marginal day; on a red-flag day, stay out everywhere. See the month-by-month weather guide.

Horse riding on the beach

Layan is where Phuket's beach horse rides happen. The Phuket International Horse Club runs guided rides along the sand, including a sunset ride, for beginners and experienced riders; the weight limit is 85 kilograms and children ride on the shorter routes. Book a day ahead in high season. It is the one activity people remember from a Layan afternoon.

Nikki Beach and the headland

On the headland at the north end sits Nikki Beach Phuket, the international beach-club brand's local outpost: a pool, daybeds, DJs at weekends and the sunset crowd. It is the lively counterpoint to the empty sand below it; go for a Sunday afternoon and come back to the quiet the next day. The luxury resorts of the headland, Trisara and Anantara among them, have restaurants that take outside bookings for a special dinner.

Eating

Choice on the sand is deliberately small: a couple of Thai seafood restaurants near the river mouth and an Italian inside the park area, with grilled fish, som tam and cold beer as the standard order. For everything else, Boat Avenue is ten minutes away; see the Boat Avenue guide.

Getting there and where to stay

Layan is a ten-minute drive from Cherng Talay and Bang Tao village, and Grab works by day. The car park at the beach end fills on weekends; arrive before eleven. Villas with Layan as their nearest beach sit in the lanes between the beach road and Cherng Talay; our Anchan Villas and Shambhala Grand Villa are both a short drive, and the Phuket area guide sets Layan against the rest of the coast. Combine it with a morning at Nai Thon, the next bay north, for two of the island's quietest beaches in a day.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Layan Beach?

At the northern end of Bang Tao bay on Phuket's north-west coast, about ten minutes from Cherng Talay and 30 minutes from the airport.

Is Layan Beach good for swimming?

Yes. It is the calmest, shallowest section of Bang Tao, flat from November to April and more sheltered than the middle of the bay in the green season.

Is Layan Beach in a national park?

The northern part of the beach lies within Sirinat National Park, which is why the shoreline is undeveloped and backed by casuarina forest.

Can you ride horses on Layan Beach?

Yes. The Phuket International Horse Club runs guided rides on the sand, including sunset rides, with an 85-kilogram rider limit.

Are there restaurants at Layan Beach?

A few: Thai seafood places near the river mouth, an Italian inside the park area, and Nikki Beach on the headland. Boat Avenue, ten minutes away, has the full choice.