Phuket romantic restaurants are all well and good for the evenings, but how are you going to spend your days in a romantic way? Well, this is Phuket – the largest island in Thailand with over 40 beaches to choose from…

While Patong Beach is certainly the most popular of Phuket’s beaches, its hard to describe it as ‘romantic’ since it’s always so busy. On the other hand, there are some beaches which are too far the other way and which require hiking boots and climbing gear to get to which are a little too far the other way. The ideal romantic beach is one that has a bit of an atmosphere to it, some convenient facilities, nice scenery and a bit of peace and quiet, but is also relatively easy to get to. Here are some of the best.

Ya Nui Beach

This is one of Phuket’s smallest beaches, and is pretty popular, which means that it almost suffers from the same problems as Patong Beach. However, it stands out for its beautiful sand, the striking rock that marks the bend in the L-shaped coastline and the great snorkelling just off the coast. The sand is lined with palm trees, with a couple of local restaurants just behind it. The beautiful Windmill Viewpoint isn’t too far, either – in fact, it overlooks Ya Nui Beach. The bigger Nai Harn Beach is just a short drive away, if you’re feeling a little overcrowded.

Surin Beach

Surin Beach used to be the really chic place to go in Phuket as it was lined with high-end beach clubs. However, they were removed to give the place a more natural look and feel. What’s left is a pretty peaceful place, with lovely sand to enjoy walking through with your loved one. There are virtually no rocks off the shore, so it’s one of the best places to take a dip, too. With the beach clubs gone, you have to walk a little further to find a place to get a bite to eat, but the choice of restaurants is pretty good.

Mai Khao Beach

Right at the northern end of the island, Mai Khao Beach is a whopping 11 km in length! Suffice it to say that it’s very easy to find a nice patch of peace and quiet here and, with big hotels dotted along its length, its not too difficult to find somewhere to eat. The airport is right at the southern end and it’s fun to watch the planes passing low overhead just before touching down. Further south still is Nai Yang Beach (though there’s no break in the sand between the two beaches), which borders onto a small but beautiful national park, making it arguably even more romantic. On the downside, the sand is a little rough this far north.

Kamala Beach

Kamala Beach has the great choice of restaurants and bars that Patong has, but the crowds tend to be a bit smaller, the whole beach is lined with shade-giving trees and the atmosphere is generally a lot more peaceful and relaxed. Right at the southern end is an anchorage for local fishing boats, which apparently makes a great background for romantic photos because you’ll generally find crowds of couples getting their pre-wedding photos taken there.

Nakalay Beach

There’s only one beach in Phuket that has an outstanding and incredibly romantic restaurant right on the sand. Nakalay Beach is directly in front of the Thavorn Beach Village resort, with all of the facilities that come with it. Being mostly used only by hotel guests, it’s got the right sort of atmosphere, with no crowds or hawkers. It’s perhaps not as swimmer-friendly as Surin and the sand isn’t as fine as Ya Nui, but it’s got a great balance of the important features, making it easily one of the most romantic beaches in Phuket.