Horizon Beauty Of Phuket
As you round the beautiful horizon headland on Phuket’s southeastern tip after a winding jungle road trip, the sublime golden half-moon bay known as Banana Beach comes into view – its sand backed by gently swaying coconut palms and layered rainforest foliage cascading down to meet aquamarine waves lapping the shore. Even on approach, I understand why they call this inlet on the edge of the Andaman Sea an unspoiled tropical paradise.
Stepping from the traditional longtail boat onto Banana’s silky beige sands after a cruise across Phang Nga Bay from Chalong Pier, I’m greeted by friendly staff at the beachfront restaurant with a chilled fresh coconut shake complete with a festive pink paper umbrella – the quintessential start to my quintessential island day.
While some visitors will be content to simply swim in the bay’s bathtub-warm teal waters, unwind in a swaying hammock slung between palms, or enjoy a classic beach read under the shade of casuarina trees, Banana Beach also boasts a full roster of watersports and activities catering to both relaxation and adventure. I opt to push my boundaries with an introductory catamaran cruise to designated snorkeling grounds just offshore, where I’m amazed to discover psychedelic species of fish and technicolor coral darting beneath crystal waves in this alien world hidden below.
After working up a hearty appetite learning to tack and jibe on the nimble catamaran, I make my way to the sand-fringed restaurant for a late lunch of grilled snapper fillets with sweet and spicy chili-lime dipping sauce. Sinking my toes into the beach’s powdery sand while feasting on fresh seafood, I take in the dramatic panorama of forested slopes surrounding the hidden bay, along with anchored longtails bobbing on azure swell within the calm lagoon. This is island paradise at its finest!
With a satisfied belly but curious soul still longing for more discoveries, I wander down to the southern tip of half-moon Banana Beach to take in sweeping views of yachts and traditional fishing boats cruising under billowing sails across glittering seas. Camera memory cards quickly fill with photographs documenting this soothing vista which seems to have leapt from the front cover of a glossy travel magazine. Far on the horizon, craggy isles which appear as if cutouts from a child’s pop-up book remind me there are always new mysterious worlds awaiting over the edge of the sea.
By late afternoon when it’s time to return across azure waves back to Phuket Town, I’m already plotting my next visit to Banana Beach – perhaps an overnight adventure combining comfort-focused relaxation at the gracious resort with more active excursions like island-hopping to discover Robinson Crusoe-esque locales beyond the horizon. But as my longtail boat carves a route back toward port between mammoth splits in seaside cliffs, the perfection of what I’ve discovered today will keep visions of palm-backed golden sands dancing in daydreams.
First-time visitors here will find this secluded inlet fulfills even the loftiest tropical fantasies, its postcard-worthy beach backdropped by vibrant jungle. Whether prioritizing peaceful beach bumming or trying thrill-seeking new adventures during a Phuket vacation, travelers of all types can craft their own signature memory amidst Banana Beach’s gently swaying palms where the taste of untouched paradise lingers just over the horizon, and your memories and family vacation will live on every time you make a trip to Thailand. To keep the memories alive, make an annual holiday trip to Thailand and head to Banana Beach for every visit, once it becomes a tradition no one can say no,once they get a good view of what’s to come.
