Ao Nang

In the daytime, Ao Nang is busy with visitors flowing to and from beaches. In the evening, storefronts light up the sidewalk and open-air restaurants provide excellent places to kick back with a beer and watch the crowd go by. For a more romantic atmosphere, head to the half-dozen seafood restaurants atop a pier extending from the bend in Liab Chai Haad Road in between Ao Nang and Noppharat Thara beaches. During the day, longtail boats depart from Ao Nang for the more spectacular beaches and waters of Hong, Poda, Gai, Lanta, and the Phi Phi islands, as well as nearby Railay Beach. Less adventurous types can find nicer sand and better water for swimming on the far eastern end of the beach or at Noppharat Thara Beach National Park to the west.