Bang Tao Beach, #Phuket

Bang Tao Beach (or Bangtao)

is one of the longest Beach in Phuket,

half way between airport and Patong.

Beach on the west coast of the island, where all the beaches are

with its beautiful stretch of sand, Bangtao is always associated

with the gigantic resort complex known as ‘Laguna Phuket’.

This area was one of the tin mines that made the fortune of Phuket long ago,

but was abandoned later as the land was consider worthless.

Laguna Phuket managed to transform it in an very profitable

award winning ‘eco project’ with international resorts

such as Banyan Tree Resort, Dusit Thani Resort and Laguna Beach Resort.

In the recent years, an incredible amount of luxury villas

and properties were built in the back of the Bangtao Beach hotels.

Laguna used to be the ‘high-end’ part of the island, but the shine has slightly faded

and it feels more of a mass tourism complex, you just have to look at the size

and amount of the ‘local restaurants’ on the beach to get the picture.

The high-end seems to have moved to Mai Khao Beach 

with the JW Marriott, Sala Phuket and Renaissance Phuket Resort.

Thinking of it, it’s obviously all benefit for the hotel group,

everything is far, so guests can basically spend all their holiday

money right there! Of course, locals wanted their share of this tourist gold mine

and unfortunately, the beach access of most resort

became blocked by one row or more of shops and shacks.

Resorts couldn’t do anything about it but on the other hand

you have more choice to buy drinks, snacks, souvenirs and tours.

Several seafood restaurants, ranging from small to huge like the ‘Lotus Seafood’,

serve a good choice of live seafood at a more affordable price than resorts,

but more expensive than any other local restaurants on the island.