Bang Tao

Bang Tao Beach is really long. It’s the second longest beach in Phuket at over eight kilometers. Most of the Northern section of the beach is overrun by the elephantine Laguna complex of resorts, golf courses, developments, restaurants, and gift shops. The interiore of Bang Tao has many luxury villas and other high-end developments. The southern part of the beach has more mid-range developments with  smaller hotels, smaller restaurants, and smaller gift shops—and a few tailors in case you still haven’t bought a suit.

The interesting complex of lakes that the Laguna complex surrounds are actually abandoned tin mining pits that filled with water when the tin and any reason to be in the area ran out.

Claims to the land were given up, households were relocated, business where knocked down and then knocked up again somewhere else, and only a few fishermen and very slow moving people were left in the area.

Then, tourists came to Phuket, and, just as quickly as the tin mines had filled with water, the area filled with resorts, business, and hastily drafted and even more dubiously granted land titles.

Still, because of the major high-end developments in the area, Bang Tao has a thriving scene for good food, quality handicrafts, beautiful villas, and art. Be sure to look through the food section because there are plenty of places that you can really enjoy here, both inside and outside of the major resorts. Outside of Phuket Town itself, this is the only place that you can really buy actual art. By “art” I mean art that isn’t a copy of art.