The beach itself is the main reason to come — a generous arc of white sand backed by coconut palms, with the Bay of Bengal stretching out in front and fishing villages tucked into the ends of the cove. The water is warm year-round and calm enough for swimming from November through April, when the northwest coast emerges from the monsoon. You can walk the full length of the beach in under an hour, passing through the village of Jade Taw at the southern end where fishing boats are beached each evening.
Swimming is good throughout the dry season, and snorkelling around the offshore rocks turns up parrotfish, damselfish, and the occasional sea turtle. The beach slopes gently into the sea — good for children and non-swimmers. At dawn, it is worth sitting on the sand to watch the long-tail boats head out in formation, their lanterns still lit in the grey light.