Surin Beach is one of Phuket's quieter stretches of sand, a bay lined with tall casuarina trees that offer welcome shade from the tropical sun. It is a favourite beach for locals, who flock here on weekends and holidays to eat seafood at the beachside restaurants. The hillside above the beach is dominated by Amanpuri, the pioneering luxury resort that opened in 1988 and shaped the look of high-end Asian beach resorts for a generation.
Unlike most Phuket beaches, Surin has a steep sand shelf, which makes it less suitable for swimming. Big waves are common during the monsoon season and can create dangerous undertow conditions. That same swell has made surfing increasingly popular here, and the beach offers decent snorkelling at both ends of the bay when the water is calm — though visibility drops considerably during the rainy season. A short drive south toward Kamala Beach, Phuket FantaSea offers a theatrical evening show for those after something livelier after dark.