Kamala Beach

It's far from being a untouched by tourism – few places on Phuket are these days – but Kamala Beach is a resort with a very different vibe from busier, party-beaches like Patong, to the south. In part this is because Kamala remains a proper Thai fishing village, with less obvious development than some popular Phuket beaches. It might also be because Kamala's kilometre of shimmering white sand is so beautifully framed by sheltering green headlands – protecting it from visitors as much as from the wind.

As well as being a sheltered haven, with barely a swell to trouble the kids (especially during the dry season from November to April), Kamala remains mercifully free of the noise and drama of jet-skis, power boats or surf-boards. Some parts of the beach are well-used, but others (particularly the north) are less visited, making it simple to peg your own personal sun-spot. But civilisation is generally just a stone's-throw away – restaurants, toilet facilities, villas and hotels lie a little back from the beach. The beach-front road also has several small food stalls, cooking fresh Thai dishes for beach-goers taking a break from soaking up the sun.

Not that Kamala is free of other things to do, when you've tired of sunning under its fronded beach-umbrellas. The beach itself has small stalls offering Thai massages – foot, shoulders, body - the choice is yours. Keeping it relaxed, there are number of yoga classes available close to the beach, or in the village itself. And some of the local hotels offer lessons in Thai cooking.

At the other end of the scale, a kilometre or so back from the beach is a purpose-built entertainment centre – Phuket FantaSea – which puts on spectacular night-time shows, and which has a massive buffet-style restaurant. Great for when the sun goes down. It has to be said that if there's one Phuket beach that has 'family-friendly' written into its white sands, it has to be Kamala.