Bang Tao Beach, Thalang

Bang Tao Bay lies between Kamala and Surin to the south and Nai Yang to the north. It is a large, open bay with one of the island's longest beaches. Once the site of a tin mining operation, it is today occupied largely by the Laguna Beach Resort. Upmarket health and sports facilities abound, including a golf course and Phuket's most famous herbal spas. At the southern end there are smaller and less expensive hotels and a number of restaurants. There is also the Canal Village Shopping Center, which is home to a Jim Thompson silk emporium, Albatross Cafe & Pub and numerous handicraft shops.