The Best Things to Do Outside in Thailand

A rounded granite boulder formation that looks enough like a certain cartoon duck to earn the name sits at the edge of this remote beach in the Similan Islands National Park. Open only from November to May, when boats can reach it, the seasonal closure does the work most beaches can't manage: the sand stays fine and white, the water stays clear, and the crowd stays thin. Ranked tenth on the World's 50 Best Beaches list in 2026.

On Koh Kradan, no roads reach the sand, no cars idle nearby, and the loudest thing is usually the water. Paradise Beach sits inside a protected marine area, which keeps the sea unusually clear and boat traffic thin. The reef is close enough to snorkel without arranging anything. Ranked 23rd on the World's 50 Best Beaches list, it earns the name more quietly than most places would dare.

Getting to Freedom Beach means either hiring a small boat from Patong or pushing through a half-hour jungle trek, and the beach seems perfectly fine with that arrangement. The reward is 300 meters of white sand tucked between jungle hills and the Andaman Sea, with shallow, calm water good for swimming. Ranked 27th on the World's 50 Best Beaches list, it draws the crowd that actively read the fine print before showing up.