Koh He Island is also known as Coral Island. This is a 2 mile (3.2 km) long tree-filled island off the southeastern side of Phuket Island (off Rawai Beach) and just a bit further by boat than Koh Bon reviewed above. Koh He is like other islands that surround the main island of Phuket – covered with heavy forest and rocks on the majority of coastline.
The main (biggest) beach on Coral Island is found approximately in the center and on the north coast. Stretching 2,700 ft. (823 m), this is the longest sandy beach on Koh He and it attracts the most people. In the past, the island was well-known as receiving fewer tourists that most other islands off the east coast of Phuket.
These days there are sometimes many visitors from other countries. The parasailing (parachutes behind boats) companies have moved in, and some find the experience off-putting now. This is no longer an ideal island paradise if you don’t want to smell diesel boats and hear jet skis and parasailing. Apparently, at times there is a lot of trash evident on the sand and washing up on shore. Keep in mind, it’s not all the time, you can still have an enjoyable early morning at Coral Island if you make the effort!
If you ask your boat captain to stop here, you can enjoy it for a while before walking south on a path to a tiny snorkeling beach on the south side of the island. It’s really small at just 155 ft. (47 m). It appears according to the map that this is accessible from a path. You may need to take a longtail boat around the island instead. Well worth the trip if you are excited about a great snorkeling spot.
Koh He Beach Clubs
None – this is a very small island without area for a proper beach club.
Koh He Beach Restaurants / Bars
- Hey Island Restaurant – This is a beach hut restaurant on the sandy beach. We cannot comment on the food quality as nobody making a review about the restaurant actually mentioned it. They talked about the wonderful beach!
- Reefs @ Koh He – This one is part of Coral Island Resort. Again, no reviews of food or service. They seem to specialize in fried foods.
Koh He Beach Accommodation
- Coral Island Resort – A 3-star hotel with good ratings overall (3.6 out of 5.0) but some complaints. Biggest complaints were things not working in the rooms, and mold on the walls. Apparently, the tourists on the beaches and in the water are too numerous during daytime, but the big groups leave around 4 pm. and hotel guests enjoyed their time more after that hour. Room rates start around 1,500 THB.
Koh He Beach Facts & Features
- Location in Relation to Phuket: Koh He Island is found off the southeast tip of Phuket, past Koh Bon Island. About 3.65 miles (5.9 km) from Rawai Beach where you can find a boat to this beach. The main beach on Koh He is found in the center of the north coast.
- GPS Data: 07° 44` 43” N, 98° 22` 26” E
- Surrounding Beaches: To the east of Koh He is Banana Beach. Directly to the south is an unnamed beach with excellent snorkeling.
- Direction Facing: North.
- Beach Length: 900 meters (2,950 ft.)
- Beach Width: 22 meters (72 ft.) on average.
- Estimated Beach Area: 19,733 m2 (42,000 square ft.)
- Beach Quality: Lots of sand and few rocks except at either end. White sand and light blue water.
- Ocean Bottom: Mostly free of rocks in the shallow areas, with rocks increasing as water becomes deeper.
- Restroom / showers facilities? Nothing public, but the Coral Island Resort has facilities for guests.
- Beach features: This is a long beach between rocky shores. Tourist numbers have increased here over the years as more people search out the less visited island beaches. At times this beach has too many people and there is a lot of activity. Other times, you’ll find it pretty ideal and quiet. Give it a try, and then go to Banana Beach down the coast if this beach is too crowded or too loud for your taste.
- Public or Private? Entrance fees? Public, no fees.
- Lifeguard Available? No.
- Boat anchorage possible? Yes, boats can get in close, or may anchor off shore to avoid rocks.
- Boat dock and marina? None.
- How to reach Koh He? From Rawei Pier or beach and Chalong Pier by longtail boat.
- Attractions: There is a perfect little snorkeling beach on the south side of the island, you can reach it by walking south from approximately the middle of what we’re calling “North Beach.
- Activities: If the waves are very small, this can be a good spot for snorkeling along the rocks on the coast. Swimming and wading are fine here if you’re careful about submerged rocks. You can rent kayaks and snorkeling gear. Parasailing and sometimes jet skis are available most days.
- Surfing? No surf breaks here.
- Sunbeds Available? Yes, at Coral Island Resort.
- Umbrellas? Yes, at the resort.
- Water quality: Very Good.
- Convenience shop available? No.
- Massage available? Yes.
- Picnic possible? Yes, however please don’t leave your rubbish behind.
- Smoking? Thailand authorities are cracking down on smoking at beaches around the country. Soon they expect to make it a country-wide smoking ban – so do stay up to date because fines are high and can include prison time.
- Warnings: Many rocks under the water, do be careful while swimming or wading. Sea urchins are common. Currents will be bad with higher waves.
But wait! There is another beach on Koh He Island that you will want to take a look at. This one is Banana Beach on the east side of the north facing coast, and it might suit you better as it is smaller and there may not be as many people at this beach. This is a medium-length beach at around 820 ft. (250 m). This spot is ideal for snorkeling – many different fish and other sea life can be seen during a short trip around the small bay.
Banana Beach Clubs, Restaurants, Bars, and Accommodation
Banana Beach is a small area and not very built up. That said, there is a restaurant/bar here with good food at island prices. The cocktails are apparently delicious! There are showers for people using the restaurant or on tours, and it’s quite a nice place to stop but there are no accommodation here for overnight stay.
Banana Beach Facts & Features
- Location in Relation to Phuket: Koh He Island is found off the southeast tip of Phuket, past Koh Bon Island. About 3.65 miles (5.9 km) from Rawai Beach where you can find a boat to this beach. The main beach on Koh He is found in the center of the north coast.
- Surrounding Beaches: To the west of Banana Beach is Koh He Beach (as we’re calling it). On the south coast of Koh He is an unnamed beach with great snorkeling.
- Direction Facing: North-northeast.
- Beach Length: 242 meters (795 ft.)
- Beach Width: 22 meters (72 ft.) on average.
- Estimated Beach Area: 5,392 m2 (58,035 square ft.)
- Beach Quality: Lots of deep sand, and the beach is especially wide at one spot. The sand is light colored and there are not many rocks on the beach or in the shallows. This is a small bay that is beautiful nonetheless.
- Ocean Bottom: In the shallow water up to your waist or chest, there are not many rocks. The deeper you wade, the more rocks you will encounter. Best for swimming at high tide.
- Restroom / showers facilities? Nothing public, but the Coral Island Resort has facilities for guests.
- Beach features: This beach is on the smaller side, but lovely and a great stop during your island tour. There are more visitors today than in the past, but that is the same situation with all island beaches as they become better known. Come as soon as possible to enjoy it before tourism gets out of hand! This beach and Koh He Beach just west are must-stop beaches if you’re looking for a place to swim around and enjoy a spot most people will never see in their lives.
- Public or Private? Entrance fees? Public, no fees.
- Lifeguard Available? No.
- Boat anchorage possible? Yes, possible, but many rocks.
- Boat dock and marina? There is a pier here probably for private use of tour boats.
- How to reach Banana Beach? From Rawei Pier or beach and Chalong Pier by longtail boat.
- Attractions: Just a small beach with decent sand and lovely water to swim and wade in. The waves can be strong here, so when waves are high, watch kids and non-swimmers closely.
- Activities: With weak waves, this is a good place for exploring the underwater world with a snorkel mask and fins. There are lots of fish, starfish, and urchins! Swimming and wading are good here in the shallow water. Parasailing and other activities are available at the beach a short walk west from here.
- Surfing? No surf breaks here, just shore-break.
- Sunbeds Available? No.
- Umbrellas? No.
- Water quality: Very Good.
- Convenience shop available? No.
- Massage available? Yes.
- Picnic possible? Yes, however please don’t leave your rubbish behind.
- Smoking? Thailand authorities are cracking down on smoking at beaches around the country. Soon they expect to make it a country-wide smoking ban – so do stay up to date because fines are high and can include prison time.
- Warnings: Rocks and coral cover the deeper spots. Beware stepping on sea urchins. With large waves, currents can be strong.
More about Phuket Beaches
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This Phuket Beaches Blog and most of the published articles have been researched, written and compiled by Sepp Hatzl.
Sepp started visiting Phuket in 1975, felt in love with the island, and in 1997 decided to spend most of his time in Nai Thon Beach Phuket.
Sepp is happy to provide you with more specific information about all kind of Phuket topics, just drop him an email (email see in the footer).
