Monkey Beach, Thailand

Photo © Bianca O'Neill

The islands of Phuket have some of the most famous beaches in the world, with the bright lights of Patong, breathtaking beauty of Phi Phi Leh and rugged charm of Phi Phi Don. But there’s one tiny beach that all the tourists flock to – and not for cocktails.

Monkey Beach is a must see in Phuket, just a quick stop on the well worn track to Phi Phi. It’s a typically Thai experience: the beauty of nature paired with the spectacle of advantageous tourism.

Hundreds of monkeys descend upon the beach, but it’s all business: once you’ve run out of bananas, they have no interest in anything except stealing your bag.

Quirky tip: feed them crisps and watch them wash off the flavouring… apparently they don’t like Salt & Vinegar.

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