Where to take sunset photos in Phuket: 10 tried-and-tested spots

Where is the best place for sunset photos in Phuket?

It’s one of the questions my clients ask most often.

And there’s an important nuance: not every place where the sunset looks beautiful is equally good for a photo shoot.

I’ve been living and working in Phuket since 2015 and have done more than a thousand shoots here. Over the years I’ve checked out a huge number of beaches, viewpoints, islands and other locations from a photographer’s point of view.

So in this article I’ve gathered the places that are really worth considering for a photo shoot in Phuket if you want beautiful evening photos.

This isn’t a typical tourist ranking. I’ll tell you where I genuinely love to shoot, where there are too many people in the evening, and where it’s better to come in the morning despite the beautiful evening light.

1. Bang Tao Beach

Bang Tao is one of my favourite options for an evening photo shoot.

The beach is very long, so you can find different spots and aren’t tied to one place.

It’s especially beautiful at sunset: the sun slowly sinks towards the horizon, the light becomes soft and warm, and the sand and water turn golden.

I also like Bang Tao because it allows for a fairly varied series of photos.

We can start with a walk along the beach, move on to more romantic shots and finish right at sunset.

For couples it’s a particularly good choice.

If you want a classic beach photo shoot at sunset, I definitely recommend considering Bang Tao.

2. Karon Beach

Karon is another very good option for an evening photo shoot.

Its main advantage is its length.

You can find stretches here with far fewer people than on some other popular Phuket beaches.

For a photographer that’s a huge plus.

I don’t just want to show a beautiful sea — I want to find a place where you are the main subject of the photo.

On Karon that’s entirely possible.

It’s especially good in the last hours before sunset, when the sun softens and beautiful, sculpting light appears.

So if you want a beautiful beach photo shoot in the evening, Karon is one of the options I recommend to my clients.

3. Nai Harn — beautiful, but too crowded in the evening

Nai Harn Beach is a slightly unusual case.

The beach itself is very beautiful, but in the evening it can be packed with people.

That’s why I almost never shoot at Nai Harn in the evening.

For a professional shoot, lots of holidaymakers become a serious problem: you constantly have to look for free spots and wait for people to leave the frame.

In the morning, though, Nai Harn is completely different.

At sunrise it’s much calmer, the light is soft and there are far fewer people.

So if sunset isn’t a must for you, I strongly recommend Nai Harn for a morning photo shoot.

And if you want beautiful evening photos in this area, there are several calmer, little-known locations nearby that I use for my shoots.

4. Freedom Beach — better in the morning

Freedom Beach is one of those places that almost always looks beautiful in photos.

White sand, green tropical vegetation and clear water create the classic picture of tropical Phuket.

But for a photo shoot I recommend it in the morning.

By the evening there are too many people.

When the beach fills up with tourists, getting truly clean professional shots becomes much harder.

So if you dream of photos on Freedom Beach, I’d suggest going there in the morning.

For a sunset shoot there are more interesting places.

5. Kata Noi — mostly in the morning

With Kata Beach it’s simple — I don’t shoot there, because there are too many people for a professional photo shoot.

Kata Noi is a completely different story.

It’s a much more interesting location photographically, especially in the morning.

Morning light, the surrounding green hills and a calmer atmosphere give beautiful, natural photos.

If you want an evening shoot specifically, I’d rather choose Bang Tao or Karon.

And I’d keep Kata Noi for a morning shoot.

It’s a good example of why, when choosing a place, you need to consider not only how beautiful the beach is but also the time of day.

6. A desert island near Rawai — my favourite

Now for the most interesting part.

My personal favourite place for photo shoots is a small uninhabited island not far from Rawai.

It’s about 10 minutes from Rawai.

And the atmosphere is completely different: white sand, turquoise water and almost no people.

That’s exactly why I love doing photo shoots here.

We can work calmly, without waiting for tourists to leave the frame or constantly searching for a free spot on the beach.

We can shoot almost anything here:

• a romantic couple shoot;
• a love story;
• an individual shoot;
• a family photo shoot;
• photos in the water;
• a shoot in beautiful outfits;
• content for social media.

Most importantly, we can have a full photo shoot here with almost nobody around.

For me it’s one of the most interesting locations in Phuket.

I deliberately don’t give the exact location in this article.

If you’d like to go there for a photo shoot, message me — I’ll tell you how to organise the trip.

7. Promthep Cape

Promthep Cape is probably the most famous sunset spot in Phuket.

And it really is very beautiful.

From up high there’s an impressive view of the sea, the islands and the evening sky.

But there’s a serious downside: at sunset it’s very crowded.

Sometimes so crowded that a full professional photo shoot becomes simply inconvenient.

So I don’t consider Promthep Cape the absolute best place for a photographer.

If your goal is just to watch a beautiful sunset, it’s a great spot.

But if the main goal is a big series of professional photos without a crowd in the frame, I’d look at other options.

8. Windmill Viewpoint

Windmill Viewpoint is close to Promthep Cape and also offers a beautiful evening view.

Photographically you can get good shots here with the sea, greenery and a beautiful sky.

But I’d see it more as an extra location rather than a place for a full photo shoot.

I like spots where we can keep changing the composition, move around, change the framing and get varied photos.

A viewpoint offers fewer of those opportunities.

But if we’re planning a route through several places, Windmill can be a good part of the shoot.

9. A sunset photo shoot on a yacht

If you want truly unusual photos, I’d leave the beach altogether.

A photo shoot on a yacht at sunset is a completely different story.

It opens up a huge number of possibilities:

• photos on the bow;
• shots on deck;
• photos by the rail;
• swimming;
• islands in the background;
• the open sea;
• photos while sailing;
• the setting sun.

And most importantly, we’re not tied to one beach.

You can spend a few hours at sea, combine relaxing with a photo shoot and get the full story of your trip.

This option is especially good for couples.

I can also help organise a yacht trip, so if you like you can combine relaxation, island hopping and a professional photo shoot.

10. Phuket Old Town

A sunset photo shoot doesn’t have to be on a beach.

If you want something unusual, I really recommend considering Phuket Old Town.

The atmosphere here is completely different: colourful buildings, historic architecture, Sino-Portuguese facades, cafés, streets and interesting urban details.

The photos have a very different character.

Not the standard “us on a Phuket beach”, but a stylish city photo shoot in a tropical town.

Old Town is especially good for:

• an individual photo shoot;
• a fashion shoot;
• a love story;
• a couple shoot;
• content photography.