4 Bangtao Beach Attractions for Travelers in a Hurry

It's easy to lose track of time during your stay at Allamanda Laguna Phuket. With the white beach bordered by the endlessly ebbing sapphire water on one side and the long line of posh accommodation in Phuket on another, one can't help but to sit back and let the moment sink in. Relaxation, however, is not the only thing you can do at the beach. The 6-km sandy stretch is also home to places of cultural significance and another beach removed from buzzing energy and luxury of Bangtao. Here are some of the most popular attractions you can visit without being far from the beach.

1. Canal Village Check out the different products being sold in this area and find some souvenirs you can take back with you. Canal Village has everything from an art gallery to a bakery and silk factory. The village is inside the Laguna Phuket Resort Complex and has its own parking space near the entrance. Its stores are usually open from 10 am to 10 pm. Boutiques, tailors, jewelry stores, shoe salons, photo studios, and a briefcase shop are but a few of the things you can find here.

2. Cherng Talay Shrine Cherng Talay Shrine in Sri Soonthorn Road is a change of scenery from the highrise accommodations lining the beach. Who would have thought that there's a quaint community hiding in a luxurious neighborhood? The shrine came into reality when a hairdresser in the village, Ju Pa Tuk, took home Taoist relics from China in 1901. Now, the shrine is the center of activity during Chinese New Year and Vegetarian Festival.

3. Cherng Talay Temple Cherng Talay Temple has been serving as the center of spirituality in Bangtao and Cherng Talay for almost a century now. The temple was done in a Thai-Buddhist design where images of giant snakes depict Buddha's good works. For those who want to visit, it can be found on Sri Soonthorn Road and it is open everyday. The best time to go would be a little before nightfall, when the temple's pathways are illuminated by sculptures of mythical half-bird-half-human creatures.

4. Layan Beach Found at the north end of Bangtao, Layan Beach is a quiet haven with lots of tall pine trees. Because few people stay in this part of the beach, you won't find a line of chairs and umbrellas here, and Layan looks exactly the way it did 20 years ago. Most of the beach's visitors are locals and expats staying in the nearby communities and hotels such as Allamanda Laguna Phuket.