Nai Harn and Ya Nui beaches

The south of Phuket is quieter than the busy west-coast beaches, and these two bays are the reason to drive down. Nai Harn is a wide beach with green hills on both sides and room to walk, for a couple who want space in the frame or for children who want room to run. Ya Nui, a small cove just north of the cape, has longtail boats pulled up on the sand — the picture that says Andaman without saying resort.

On the hill road between them, the Windmill Viewpoint looks west over Ya Nui and the open sea: a quieter alternative to Promthep for the same sunset, and a good place to begin a session before going down to the sand. A proposal at Ya Nui or the Windmill, followed by the cape once the crowd has gone, gives you both pictures in one evening.

Both bays face the Andaman and follow its seasons. From about November to April the sea is usually calm and the wet sand at the water's edge holds the sky; from about May to October the monsoon brings swell, and a red flag on the beach means no swimming, literally — the photographer keeps the session on the sand. The longtails belong to the people who work them: they are part of the view, not a set to climb on, so ask before anyone poses on a boat.