Most of the snorkeling in Phuket is done off of boats on day trips to the Phi Phi islands and nearby environs, but if you want to swim right off of the beach, one of the best options is Ao Sane.

Located near Phuket’s southern tip, Ao Sane is a quiet, unassuming beach with a pebbly shoreline and a handful of facilities. This is a bring-your-own gear place just a ten-minute walk from Nai Harn, and while the beach itself may feel at bit crowded with tourists (it doesn’t take many people to fill such a small space), it still feels a low-key world away from the busy resorts on the other side of the hill.

Many of the fish at Ao Sane are pretty tiny …

… but I did find Nemo’s cousin …

… a lion fish hiding in the coral …

… and multiple schools of butterfly fish:

Highlights for me included my first-ever sea slug sighting …

… the surprise appearance of this snowflake eel …

… hundreds of tiny stingless jellyfish, plus this much larger blue one …

… and many nudibranch egg ribbons:

It’s amazing to watch them wave in the water:

The seabed and corals were littered with sea stars — I’ve never seen so many in one place.

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I even found a starfish with six legs …

… the invasive and eerie-looking crown of thorns …

… and a starfish wrapped around a giant clam:

I’m a huge fan of giant clams — they’re always so beautiful …

… and I love that they come in so many different colors.

The coral formations are also stunning:

If you’re in Phuket, Ao Sane is well worth a visit!