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Mai Khao Beach is situated on the northwest coast of Phuket this
11km, straight beach is still blessedly undeveloped as it is part
of the Sirinat National Park and the only
significant constructions along it are the JW
Marriott Phuket Resort and Phuket
International Airport near Nai
Yang Beach.
'Mai Khao' means white wood in English and maybe this is a local
joke because there are certainly no white trees along this beach!
The sand is a little coarse, perhaps the coarsest in Phuket, but
this is splendid isolation at its best and you can walk for kilometres
without seeing anyone at all.
There is a sharp drop off into the Andaman Sea, making swimming
dangerous from May to November. If you are a plane spotter, the
beach just north of the airport offers great vantage points from
which to spot the incoming air traffic.
How to get there
There are several access roads to this long beach. Just south of
the airport is a road leading to Nai Yang Beach. Follow this, enter
the Sirinat National Park and turn right. Phuket's main highway,
route 402, runs parallel to Mai Khao and if you are driving north
you can take any road leading left off the highway and it will eventually
lead you to the beach. Right at the top of Phuket Island the highway runs almost next
to the beach and you can park here by the beach restaurants and
walk back south.
Facilities on Mai Khao Beach
Toilet facilities exist at the Sirinat National Park southern end
of Mai Khao, leading into Nai Yang Beach. There is also a campground
with bungalows in the central part with friendly staff. Just north of JW Marriott there is a bar with a sign on the beach
saying 'no more money problems', perhaps comparing its prices to
those inside the nearby resort. The beach restaurants right at the
north also have toilet facilities.
Beach eats
Aside from high-end dining at the JW
Marriott Phuket Resort, the only other place to eat along Mai
Khao Beach is at the bamboo-and-thatch seafood outlets located where
Route 402 runs 700 metres next to the beach. This is a popular dining
spot for locals and visitors alike.
Beach activities & attractions
Because of its isolation and its National Park status, Mai Khao
is a favourite camping destination. At the far north of the beach,
where the waters from Phang Nga Bay meet the Andaman Sea, surfers
sometimes ride the waves, otherwise the beach is mostly devoid of
activities except fishing and hiking. Mai Khao is where the endangered giant leatherback turtles come
to lay their eggs. In April every year young hatchlings are released
into the sea here during the nationwide water festival, Songkran.
The area is also home to a species of mole crab (emerita emeritus),
which is also known as a chakkachan talay or sea cicada by the locals.
Unfortunately for the chakkachan talay, they are considered a local
specialty dish.
Where to stay in Mai Khao Beach
Apart from the luxurious JW
Marriott Phuket Resort, there is the nearby Phuket
Airport Hotel and bungalow accommodation on the beach itself
as well as the Indigo Pearl Hotel in the lush hills above nearby
Nai Yang. |
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