Mai Khao Beach (northern Phuket)

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.

Where to Stay in Mai Khao Beach

Apart from the luxurious JW Marriott Phuket Resort, SALA Phuket Resort & spa and Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa there is only 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. (See Mai Khao Beach Hotels)

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.

All Phuket Beaches:

Patong Beach · Karon Beach · Kata Beach · Kata Noi · Kamala Bay · Laem Singh · Surin · Pansea · Banana Rock Beach · Bang Tao · Nai Thon · Nai Yang · Mai Khao · Paradise Beach · Emerald Beach · Laem Ka Beach · Ao Sane Beach · Ya Nui Harn · Nai Harn · Rawai · Chalong Bay · Panwa Beach · Cape Panwa · Beyond Phuket

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