Phuket's longest beach: wild, quiet, with planes gliding in overhead
Photo: set.sj · Unsplash License · source
Why go
Mai Khao is the beach for people who want room. The national park describes it as roughly 9 to 10 kilometres long, the longest on Phuket, running from near the airport towards the island's northern tip. Resorts are few and far between, vendors are scarce, and you can walk for a long time without meeting a crowd. In the late afternoon the light is wide and warm, and the sea and sky seem to go on for ever.
The beach also has a story. Mai Khao was once an important sanctuary for sea turtles, which came ashore to nest between November and February, though the park reports that no turtle eggs have been observed there since 2013. Today, the draw is quiet and scale: a long, empty shoreline, with the occasional airliner crossing low overhead at the southern end on its approach to Phuket airport.
Gallery
Photo: set.sj · Unsplash License · source
Photo: CJ · Unsplash License · source
Photo: set.sj · Unsplash License · source
Photo: set.sj · Unsplash License · source
Photo: set.sj · Unsplash License · source
Photo: set.sj · Unsplash License · source
Highlights
Mai Khao's great attraction is distance. Pick a stretch away from the resorts and simply walk: you will often have the sand to yourself, with only the wind and the surf for company. The beach runs along the north-west coast inside Sirinat National Park, so the backdrop is trees and dunes rather than rows of shops.
At the southern end, near the airport, aircraft pass low over the beach as they land, especially on days when the wind favours approaches from the west. Plane-spotters come for it, and it is surprising even if you are not one. A car park serves the viewing area, about a kilometre's walk away, and mornings are usually the best for flights and light.
The beach faces the Andaman Sea, so evenings are the moment to be here. Driftwood, a lone boat or the dark line of the horizon make strong foregrounds as the sky turns orange, then purple. Photographers like Mai Khao for exactly this reason, and the wide beach leaves plenty of room to set up.
Mai Khao lies within Sirinat National Park, established on 13 July 1981 and originally called Nai Yang National Park before it was renamed in 1992. The park covers about 90 square kilometres, mostly sea, and also includes Nai Yang beach. It is a protected area, so keep to the rules, take your litter home and leave nesting areas undisturbed.
Practical information
Sirinat National Park, which includes Mai Khao Beach, lists its hours as 8am to 4:30pm every day.
The national park lists entrance fees of 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children aged 3 to 14 (Thai citizens 40 and 20 baht). Ask your hotel where the fee is collected along the beach.
Checked in November 2026. Hours and fees can change: check on the day before you go.
Getting there
By car or taxi, about 40–50 minutes from Phuket Old Town, depending on traffic.
By car or taxi, about 50–60 minutes from Patong.
By car or taxi, about 10–15 minutes from Phuket International Airport; the park lies beside the airport on the north-west coast.
A car park serves the plane-viewing area at the southern end of the beach, about a kilometre's walk from the spot. Elsewhere access depends on your resort or on the park's entrances.
Insider tips
Mai Khao has few vendors and few facilities away from the resorts. Bring water, sun protection and snacks, and remember that a long walk along the beach means a long walk back. Plan your return before you set off.
Sirinat National Park is open 08:00 to 16:30. If you want sunset on this beach, ask the park or your hotel how access works after closing time before you rely on it.
Mai Khao is a long, open beach on the Andaman Sea, and the surf can be strong in the green season. Swim only where the water is calm and other people are in it, and do not go in alone.
The park protects former turtle-nesting beaches. Take your litter away and follow any signs or instructions from park staff, especially near areas set aside for wildlife. Small habits help protect a beach that is still recovering.
Nearby
From the Phuket City Guide, each with its own Holiplanet page. Straight-line distances.
Hotel · 0.0 km
Beachfront resort on Mai Khao Beach beside Sirinat National Park
View hotel →Hotel · 6.3 km
Family-friendly resort of garden rooms and bungalows a few steps from Nai Yang Beach
View hotel →Hotel · 12.4 km
Ocean-view pool villas and suites on a secluded cove of Phuket's north-west coast
View hotel →All hotels on the Phuket map → All things to do on the map →
Questions
The Department of National Parks' site describes Mai Khao as roughly 9 to 10 kilometres long, making it the longest beach on Phuket. It stretches from near the airport towards the island's northern tip, inside Sirinat National Park. Other guides quote slightly different lengths.
Mai Khao lies inside Sirinat National Park. As of June 2026, the park's entrance fee is 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children aged 3 to 14; Thai citizens pay 40 and 20 baht. Check with the park how the fee applies to the stretch you plan to visit.
Not reliably. Mai Khao and Nai Yang were turtle nesting areas, with eggs laid from November to February, but the national park reports that no turtle eggs have been observed there since 2013. Do not expect to see turtles on a visit.
The beach lies along the approach to Phuket International Airport, so aircraft pass low over the southern end as they land. Visitors walk from a nearby car park to watch them, and mornings are usually best for light. Bring ear protection if children are sensitive to noise.
Very close. The national park lies beside Phuket International Airport on the north-west coast, and the drive to the beach is about 10 to 15 minutes by car or taxi, depending on which part of the beach you head for and on traffic that day.
