Nai Yang beach Phuket
Tucked away on the northwest shore of Phuket is one of the quietest beaches on the island - Nai Yang beach. It’s conveniently the closest beach to the airport and has one five-star resort, the Indigo Pearl, and a handful of mid-market resorts, making Nai Yang beach a peaceful escape from the busy tourist centres further south. That said, it has received some attention from hotel developers recently, the most obvious example being the Adamas Resort at the far southwest end of the arc of the bay and the Dewa Resort next to the road to the beach. The beach area is still lovely and it’s one of the cheaper areas on the island, though the facilities are fairly limited and don’t expect much of a nightlife or huge selection of international restaurants.
Nai Yang beach has lovely white sand like the rest of Phuket and fairly good swimming. Nai Yang Beach’s main feature is that it remains largely undeveloped with a single cul-de-sac road entering from the north and only four discreet resorts which are really close to the sea. Between them is a quiet road, a row of trees and ramshackle collections of restaurant shacks, tour operators and bars.
On Nai Yang beach you can enjoy a quiet breakfast on the beach without the hustle and bustle that the larger resorts bring to the more popular beaches. However, it’s certainly a low-key place and after dark is completely without atmosphere. For any partying, you’ll have to catch a taxi south which could take 40 minutes or more.
None-the-less, Nai Yang Beach has a long strip of sand extending north and south which is unspoilt, undeveloped and perfect for a stroll or private time on your own or with your partner. Seldom will you find the beach loungers full, there are no noisy jetskis and longtail boats and you needn’t crack out your credit card for a decent seafood lunch, which is all part of the appeal of Nai Yang.
Although Nai Yang beach is close to the airport (you can periodically see the low flying planes coming into land, north of the beach), the noise is seldom noticed. For visitors to Phuket who are concerned with the inflated prices in the popular areas, Nai Yang beach is a perfect solution. Don’t expect girlie bars and loads of shopping, and you’ll need to rent a motorbike and drive quite a bit to get to the main attractions and beaches of the island, but Nai Yang is still a pleasant beach to return to.
At Nai Yang beach you’ll find a tour operator and travel agent, a kite-surfing school, a dive shop, car hire, restaurants that are open fairly late and serve up a variety of food, including some excellent pizzas, a supermarket and small vendors, an internet café and several comfortable bungalows that are very close to the beach but cost less than 1000 baht each in season.
The land along the northern half of the beach (just north of the Dewa Resort) falls within the Sirinath Marine National Park, which means a toll of 200 baht per adult (100 baht per child) plus 40 baht per vehicle. For a family, that adds up to a considerable amount for a day at the beach. On the other hand, if you are not carrying too much beach gear, simply walk along the beach, free.
There is cheap self-catering accommodation withing the park, along with various government offices. The park is a favourite with Thais at festival times. At Songkran, the Thai New Year, those who do not relish the idea of the furious water battles that takes place in Patong and other tourist centres on the island, can head to Nai Yang for a quieter yet no less good-humoured – and possibly more authentic - celebration.
