Mai Khao Beach

Mai Khao Beach runs along the north west coast of Phuket island in Thalang District, from the Sarasin Bridge in the north to the end of the runway of Phuket International Airport in the south. At about 11 kilometres it is the longest beach on the island.

The beach lies within Sirinat National Park, which protects the coastline, casuarina forest and mangroves of north west Phuket. Building is limited, so the shore has only a scattering of resorts set back behind the trees, and long sections of sand remain empty even in high season.

Mai Khao is the stretch of Phuket where sea turtles have nested, mainly between November and February. Leatherbacks, the largest species, laid 166 eggs on the park's beaches between 1999 and 2013, but none have been recorded nesting since 2013. Local conservation groups and hotels protect the nests and run hatchling releases, and the yearly Turtle Release Festival has been held in the area. At the southern end, near Sai Kaew Beach, aircraft pass low overhead on their final approach to the airport runway, which draws plane spotters.

The sand is coarse and slopes quickly into deep water. From May to October the south west monsoon brings large waves and strong rip currents, and red flags often mean swimming is not safe. The dry season from November to April is calmer.

There is no entry fee for the beach itself. Facilities are limited to the resorts and a few small restaurants, so visitors should bring water and shade.

Sirinat National Park was created on 13 July 1981 as Nai Yang National Park and took its present name in 1992. It covers about 90 square kilometres, of which roughly 68 are sea and 22 are land, and takes in four beaches: Nai Thon, Nai Yang, Mai Khao and Sai Kaeo. About one square kilometre of mangrove forest grows where the canals meet the sea.

The park wraps around Phuket International Airport, about 30 kilometres north of Phuket Town, which makes Mai Khao the easiest beach on the island to reach on arrival day or before an evening flight.