Mai Khao Beach is the longest and quietest beach in Phuket, stretching over 10 kilometres along the northwest coast just south of the airport. There is no beach town here in the way Patong or Kata have one. Instead, the area is made up of large resorts set back from the sand, separated by stretches of casuarina trees and national park land. The beach itself is vast and mostly empty, which is exactly why people choose to stay here.
Dining in Mai Khao centres around the resort restaurants, which range from casual beachside grills to fine dining at places like SALA Phuket and the JW Marriott. Outside the hotels, a small cluster of local Thai restaurants lines the road behind the beach near the Sala Phuket entrance, serving affordable curries, seafood, and stir-fries. Turtle releases at the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation (seasonal) and the nearby Splash Jungle Waterpark are the main activities beyond the beach.
Directory
Below is our directory of places we have visited in Mai Khao Beach, including hotels, restaurants and local businesses. We add new entries regularly. If you run a business in Mai Khao, you can submit it for free using the button below.
Discover Lertrod Kitchen near Phuket Airport, a Michelin-listed restaurant serving authentic Southern Thai cuisine in air-conditioned comfort just 5 minutes ... Read More
Kitesurfing, an exhilarating water sport that combines elements of surfing, wakeboarding, and kite flying, has gained popularity on the beautiful ... Read More
Discover Lertrod Kitchen near Phuket Airport, a Michelin-listed restaurant serving authentic Southern Thai cuisine in air-conditioned comfort just 5 minutes ... Read More
Taokhun Seafood Restaurant Taokhun Seafood is a hidden restaurant on the east coast of Phuket located somewhere near Phuket International ... Read More
Mai Khao is the closest beach to Phuket Airport, just 10 minutes north. From Patong, the drive takes about 45 minutes via Route 402. From Bang Tao, it is around 20 minutes heading north. The Phuket Smart Bus runs along the west coast route with a stop near Mai Khao. A car or hotel transfer is the most practical way to get around the area, as the beach is long and the resorts are spread apart.
I arrived in Phuket in 1994 and have never left... After travelling through 40+ countries and working with Club Med and Expedia, I launched Phuket 101 in 2011 to share what I've explored, discovered and learned. Everything here comes from personal experience, with my own photography and videos from across Thailand.View Author posts
