Nai Harn can be called a dream beach for its charm and lush nature. The beach is located in the southwest part of Phuket Island, neighboring Yanui and Ao Sane beaches.
This is a subjective opinion, but I would say that Nai Harn is the best beach on Phuket for a long stay. You’ll need to rent a house in nearby Rawai and it’s essential to rent a vehicle along with the house.
Beach Overview
The coastline of the beach is straight, just under 0.4 miles (700 meters) long, and a little over 160 feet (50 meters) wide. During the day, sunbeds are set up on the beach, but not as many as on Patong or Karon. Nai Harn is popular not only with foreign tourists but also with local Thai families who come for picnics.
Even in high season, the number of visitors is not overwhelming. The Nai Harn area is perfect for a resort vacation. It has all the standard tourist infrastructure: cafes, restaurants, bars, sports facilities, souvenir shops, and currency exchange points.
Nai Harn is surrounded by palm groves on both sides, adding to the bay’s cozy and cinematic feel. The nightlife on the beach is almost non-existent, so those looking for a lively scene might find it boring and head elsewhere.
Most people at Nai Harn spend their days in one of the few bars located right on the beach, enjoying cocktails and sunsets. The beach is not crowded with noisy motorboats and jet skis, which positively affects the overall atmosphere.
Swimming
While the entire beach is suitable for swimming, people usually gather around the sunbeds, which are concentrated in a few specific spots, mainly in the center.
The water entry is smooth, and during the fall and winter months, there are almost no waves, making it very child-friendly. The water is clean and clear, and the sand is fine with warm beige tones.
In late spring and summer, monsoons bring frequent rains, storms, waves, and dangerous undercurrents. During this time, red flags are displayed on the beach, indicating danger when entering the water. It’s best to refrain from swimming because rip currents can be very dangerous.
Sunbeds and Shade
Nai Harn resembles a secluded lagoon from movies about paradise life on tropical islands. Palm groves, a wide strip of sand, and gentle transparent waves create a feeling of seclusion and peace.
Sunbeds are arranged in just 2-3 rows and are spaced apart enough to avoid the feeling of overcrowding and discomfort.
The rental price for a sunbed with an umbrella is 100 baht. Right in front of the beach, in the palm grove, there is a small village of bars, restaurants, and other buildings, providing plenty of shade.
Beach Photos
North Part of the Beach
South Part of the Beach
Amenities
All necessary amenities for tourists can be found right on Nai Harn, though the selection is limited. The beach is more suited for a lazy, relaxing vacation where you don’t need much more than a couple of cafes and a hotel restaurant.
If you need more, you’ll have to travel to another place further inland. Ideally, you should have a rented bike or car if you plan to explore the island.
You can snorkel at Nai Harn, although for proper snorkeling, you should go farther out to sea with a tour. In the summer, you can surf. Since the beach is very popular with locals, there are no large entertainment venues. Locals often come here for family picnics with small children, and they don’t need bars or discos.
Near the beach, there are a few attractions: the Buddhist temple-monastery Nai Harn Monastery, Nai Harn Lake (a central place for active sports activities), and the Windmill viewpoint near the wind turbines, although getting there on foot might be challenging due to the uphill climb.
Accommodation
Nai Harn Beach isn’t heavily developed for accommodation. Most of the land around the beach belongs to the Nai Harn Buddhist Temple, which doesn’t allow hotel construction.
As a result, there are only three hotels directly on the beach and a few villas further inland. These villas are built in a village-like setting and are carefully placed.
Outside the temple grounds, there are numerous hotels catering to various tastes, but it takes about 10 minutes to walk from these hotels to the beach. Hotel room prices start at around 700 THB (about $20) per night, while villa rentals are significantly higher.
One well-known hotel, The Nai Harn 5, is located directly on Nai Harn Beach.
This high-class hotel offers the utmost in comfort and is a favorite among participants of the royal regatta. Naturally, the cost of a room here is quite steep, starting at 6500 THB ($185) per night.
The hotel is well-equipped. In addition to luxurious amenities, guests can rent a car, arrange transfers to Phuket Airport or to the city.
- Wyndham Grand Nai Harn Beach Phuket
- Two Villas Holiday Oxygen-Nai Harn Beach
- Baan Oui Phuket Guest House
Outside the temple’s land, there are many hotels to suit all tastes, but it takes about 10 minutes to get to the beach from them. Room rates start at 700 baht per night, and villas cost much more.
Because there are few hotels here, there are no package tourists, which means the beach is popular with long-stayers. They don’t live right by the shore but within a 5-15 minute bike ride. The surrounding areas, including Rawai and Chalong, are rich in rental housing, especially houses.
How to Find the Beach
To get to Nai Harn Beach from the airport, you’ll need to take a taxi or rent a car/motorbike as there is no public transport. Buses run from Phuket Town to Nai Harn Beach for 30 baht per ticket. From one of the nearest beaches (Kata, Karon, or Yanui), you’ll also need to travel on your own.
If you decide to reach the beach on your own, keep in mind there is no direct road to Nai Harn; you’ll need to turn off the main highway and follow the signs (several turns). Use the Promthep Cape sign as a landmark.
Since the beach is located in the southernmost part of the island, the road running through the southwestern part of Phuket passes through Nai Harn and Yanui.
So if you follow the coast from Patong directly south, you’ll first reach Karon Beach, then Kata, after which you need to head inland to the Nai Harn area (a small town with the same name as the beach), and follow the signs south to reach the dream beach.
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