Nai Yang Beach is a peaceful and cosy beach in Phuket next to the airport. It’s quite a long beach – about 1.9 miles (3 kilometres), with both ends hidden behind the Sirinath National Park fence.
Nai Yang is the farewell (or welcome) beach of the island for independent travellers who spend one night near the airport.
Beach Overview
This place isn’t suitable for those who love peace and solitude – during high season there are plenty of tourists here, despite being next to the airport and far from the main resort beaches. But in summer, you might not see anyone at all during an hour-long walk along the beach. The most accessible part of the beach is the central area.
There are mini-markets, massage parlours, restaurants, bars and tour agencies on the only street along the beach. Though the street has two lanes, it’s very narrow and in places simply flows around the thick tree trunks, in whose shade all the beach infrastructure hides.
Between the road and the sea there’s a strip of woodland, where food vendors, massage services and beach equipment rentals are located: kayaks, sunbeds and umbrellas. The trees come right up to the water, so at Nai Yang you can easily holiday rough with just a towel.
If anyone’s interested in reading about other places, I have a brief overview of all Phuket beaches to help you decide which beach to choose.
Swimming
The water entry is relatively quick, with depth increasing after about 33 feet (10 metres), provided there isn’t a serious low tide today. During monsoons there are no strong waves in Nai Yang bay, as the coral reef protects the shallow water from the elements.
The cleanest seabed is in the central part of the beach. Opposite the national park territory, the bottom is covered with stones. Also, in the southernmost part near the small island, there are plenty of rocks.
Sunbeds and Shade
The northern and southern parts of the beach are almost completely deserted – they have their own charm with black trunks of trees felled by storms. But you can settle on the sand in the shade of trees. Sunbeds with umbrellas are set up on the shore.
Beach Photos
Amenities
For water activities, you can ride kayaks or try kitesurfing. Near the beach is Wat Nai Yang temple, and for nature lovers there’s a great opportunity to walk through the mangrove forests of the park.
Like many other small beaches, Nai Yang is a haven from civilisation, hustle and bustle of the city. In the immediate surroundings there are no shopping centres, marketplaces, business buildings, nor, especially, nightlife centres.
You can grab a bite at local beachside cafes or hotel restaurants. As the sun sets, life here comes to a standstill, and the beach becomes gloomy and abandoned. Only where hotels are located is there any movement. There aren’t many hotels on the beach and they’re all close to the shore.
There are affordable bamboo bungalows. As I wrote above, all civilisation is in the central part: cafes, massage parlours, a couple of mini-markets, currency exchanges. If you need a 7/11, you’ll have to go to the nearby highway, which is about 15-20 minutes from the central part.
Around the same area is a Thai market that operates on weekends. And quite nearby, just 5-10 minutes away, is Phuket Airport.
Accommodation
- Ruan Mai Naiyang Beach Resort 2
- Tt Naiyang Beach Phuket 2
- Ruan Mai San Ngam Resort 2
- Dang Sea Beach Bungalow 3
- L’esprit de Naiyang Beach Resort 4
How to Find the Beach
If you’ve decided to go there, a surprise awaits you. From Phuket Airport, only taxis go there, no other public transport runs there.
Of course, if you have your own means of transport, there aren’t any particular problems. You need to follow the signs and get onto Thep Krasat Tri highway. From there, turn onto highway 402 leading to the beach.
Keep in mind that the entrance via 4027 along the airport passes through the national park gates and from 9 am to 5 pm, entry/passage here costs 200 baht per person. If you need to get to the beach for free, you should go via highway 4031 and turn onto Nai Yang Soi 2. Along it you’ll reach a crossroads at the second entrance to the national park, where you turn left to the beach.
