Nui Beach on Phi Phi is a rather lovely and clean beach where swimming is smashing even during low tide, though getting there is a bit of a faff: you either trek through rocks on foot or arrive by boat. There are some brave souls who are willing to paddle here on a rental kayak all the way from Phi Phi Town, but I wasn’t up for that challenge.
When I was at Nui Beach itself, I witnessed several boats bringing in groups of people for snorkelling. Given the number of rocks in the water and various corals, it’s indeed more of a prime spot for snorkelling than for a beach holiday. Walking here on foot isn’t the best idea; it’s better to take a taxi boat a couple of times during your holiday.
Beach Overview
A beach for sunbathing and off-the-beaten-track relaxation. Like all miniature beautiful things, Nui Beach on Phi Phi Don delivers special pleasure when visiting. A patch of light yellow sand, 200 feet (60 metres) long and 100 feet (30 metres) wide, enclosed in a semicircular bay with high cliffs and dense jungle vegetation – it’s an absolutely cinematically stunning place that shouldn’t exist in real life.
But there’s a fly in the ointment – tourists. Nui Beach is quite a well-known spot on Phi Phi Don, so boatmen drop off hordes of tourists throughout the daylight hours, leaving only the morning and evening hours for those who appreciate peace and authenticity.
Swimming
The beach is very shallow and gently sloping, despite the towering cliffs under which Nui Beach is located. For about 300 feet (100 metres) underwater, the surface remains relatively clean, without rocks and corals, and then the coral reef begins, with all the consequences.
During high tide, the depth probably reaches waist-level about 30 feet (10 metres) from shore, while at low tide, the water recedes 450 feet (130-150 metres). This inevitably affects the appeal of Nui Beach, so during low tide it’s far from a paradise spot.
Waves are extremely rare, given the geographical location of the bay, although during the off-season swimming here isn’t particularly exciting.
Sunbeds and Shade
This is a wild beach with nothing but sand, rocks and trees. Nui Beach faces west, so until about midday, there’s still shade along the greenery and at the edges of the beach, but then the sun rises to its zenith, and there’s no escape from it.
People come with their own mats and towels or simply settle on the sand like backpackers. There’s no sunbed rental service here.
Beach Photos
Amenities
What amenities can a 200×100 feet (60×30 metres) beach have? Boat transport and an improvised toilet in the jungle behind the beach. That’s the extent of the infrastructure. Among the attractions are a fairly large grotto on the right end of Nui Beach and a rich coral reef (by local standards).
People come here with flippers and masks for snorkelling – underwater you can see and photograph many interesting things. It’s worth noting that in my opinion and the opinion of many Russian internet users, the Phi Phi islands are among the TOP-10 best places for snorkelling in Thailand.
Accommodation
There’s no accommodation on the beach. The nearest buildings from which you can reach Nui Beach by land are located on the beaches of Lo Lana about 800 feet (250 metres) as the crow flies and Lo Ba Kao almost 0.6 miles (1 kilometre) as the crow flies. To be honest, I’m not sure about the accessibility of these two beaches from Nui Beach on foot.
I personally didn’t move around on land there, and the scant information on the Russian internet speaks more of a theoretical possibility of walking through the jungle rather than the existence of a well-trodden path. I didn’t find any photos or trekking reports to Nui Beach online, so I’m looking forward to your feedback in the comments if you have such experience.
The link below will take you to a general list of hotels on Phi Phi Don, but click on the map icon and determine your accommodation options for Nui Beach there. The island is so small that hotelscombined doesn’t even try to divide hotels by beaches.
How to Find the Beach
Due to the wild nature of the island itself and the unconfirmed walking route, the only option for you to get to Nui Beach is by sea. An excursion boat, taxi boat rental or kayak rental – it doesn’t matter. They’ll bring you to the bay and let you explore the beach for a couple of hours. Ideally, you should have with you
