Nai Thon Beach

Overview

Nai Thon Beach is the one people mention when they want to know where the quiet beaches are without being told to drive to the far north. It is a small bay on the northwest coast, tucked between headlands south of Nai Yang and north of Layan, and it is protected as part of Sirinat National Park, which is why it has stayed low rise while Bang Tao twenty minutes south turned into a resort district.

The beach is a neat crescent of pale gold sand, maybe several hundred metres long, backed by a single quiet road with a handful of restaurants, a few small hotels and not much else. There is no shopping strip, no beach club scene and no nightlife to speak of. What there is is clear water, a slow pace and enough space that it never feels crowded even in February.

Because the bay is enclosed by rocky points, the water is usually calmer than the long open beaches either side, and there is decent snorkelling around the rocks at either end when the sea is flat.

What to expect on the sand

Facilities are modest but adequate. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available in the central section, a small number of beachfront restaurants serve Thai food and seafood, and there are basic toilets. It sits between Mai Khao, which has essentially nothing, and Kata, which has everything, and that middle position is the appeal for a lot of people.

Shade is available under the trees at the back of the beach and from rented umbrellas. The sand shelves gently in the middle of the bay and gets rockier toward both ends. Cash is what you want in your pocket.

Development along the road behind is limited and low. There is no through traffic, because the coast road here is quiet, and the hillside above the southern headland has a well known viewpoint looking back down over the bay.

Swimming, surf and safety

High season, November to April, is when Nai Thon is at its best: usually calm, clear and clean, with a gentle gradient in the centre of the bay. The rocky points at either end are worth a snorkel in these months, and the water clarity here is often better than the busier beaches further south.

The green season, May to October, brings monsoon swell to this coast. The bay is more sheltered than the long exposed beaches nearby, but rip currents form here too, and lifeguard cover is limited on a beach this small. As everywhere on the west coast, the flags decide it: green calm, yellow caution, red out of the water. If it is rough and there is nobody on duty, do not swim.

Our guide to the best time to visit Phuket breaks the year down month by month.

Location and getting there

Nai Thon is on the northwest coast, roughly 15 to 20 minutes south of the airport and about 30 kilometres from Phuket Town. The coast road that links it to Layan and Bang Tao to the south is one of the more scenic drives on the island, climbing over headlands with views down onto the bays.

Parking is straightforward, with roadside space along the beachfront that only fills at the peak of high season. Motorbike parking is easy. Public transport is minimal this far north, so a scooter, taxi or transfer is how you get here in practice.

One thing worth planning for: the roads in and out climb steeply over the headlands at both ends of the bay, and the descent into Nai Thon from the north is a genuine hill. It is fine in a car and fine on a scooter you are comfortable with, but it is not the road to learn on, and it is worth avoiding in heavy green season rain when the surface gets slick.

Good to know

Entry is free, with a national park fee at formal park entrances.

This is a beach for reading a book rather than for finding something to do, and people either love it for exactly that or find it dull. The viewpoint on the headland south of the bay is worth the five minute detour. Bring cash, and bring reef safe sunscreen if you plan to snorkel the rocks. Nai Yang Beach to the north is the livelier neighbour with more food options, Mai Khao Beach further north is the empty 11 kilometre one, and the rest are on our Phuket beaches page. Nearby resorts selling pool access are on our day passes page.