Mai Khao

Mai Khao (หาดไม้ขาว Hat Mai Khao) is a beach on the northwestern coast of Phuket, Thailand. It's also known as Airport Beach or Sa Nam Bin Beach (the Thai word for "airport"), as it's very close to the airport. The northern portion is known as Hat Sai Khao (หาดทรายแก้ว), a long sandy beach with groves of Casuarina trees along the shore.

There's a reason why they call it Airport Beach

This was once a nesting area for the endangered giant leatherback turtle, but unfortunately due to egg poaching, resort development, and pollution they no longer nest here. Mai Khao Beach is often incorrectly described as "pristine" by some of the resort brochures and websites. In reality, that is far from the truth. There is much pollution scattered along the length of the beach, especially during low season which has never been cleaned except areas directly in front of the few resorts. Most of the rubbish could be disposed of with regular cleaning by the national park staff and sustainable waste management programs with volunteer assistance. The area around Mai Khao is still very quiet and natural but although declared a national park in 1981, it is seriously in danger of over-development in the near future as landowners give in to the high prices offered by developers and plans are approved by corrupt government officials with no public inquiry.

Public transport is very limited or even non-existent from the airport and unless you understand Thai it is easier just to get a taxi which takes about 20 minutes to the village or any of the resorts along the beach.

Mai Khao Beach is easily accessible from Hwy 402. There are few public roads but if you only want to see the beach the best way is to follow the signs to Turtle Village and carry on past the large hotels and you will find yourself on the quietest beach on Phuket. This is part of the national park, but you will not be charged for entry or parking in this area. Some resorts will not take kindly to you using their parking facilities and you will be told to leave, so it's better to stick to the public roads unless you are a customer. From the village there is a road that leads directly to the beach via Mai Khao Dream Resort.

Ignore the taxi and hotel touts as you arrive at Phuket International Airport and walk a short distance just to the right of the building. There you will see a "Taxi Meter" kiosk where you will be able to get a taxi for a more realistic price. It should cost no more than 350 baht (less than USD10) including a 100 baht airport tax. If you can find a driver to turn on the meter the cost will be even less. Journey time is around 20 minutes. Some hotels in Mai Khao will offer transfers which are highly recommended as you will be sure of arriving at your chosen destination without being taken to shops and travel agents on the way where the taxi drivers earn commission just for taking you there.

Taxis in Phuket are probably the most expensive in Thailand. Be prepared to pay a high price in comparison to Bangkok or further north.

There are local buses that will take you to Phuket town for only 50 baht each way. You will have to either walk to Hwy 402 (about 2 km) or get a lift from someone. Most of the local people are friendly and will go out of their way to help you and do not expect anything in return.

The bus journey takes about 90 minutes to town and is an experience in itself but is reliable and inexpensive. Do not expect a luxurious journey unless you are willing to pay. You can also board a bus from the main highway to Phang Nga, Krabi, Surat Thani and other nearby towns. Long distances such as Bangkok will usually require that you have paid for a ticket in advance at the bus station in Phuket or from a travel agent.

Motorbike and car hire is readily available all over Phuket and best to arrange near the airport as there are many hire shops around there making the prices more competitive. A small automatic motorbike should cost a maximum of 300 baht/day and cars such as a new Honda Jazz or small saloon around 1,000 baht/day including insurance. Note that you will not be insured unless you have a full driving license accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP). You can get these from motoring organisations in your home country.

The beach area from Nai Yang to Sarasin bridge which includes Mai Khao is part of Sirinat National Park. In the undeveloped areas you will see many plants and fauna including rare species of birds, lizards, snakes, fish, and marine life.

If you want shopping and entertainment, Mai Khao Beach is definitely not for you unless you are willing to travel about 1 hour each way. Patong or one of the other beaches south of the airport is more suitable for such activities. Being in the north and most undeveloped part of the island Mai, Khao is a great place to stay if you like nature and long walks on the beach or just relaxing. The sea here is not safe for swimming in low season between May-Nov. The best time for calm seas is around Jan. This is also one of the busiest months and it's a good idea to book well in advance.

All the resorts have their own restaurants on-site but tend to be a bit pricey. Some great ice cream at Swensons in Turtle Village and a small overpriced supermarket where you can buy all your favourite foods from home.

Local restaurants are the best for value and taste and should not be avoided. Some of the best are right on the beach just before Sarasin Bridge. Here you can eat authentic local food by the sea in a bamboo sala which is all freshly cooked unlike some of the hotels further south.

If you are a bit more adventurous the world is really your lobster! Many villagers will put a few tables outside their house and sell various local food which is cheap and very tasty. Around Mai Khao village there are also local markets open in the afternoons every day of the week where you can buy fresh produce for cooking in your apartment or barbecued snacks to eat on the spot and hoards of fresh fruit of every variety.

There are no bars as such in Mai Khao but any restaurant serves a good range of drinks although most are expensive. Most local shops provide tables in their forecourt where you can relax with a cold beer and chat with the locals.