No lifeguard post
There is no lifeguard post on the public beach; swim on calm days and stay within your depth.
Mai Khao Beach
Mai Khao · west coast
Phuket's longest beach runs north from the airport inside Sirinat National Park: wide, quiet sand, a few five-star resorts and planes landing low over its south end.
Also written Maikhao Beach, Mai Kao Beach, Hat Mai Khao, Airport Beach, Sa Nam Bin Beach · หาดไม้ขาว · Пляж Май Кхао
Mai Khao Beach in photographs
Food stalls in the shade behind the beach. Sunset over the sea. Wat Mai Khao, the temple near the beach.
- Sand
- White, slightly coarse sand
- Space
- Phuket's longest beach
- Quiet
- No jet skis or rows of sunbeds
- Nature
- Turtle nesting, November to February
- Sunset
- Faces west, open-sea sunsets
- Views
- Planes landing over the south end
About Mai Khao Beach
Mai Khao runs from the end of the airport runway, where Nai Yang stops, all the way north towards Sai Kaew and the Sarasin Bridge. Most of it lies within Sirinat National Park, so the shore is backed by casuarinas, coconut palms and wetland rather than buildings, and a handful of large resorts sit set back from the sand.
There are no jet skis, parasailing or rows of sunbeds. Away from the resorts you can walk for a long time and meet only a few people fishing. The busy exception is the south end, where people gather at the fence line to watch airliners pass just overhead on their way to the runway.
The sea here is open to the full Andaman swell, and the beach drops off quickly. From November to April it calms enough for a swim on good days; from May to October the waves make it a place for walking and watching. Between November and February leatherback turtles still come ashore to nest, and nests were found beside two of the resorts in 2024.
Mai Khao Beach, south to north
The south end, by the runway
Where the airport runway meets the beach: the plane-spotting crowd, a few food stalls under the pines, and the Splash Jungle water park and its resort just behind.
Good
- Airliners landing a few metres overhead.
- Snacks and drinks at the stalls near the runway end.
- A water park for children a short walk inland.
Less good
- The busiest sand on Mai Khao.
- Limited parking on the small access road.
Plane spotters, families on a water-park day and anyone with a spare hour near the airport.
The middle: JW Marriott and Anantara
The resort stretch around the JW Marriott and the Anantara properties, with Turtle Village's shops a short walk inland. Turtle nests were found here in 2024.
Good
- Resort restaurants and a sunset bar open to outside guests.
- Shops, a supermarket and ATMs at Turtle Village.
- Reported to be a little calmer for swimming in the dry season.
Less good
- Resort prices for food and drink.
Resort guests, families who want facilities close by, and turtle watchers in the nesting season.
The north, towards Sai Kaew
Past SALA and the Renaissance the resorts thin out and the beach runs on, nearly empty, towards Sai Kaew and the Sarasin Bridge.
Good
- The emptiest sand on the island's longest beach.
- An affordable beach bar between the resorts.
- Long sunset walks.
Less good
- Few facilities beyond the resorts.
- A long way from anything if you walk far.
Walkers, couples and anyone who wants the beach to themselves.
Things to do at Mai Khao Beach
Food stalls in the shade behind the beach. Sunset over the sea. Wat Mai Khao, the temple near the beach.
On the sand
Watch planes land over the beach
At the south end airliners cross the sand just before the runway. From December to April they land over the beach; in the low season they take off overhead.
On the sand
A long walk north
Start at a resort beach access and walk north: the sand is wide and nearly empty for kilometres towards Sai Kaew.
Nature · dry season
Turtle nesting season
Leatherbacks nest from November to February, and park staff guard the nests. Young turtles raised in care are released each year, usually around Songkran in April.
Swimming · dry season
A swim in the calm months
March and April bring the calmest water. Swim near the resort stretch, where others are around, and stay within your depth.
Food and drink
Sunset at a local beach bar
Micky Monkey serves Thai food and cocktails at tables on the sand, at prices well below the resorts around it.
Food and drink
Beach lunch at Sand Box
The Renaissance resort's open-air bar on the sand serves pizza, pasta, grills and Thai dishes to outside guests from 11:00.
Nightlife
Fire shows at M Beach Club
Sofas on the sand, happy hour at sunset, fire shows and a DJ later on; cocktails were about 290 to 320 THB (2024).
Family
A day at Splash Jungle
Slides, a wave pool, a lazy river and a toddler zone next to the airport. Tickets are 1,050 THB for adults and 750 THB for children aged 5 to 11 (2026).
Shopping
Supplies at Turtle Village
About 15 shops, a supermarket with imported food, currency exchange, ATMs and several cafes, a short walk from the JW Marriott.
Culture
Lunch in a 1936 mansion
Toh Daeng serves family Phuket recipes at a long red table inside Baan Ar-Jor, a restored Sino-Portuguese house that is also a small museum.
A day at Mai Khao Beach
In the dry season, arrive early on a weekday and walk north from one of the resort beach accesses. Within minutes there is nobody else in sight.
Head to the south end, where airliners pass low over the sand. The late morning is busy with flights, and the water looks its most turquoise. Mai Khao Airport Viewpoint
Lunch on the sand at Sand Box, the Renaissance resort's beach bar: pizza, grills and Thai dishes, about 600 to 800 THB a head. Sand Box Beachfront Bar & Eatery
Spend the hottest hours at Turtle Village: a supermarket, cafes, an ice-cream parlour and a pub around a small plaza. Turtle Village
Take a table on the sand at Micky Monkey, a simple Thai beach restaurant between two five-star resorts, with drinks at local prices. Micky Monkey Beach Bar & Restaurant
M Beach Club at the JW Marriott runs sunset happy hours, fire shows and later a DJ, with barbecue nights on some evenings. M Beach Club
Our Mai Khao Beach score
4.2out of 5
Long empty walks, plane spotting and a five-star resort stay close to the airport.
A very long, wide and mostly empty beach with sunsets over the open sea, sea turtles in the nesting season and planes landing low over the south end. It sits in the lower band because the sea is often rough and the beach shelves steeply, and some visitors report litter in the low season.
The character of the beach
A profile, not a mark: where Mai Khao Beach sits on four scales, and what it is known for.
- Lively
- For children
- Surf
- Snorkelling
No lifeguards · White slightly coarse sand
What is good about Mai Khao Beach
Room to walk for hours
The sand is wide and mostly empty; north of the resorts you can walk a long way and meet only a few people fishing.
Still a turtle beach
Leatherback turtles nest here between November and February. In February 2024 park staff found two nests beside the Anantara and JW Marriott resorts.
Planes low over the sand
At the south end the approach to the runway crosses the beach, and airliners pass just above the heads of the crowd.
Sunsets over open sea
The beach faces west with nothing offshore, so the sun sets straight into the Andaman Sea.
From a beach shack to a resort bar
An affordable Thai beach restaurant sits between two five-star resorts, and two resort venues on the sand welcome outside guests.
Before you swim at Mai Khao Beach
A steep shelf
The beach shelves quickly a short way out and waves break on the sand even in the dry season; go in slowly.
A walking beach from May to October
The open north-west coast takes the full monsoon swell; from May to October Mai Khao is a beach for walking rather than swimming.
Swim when the flags allow
Flags go up often in the wet season; swim only when they allow.
Nothing to buy on the way
Shade is only at the back of the beach, and between the resorts there is nowhere to buy water. Carry water, a hat and sunscreen.
Beach clubs, bars and restaurants on Mai Khao Beach
4 places open on the sand in September 2026, walked south to north, then the road behind the beach and a few minutes inland. A price level is what one visit typically costs a person.
The south end, by the runway
Mai Khao Airport Viewpoint
Viewpoint · on the sand
A stretch of Mai Khao Beach at the end of the airport runway where planes pass low over the sand to land.
The middle: JW Marriott and Anantara
M Beach Club
Beach club · on the sand · 16:00–00:00 on Wednesday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
The JW Marriott's beach bar on Mai Khao Beach, a few metres from the sand, open to outside guests.
Turtle Village
Shops · the road behind · daily 10:00–23:00 (the guide); Google Maps shows 08:00–22:00 on Sunday
A shopping and dining village on Mai Khao Beach, next to the Anantara and JW Marriott resorts in the far north of the island.
The north, towards Sai Kaew
Micky Monkey Beach Bar & Restaurant
Restaurant · on the sand · daily 10:00–21:00 (last orders)
A family-run beach bar and restaurant on Mai Khao Beach, in a gap between the big resorts, open to anyone.
Sand Box Beachfront Bar & Eatery
Restaurant · on the sand · 11:00–23:00 on Wednesday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
The beachfront bar and restaurant of the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao Beach.
A few minutes inland
Splash Jungle Water Park
For children · a short drive · daily 10:00–18:30
A medium-sized water park at Mai Khao near Phuket Airport, the first in Phuket built as a water park open to outside guests.
Toh Daeng at Baan Ar-Jor
Restaurant · a short drive · daily 10:00–22:00
A restaurant on the ground floor of Baan Ar-Jor, a restored Sino-Portuguese manor house on the main road in Mai Khao, cooking Phuket family recipes, with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand.
Andaman Grill
Restaurant · dinner 18:00–23:00
An open-air steak and seafood grill on the beach of the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa at Mai Khao, open to outside guests for dinner.
Baan Ar Jor
Museum · daily 10:00–22:00
A three-storey mansion near Mai Khao built by a tin-mining businessman, long abandoned and now restored as a heritage house with rooms and a restaurant.
Bangkok Phuket Clinic Mai Khao
Health · daily 09:00–18:00
A walk-in clinic of Bangkok Hospital Phuket in Mai Khao, in the north of the island.
Benihana
Restaurant · 12:00–14:30 and 17:00–23:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A teppanyaki steakhouse at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort, at the northern end of Mai Khao Beach, where a chef cooks at each shared hibachi table.
Cucina
Restaurant · 12:00–14:30 and 18:00–23:00
The Italian restaurant on the lobby level of the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao Beach.
Doppio
Café · 08:00–18:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A healthy-food café in the grounds of the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao Beach.
Kin Dee
Restaurant · daily 10:30–22:00
A long-established Thai restaurant among trees and mangroves in the quiet north of the island, near Mai Khao Beach.
Lertrod Kitchen
Restaurant · daily 10:00–22:00
A bright air-conditioned Thai restaurant across from Phuket airport in Sakhu, listed in the MICHELIN Guide since 2019.
Loca Vore
Restaurant · 07:00–11:00 (breakfast)
The breakfast restaurant of the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao Beach, with tables outside facing the lagoon and a room indoors.
Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation
Attraction
A foundation at Mai Khao Beach protecting the sea turtles that nest in Sirinat National Park and their coastal habitat.
Phuket Riding Club
Sport · daily 07:30–18:30
A riding club on Mai Khao, at the quiet north end of the island, with guided rides along the beach and through the trees behind it, and dressage rings for lessons.
Sai Kaew Beach Restaurant
Restaurant · 09:00–21:00 on Wednesday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
The one restaurant left on Sai Kaew Beach, north of Mai Khao, outside the national park.
Soi Dog Foundation
Attraction · Guided tours at 10:00 and 13:30; visitors may not walk around alone
A foundation that rescues, neuters and finds homes for street dogs and cats, with a shelter in Mai Khao open to visitors on guided tours.
Wat Mai Khao
Temple
A modest working temple near Mai Khao Beach, long a centre of Vipassana meditation.
What it costs to live near Mai Khao Beach
6 months or more
Apartments
฿30,500/ month
median of 2 · from ฿26,000
Villas
฿100,500/ month
median of 1 · from ฿100,500
Townhouses
฿95,000/ month
median of 2 · from ฿68,500
- The zone
- The waterline
- Chosen step: The zone
- A home and its rent
- A place, as the list numbers it
Homes for rent near Mai Khao Beach
6 months or more
- homes for rent nearby
- 9
- within a 13-minute walk of the sand
- 4
- the nearest home to the sand
- 150 m
Large resorts take most of the built beachfront: JW Marriott, Anantara, SALA, Renaissance, Le Méridien, Melia and Marriott's villa clubs. Behind them, along the Mai Khao sois near the airport, are small inns, guesthouses and pool villas, and much of the shore stays national park land.
Homes by type
Rent a month
5 homes in the beach zone
- New building
3‑bedroom townhouse in Mai Khao, Andaman Residence
฿95,000/ month
150 m to the sand · 2 min on foot
- Sea view
- Rooftop pool
2‑bedroom townhouse in Mai Khao, Sea Breeze Estate
฿68,500/ month
230 m to the sand · 3 min on foot
- New building
3‑bedroom villa in Mai Khao, Casuarina Park
฿100,500/ month
810 m to the sand · 10 min on foot
1‑bedroom apartment in Mai Khao, Sea Breeze Estate
฿26,000/ month
810 m to the sand · 10 min on foot
- New building
- Sea view
2‑bedroom apartment in Mai Khao, Sea Breeze Estate
฿30,500/ month
1380 m to the sand · 17 min on foot
Around Mai Khao Beach
Every place inside the beach zone, by category: choose one to see its places, nearest the water first, each numbered as its mark on the map.
- Cucina130 m from the sand · 2 min on foot
- Benihana150 m from the sand · 2 min on foot
- Loca Vore240 m from the sand · 3 min on foot
- Andaman Grill240 m from the sand · 3 min on foot
- Lertrod Kitchen840 m from the sand · 11 min on foot
- Kin Dee1150 m from the sand · 14 min on foot
- Doppio270 m from the sand · 3 min on foot
- Bangkok Phuket Clinic Mai Khao850 m from the sand · 11 min on foot
- Wat Mai Khao320 m from the sand · 4 min on foot
- Soi Dog Foundation490 m from the sand · 6 min on foot
The island's dog and cat rescue, near the airport; visits and adoptions by appointment.
Mai Khao Beach by month
The season · January to April
Calm sea, clear water
November to April: the sea calms, but shore break is still common in November and December. March and April are usually the calmest and clearest months. It is also the turtle nesting season and the time when planes land over the beach.
The monsoon · May to December
Waves, walks and red flags
May to October: rough to very rough, with heavy shore break and frequent no-swimming flags. The beach is at its emptiest, and walks and sunsets between the showers are still worth it.
| Month | The sea |
|---|---|
| Jan | Calm |
| Feb | Calm |
| Mar | Calm |
| Apr | Calm |
| May | Changing |
| Jun | Rough |
| Jul | Rough |
| Aug | Rough |
| Sep | Rough |
| Oct | Changing |
| Nov | Changing |
| Dec | Changing |
Calm: swim any day Changing: check the flags Rough: monsoon swell, red flags on many days
Mai Khao Beach with children
Mai Khao suits families who come for space, sandcastles, turtles and planes rather than for swimming. Children should stay out of the water when the waves are up. The resorts along the beach and the water park nearby fill the gap.
- Wide, empty sand for digging and running, even in high season.
- Planes over the south end are a reliable hit with children.
- Splash Jungle has a toddler zone and a lazy river; under-fives go free.
- Several resorts have kids' clubs and children's pools for their guests.
- Turtle release events, usually around Songkran in April, welcome families.
Getting to Mai Khao Beach and parking
- From the airport, by car
- 5–20 min
- From Patong, with the traffic
- 55–75 min
- From Phuket Town
- 45–60 min
The beach runs north from the airport, parallel to Highway 402. Several public access roads lead to the sand, and the resorts have their own. For the plane-spotting spot, use Soi Mai Khao 6 from the north or walk in from Nai Yang to the south.
- By car. Minutes from the airport; allow about an hour from Patong and 45 to 60 minutes from Phuket Town. For the runway end, drive down Soi Mai Khao 6 to the beach beside the Coriacea resort.
- By scooter. A scooter can use the paved path from Soi Mai Khao 6 along the beach to the runway end; cars cannot.
- Grab and taxis. Grab or a taxi is the practical choice: no convenient public transport reaches Mai Khao.
- On foot. From Soi Mai Khao 6, a sidecar shuttle runs to the runway end for 20 THB a person (2024), or you can walk about 1 km along the beach.
Parking. Resorts have their own car parks. The public access at Soi Mai Khao 6 has only a little roadside space; from the south you can park at the Sirinat park checkpoint at Nai Yang and walk about 1 km.
Who will love Mai Khao Beach, and who will not
Will love it
- Anyone who wants a huge beach with no vendors, jet skis or music, and often nobody in sight.
- Walkers and runners who want kilometres of open sand in one direction.
- Travellers who want a five-star resort on a quiet beach, 15 minutes from the airport.
- Teenagers and plane fans who want airliners roaring low over their heads.
- Anyone with a few hours before a flight: the south end borders the runway.
Will not
- Swimmers: the beach shelves steeply, the waves break hard and the sea is rough for half the year.
- Families who want to let small children splash about safely in the sea.
- Night owls: apart from a resort beach club, the nightlife is about an hour's drive away.
Tips for Mai Khao Beach
Go early on a weekday
Dry-season weekday mornings are the emptiest. By 07:00 you may have kilometres of sand to yourself.
Carry water
Once you walk away from the resorts, there is nowhere to buy anything for a long way.
Time the planes
A flight-tracking app such as Flightradar24 shows when the next plane lands, so you are not waiting in the sun.
Ride the sidecar
From Soi Mai Khao 6, a motorbike sidecar takes you to the runway end for 20 THB a person (2024).
Park fee from the south
Walking in from Nai Yang passes the Sirinat National Park gate, reported to charge foreigners 200 THB, children 100 THB (2024).
No torches on turtle nights
From November to February, keep lights off the beach at night and never approach a nesting turtle; tell a ranger instead.
Resort lunches are open to all
The JW Marriott's restaurants take outside guests; expect about 800 to 1,500 THB a head for lunch (2026).
Local prices exist
Micky Monkey, between SALA and the Renaissance, is the cheap drink on this stretch of five-star resorts.
Turtle Village has ATMs
The shopping village has cash machines, currency exchange and a supermarket: the only ones close to the beach.
Questions about Mai Khao Beach
Is Mai Khao Beach good for swimming?
Only on calm days in the dry season, and with care. The beach shelves steeply and waves break on the sand even from November to April; March and April are usually the calmest. From May to October the sea is too rough for swimming, and there is no lifeguard post.
Where can you watch planes at Mai Khao Beach?
At the south end, where the airport runway meets the beach. Drive down Soi Mai Khao 6 to the beach beside the Coriacea resort and walk about 1 km south, or take the sidecar shuttle for 20 THB a person (2024). From the south you can walk about 1 km from the Sirinat park checkpoint at Nai Yang.
What is the best time for plane spotting in Phuket?
Late morning to about 14:00, from December to April. In those months planes land over the beach; in the low season the wind turns and they take off overhead instead. A flight-tracking app tells you when the next one is due.
Can you see sea turtles at Mai Khao Beach?
Sometimes, in the nesting season from November to February. Leatherbacks still come ashore: park staff found two nests beside the Anantara and JW Marriott resorts in February 2024. Young turtles raised in care are released each year, usually around Songkran in April, with the resorts and the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation.
Is Mai Khao Beach good for kids?
For sand, space and watching planes, yes; for swimming, not really. The steep shelf and shore break make the sea tricky for small children. Families usually rely on resort pools and kids' clubs, and on Splash Jungle water park near the airport.
Are there lifeguards on Mai Khao Beach?
No lifeguard service is reported on the public beach. Flags go up often in the wet season; swim only on calm days and near other people.
Are there sunbeds on Mai Khao Beach?
No, there are no public sunbed or umbrella rentals. Loungers belong to the resorts for their guests, and the beach bars have their own tables on the sand.
How far is Mai Khao Beach from Phuket airport?
It starts right at the airport: the south end of the beach borders the runway. The main resorts are 5 to 15 minutes' drive from the terminal.
Where can I eat at Mai Khao Beach?
On the sand at Micky Monkey (affordable Thai food, 10:00 to 21:00), Sand Box at the Renaissance (11:00 to 23:00) or M Beach Club at the JW Marriott in the evening. Inland, Toh Daeng at Baan Ar-Jor holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand; Turtle Village has cafes and a pub.
Do you have to pay to go to Mai Khao Beach?
Not through the public access roads such as Soi Mai Khao 6. Walking in from the south passes the Sirinat National Park gate at Nai Yang, which is reported to charge foreigners 200 THB and children 100 THB (2024).
Is Mai Khao Beach worth visiting?
Yes, if you want space, quiet and something unusual: kilometres of empty sand, planes over the runway end and a turtle nesting beach. It is not the place for easy swimming, water sports or nightlife.