Nai Thon Beach – Phuket Travel Guide

Nai Thon beach is a charming beach that has managed to retain its original beauty intact. Surprisingly, the developers have not started disfiguring the beach until now. Due to this, a village-like atmosphere prevails here. Nai Thon has two faces. During the holiday season, the sea is calm and visitors come in hordes. Small eateries open up along the beach area catering to the needs of the tourists. This is an ultimate tropical paradise, as depicted in pictures. The other face is during the low season, when the sea is raging and the place devoid of tourists.

Nai Thon is a picture-perfect small beach set among green hills and scenic valleys with plantations. The winding roads to the beach offer stunning views. You can see the beautiful coastal line on one side and virgin forests on the other.

Nai Thon has some accommodation options, but nothing else. For a quiet holiday, Nai Thon is great. However, much construction is happening in the place and in a few years, Nai Thon will be different place altogether.

How to reach

While driving towards Phuket International Airport along Highway 402, turn left to the airport. At the next T-junction, turn left again. Proceed for a few kilometers and turn right at the sign. Turn left where the road forks to reach the beach.

Things to do

Nai Thon offers excellent conditions for snorkeling for almost the entire year. The best locations are near the rocks at the north and south ends of the beach, the south end slightly better than the north. There are corals, colorful fishes like parrotfish, triggerfish and banner fish and many sea creatures here waiting for the visitors.

Surfing here is a bit dangerous with the waves swelling up to 3m occasionally. During tourist season, jet skiing is possible.

Nai Thon is part of the Sirinath National Park, which spreads over an area of 90sq.kms. It was setup for the protection of the endangered sea turtles. However, the authorities are fighting a losing battle, with the number of turtles diminishing each year. There is a mangrove forest at the northern end of the Phuket Island. Here a walkway is built for tourists to watch the mangroves at close quarters. It is nothing great to drive all the way to the north end, but worth a visit if you are in the vicinity.

Khao Phra Thaeo National Park is good for a day’s hiking expedition. It has waterfalls and hiking paths. Ton Sai waterfall is right near the park gate, but during November-April, you will get to see only water dripping. Bang Pae falls is located 15 minutes walking distance into the jungle and there will be water here all year round. Visitors are charged 200 baht as entrance fee at the gate. If you can manage to reach the gate before 9o’clock in the morning, you can get past without paying any fee as the gate will be unmanned.

Inside the park, there is a Gibbon rehabilitation center, run by volunteers. The gibbons caught from poachers come to this place. The park doesn’t fund this center. It is run on donations from visitors and well-wishers. So if you feel for the cause, you can make a donation or help them by buying products from the shop there. They sell the usual tourist knickknacks like postcards, t-shirts and stuffed animals.