Is Nai Yang & Mai Khao a good place to stay in Phuket?

Nai Yang and Mai Khao are the place to stay in Phuket if you want a quiet beach and the shortest possible airport transfer. Phuket International Airport is a few minutes away, the beaches lie inside Sirinat National Park, and the resorts here are calmer and greener than anywhere further south. It suits families, couples, first and last nights, and anyone who just wants to rest by the sea.

The area is low-rise and natural, with casuarina trees shading long stretches of sand. Nai Yang has a relaxed beachfront of seafood restaurants, massage huts and small bars, and the water is often calm in the dry season. Mai Khao, to the north, is Phuket's longest beach, with a few large resorts spread far apart, and at its southern end aircraft fly in low over the sand on their way to the runway.

The downside is that you're a long way from the rest of the island. Patong, Phuket Town and the southern beaches are a long taxi ride away, there's very little nightlife, and choice of restaurants beyond Nai Yang's beachfront is limited. In the rainy season the sea can be rough, and some stretches near the runway get aircraft noise.

What makes Nai Yang and Mai Khao worth considering is how peaceful and easy they make a trip. You can land, be on the beach within the hour, eat grilled fish under the trees and spend your last morning swimming rather than sitting in traffic on the way to your flight.