Nai Thon Beach is in a quiet corner of Phuket on the northwestern coast, far from overdeveloped party beaches like Patong or Bang Tao. This short stretch of sand is a secluded oasis surrounded by forests. The handful of resorts and restaurants in the area makes it feel like you’re in a small village.
How To Get to Nai Thon Beach
Nai Thon Beach is on the west coast, near the northern tip of Phuket. If you’re staying in tourist hubs like Patong or Old Phuket Town, you’ll have to take a series of major highways until you get onto the 4018, which goes right by the beach area.
There is no bus that I could find that goes to Nai Thon Beach. If you don’t have a car but are set on going, you’ll probably be taking an expensive taxi.
The Stairs at Nai Thon Beach
There is a long, wooden staircase framed by palm trees that leads from the main road down to the beach. These stairs are located at the far southern edge of the beach. If you’re on the main road, it’s past a snazzy sales office for the luxury homes on the hill above. The entrance to the stairs is in between the highway sign and the building that is under construction.
These stairs seem to be some sort of picture spot. You’ll need to go out of your way to use these stairs, and they look pretty underwhelming to me, but hey, Instagrammers need content. The bottom of the stairs will spit you out at a cluster of flat rocks that mark the edge of the beach.
Facilities at Nai Thon Beach
Nai Thon Beach is just a strip of sand, nothing more. There are no toilets, showers, recreational activities or food stalls on the beach.
However, the road behind the beach is a short commercial strip with restaurants, food stalls and scooter rentals. Note that the restaurants are not on the beachfront (even if they advertise that they are), nor do they have a view of the beach. Shameena Restaurant is the place I recommend for a good meal in Nai Thon.
There is a convenience store, Naithon Mart, near the Naithonburi Resort and a few massage places. Most of the interesting shopfronts will be at the northern end. Once you pass the Naithon Beach Club restaurant, there will only be a couple more places up the road.
Water & Sand at Nai Thon Beach
The sand is a medium grain golden yellow. The beach is pretty clean, and there was no garbage lying around that I could see. There are no sharp rocks, but there will be some twigs and debris by the tree line. I did not experience any sand flies while on this beach.
Nai Thon beach appears to be popular among surfers because of its choppy waters. The water is rough and has frequent big waves. The undertow was frighteningly strong at some points. Neither of us went any further in than our waists, and we only saw a couple of swimmers far from the shore. Only very capable and confident swimmers should go deep into the water at this beach.
Beach Area
Nai Thon Beach starts at some rock slabs in the north, near where the 4018 curves and runs parallel to the water. Tall trees screen the beach area and block the bustle of the road. You might find some hammocks set up in the trees. As you get further south, it becomes less crowded. Large rocks at the south end near the stairs mark the end border of the beach.
Saturday Worthy?
There is no reason for anyone who isn’t staying at a nearby resort to visit Nai Thon Beach. Many Nai Thon beachgoers have the convenience of a toilet and shower at their nearby resort. If you have to drive in, you’ll be stuck peeing in the ocean and driving back to your hotel covered in sand. Nai Thon Beach is no doubt a quieter, less touristy beach than the others down south on the island, but it’s too rustic. This beach is purely for guests staying at the nearby resorts.
