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Nai Yang Beach
Part of the Sirinath National Park, this is a beautiful and tranquil area. When you reach the beach, you have a choice between turning left towards the hotels and shops at the southern end of the beach or turning right into the national park.
If you turn right into the national park, they may collect an entrance fee although this is a little haphazard. The entrance fee is a constant source of contention and they keep changing their minds on how much to charge. They use a two-tier pricing system so it is more for foereigners than for Thais. It is currently 40-baht per vehicle and 100-baht per person for foreigners but this can change at any time.
When the tsunami struck, the park headquarters and bungalows took a battering and the park was effectively out of operation for almost two years. From November 2006, they are back in operation. They have rebuilt the park headquarters. A small restaurant has opened and there are a few park bungalows available for rent.
The beach is a two-kilometer stretch of sand along a gently curving bay. At the north end of the bay the beach straightens into the long stretch that is Mai Khao Beach.
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If you turn left to the southern end of the beach there are several hotels including the large Indigo Pearl. There are also some restaurants, bars and shops. There are sun loungers for rent at this end of the beach.
The northern end of the beach is the national park and it is beautifully unspoiled. Behind the beach is a strip of casuarina trees that provide ideal shelter for picnics and barbecues. Nai Yang is a popular spot for camping, although many more campers used to come before the tsunami. You can bring your own tent or rent a tent from the Park HQ. There are toilets and showers and a large 4-man tent can be rented for 300-baht a night.
The seabed has sandy areas suitable for bathing, especially at the southern end. At the northern end of the beach and further out to see are rocky coral areas good for snorkeling. It is quite shallow so good for novices. Most of the coral was destroyed by the tsunami and the sealife all seemed to disappear for a couple of years. Recently, the fish have started returning and there are now plenty of small fish around. The reef gives the beach some protection from the waves during the rainy season.
Sea turtles traditionally lay their eggs on this beach from November to February. However, their population has been in steady decline and it is not clear how many turtles still make it here, if any.
How to Get There
This beach is near the airport.
From the south of the island, drive north along Thepkrasattri Road and drive straight through Thalang. Turn left at the second set of traffic lights towards the airport. At the end of this road turn left and then immediately right. You are now on the road to Nai Yang Beach.
At the end of this road, you have a choice of turning right into the national park area or left towards the more developed hotel area.
Accommodation
At the south end of the beach are a few hotels:
Adamas
Resort & Spa (5 Star)
Airport
Hotel (3 Star)
Dewa
Phuket Hotel (4 Star)
Indigo
Pearl Hotel (5 Star)
Nai
Yang Beach Resort (3 Star)
See our Accommodation section for more advice about finding rooms.
