Sirinat National Park

Sirinat National Park protects roughly 90 square kilometres of Phuket’s northwest coast — Nai Yang, Nai Thon, and Mai Khao beaches, plus the mangroves and reef behind them. Entry is 200 THB for foreign adults and 100 THB for children (40/20 THB for Thai nationals), and the park checkpoint runs 08:30-16:30 daily.

Mai Khao is the standout: at around 11 kilometres it’s often cited as Thailand’s longest continuous beach, backed by casuarina trees rather than resort towers, because the whole stretch falls inside park boundaries where large-scale development isn’t permitted. Its northern tip runs right up against the airport’s runway fence, making it one of the few spots in Thailand where you can watch jets land at close range while standing on open sand. Nai Yang Beach, at the park’s southern edge near the headquarters, has calmer water most of the year and a line of shaded seafood shacks under the casuarinas. A mangrove boardwalk close to the park office lets you walk into the forest without wading through mud — mudskippers and the odd monitor lizard are the regular sightings, herons and kingfishers less predictably.

Leatherback and olive ridley turtles have historically nested on Mai Khao’s sand between November and February. Confirmed nesting has become rarer over the past decade as beachfront lighting and coastal development have disturbed the habitat, so a turtle encounter here is a genuine bonus rather than something to build a trip around — the park does still run occasional evening patrols in season, and rangers at the office can tell you if anything’s been recorded recently.

Visit in the dry season (November-April) for calm water and the best chance of clear skies. During the Andaman monsoon, roughly May to October, afternoon squalls and rip currents are common on all three beaches — check conditions before swimming. Public songthaews run along the main road, but a rented scooter makes it far easier to move between the three beaches and the mangrove trail. Bring insect repellent for the boardwalk; the mosquitoes near the mangroves are persistent even in daylight.

Insider Tip: Skip the crowded south end of Mai Khao near the airport fence at midday — plane noise and heat are both worse then. Early morning or just before sunset, the beach empties out and the runway approach is still clearly visible from further along the sand.

Watch out: Thailand’s national parks ban pets, no exceptions — don’t bring a dog expecting to walk the mangrove boardwalk or beach trails.

Sarasin Bridge and Phuket Gateway, both just north near the island’s mainland connection, make an easy stop on the same drive in or out.