Nai Thon Beach holidays

Holidays to Nai Thon Beach demonstrate the quieter side to Phuket – like its uncrowded beaches, lesser-known coral reefs, and low-key restaurants you won't read about in guidebooks.

The fledgling resort

Tourism is still in its infancy in Nai Thon Beach. While hoteliers and tour operators have focused their energies on Phuket’s southwest resorts, this place has dodged development.

Coral reefs

The beach itself is a kilometre long and backed by tropical casuarina trees. Watersports are rationed on this part of Phuket’s coast. The sea is free from jet-skis and banana boats. You might see a few breathing tubes poking out of the water, though – the coral reefs at either end of the beach offer rich pickings for snorkellers.

Diving

Watches and rotas get neglected in Nai Thon Beach. You can tell the time by the movement of your own shadow on the sand. But there are a few ways to fill a schedule if you want one. You can book a diving trip at the singular dive shop on the beach, or book a long tail boat to take you out to the deserted coves further up the coast.

In-house dining

The collection of restaurants in Nai Thon Beach is fairly small. Most visitors cocoon themselves up in their hotels to eat and drink. And you can’t blame them. Some of the hotels here offer unique dining experiences, like lantern-lit meals on pontoons in the sea. The independent restaurants that do exist serve up home-spun Thai recipes.