By Phuket News Property Editorial Team · January 20, 2026
Phuket is widely known for its beaches and resort coastline, yet along the island’s northwest shore lies one of its most quietly significant natural environments. Mai Khao Beach and the surrounding Sirinat National Park protect Phuket’s last remaining coastal wetland corridor, offering a rare glimpse of the island’s original landscape before large-scale development reshaped much of the coastline.
Sirinat National Park and Phuket’s preserved coastline
Sirinat National Park stretches along Phuket’s northwest coast and protects one of the island’s final natural coastal zones. The park covers approximately 90 square kilometres in total, made up of both land and marine areas. Within this protected zone lie several beaches, including Mai Khao, Nai Yang, Nai Thon, and Sai Kaeo, together forming around 13 kilometres of preserved coastline.
Mai Khao Beach is the longest continuous beach on Phuket. Behind the shoreline, pockets of wetland, coastal forest, and sandy dune systems create an important ecological transition zone between land and sea. These environments help filter natural water flow, stabilise coastal soil, and provide habitat for birds, crabs, and marine species. Sea turtles return to parts of this coastline to nest during certain times of the year, making it one of the last remaining turtle nesting areas on the island.
Why Mai Khao remains different from other Phuket beaches
Unlike many developed beaches elsewhere in Phuket, Mai Khao remains intentionally undeveloped. There are no rows of sunbeds, no beach clubs, and no commercial beachfront construction. Visitors instead encounter open space, quiet shoreline walks, and a natural landscape that feels increasingly rare on the island.
The wetlands and forested areas behind Mai Khao also play an important role in maintaining Phuket’s environmental balance. Coastal wetlands act as natural buffers against erosion and storm surges. They filter surface water before it reaches the sea and provide breeding grounds for a variety of small marine and bird species. These quiet functions often go unnoticed, yet they contribute significantly to the long-term health of the island’s coastline.
Visiting and respecting a protected landscape
Mai Khao is also known locally for its proximity to Phuket International Airport. Aircraft pass low over the southern section of the beach during landing approaches, creating a distinctive sight that has become familiar to residents and visitors. Despite this, large stretches of the beach remain peaceful and lightly visited throughout most of the year.
Sirinat National Park is managed as a protected area, and visitors are encouraged to respect the environment by keeping to marked paths, avoiding disturbance to wildlife, and taking litter away. This balance of public access and conservation has helped preserve one of the last natural coastal landscapes remaining on Phuket.
