Mai Khao Beach – The Spot Where You Can Watch Airplanes Land

Many seasoned tourists who are tired of standard package holidays look for something new and interesting, for example, a beach in Phuket where planes fly overhead. Many have noticed videos and photos online showing a massive metal aircraft flying directly over excited beachgoers, appearing close enough to touch. This place is called Mai Khao Beach.

More about the beach

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Beach information

Length (m): 5000

Cover Type: White sand

Water Temp (°C): 28

Cleanliness (1-10): 9

Crowdedness (1-10): 3

Infrastructure: Limited

Best Season: Nov–Apr

Waves Level: Calm

Lifeguards Available? no

Children Friendly? yes

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Reviews

Sarah Lalani - Rate: 5

This was the best place from which to view sunsets in Phuket. A gorgeous beach which was quiet, clean, and offered great views. Many hotels have their own private strip of this beach.

Shah Hussain - Rate: 5

Hidden gem of Thailand, this is a beautiful beach where planes land and take off. The beach itself is also very clean with a few shops here but is also very quiet in general, only about 100 people here so you’ll comfortably get a place to sit and swim. Honestly preferred this to other beaches such as the Patong beach and is well worth a visit.

Maria Dashutina - Rate: 4

More than 10 kilometers of coastline are suitable for lovers of secluded relaxation. The beach is part of the Sirinath National Park near Phuket International Airport.

Wietse Keeren - Rate: 5

Quiet, perfect beach with the bluest water. Only small remark is the lack of restaurants directly at the beach.

Mosé Pettorossi - Rate: 4

Very long, beautiful, not crowded, peaceful, unfortunately plenty of rubbish, it's very bad that the people act like that, and it's bad that the police or whatever don't fine for this, and don't clean Everyone should be care about it

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Photos

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General Information

The Phuket beach where planes land is located in the northern part of the island, right next to Phuket International Airport, and it’s called Mai Khao Beach. This beach stretches 11 kilometers and rightly holds the title for the longest shoreline on the entire island.

It ranks among the most dangerous places in the world, because the jet thrust—a strong gust of wind produced by airplanes—can not only knock a person off their feet but potentially cause various injuries.

The most suitable area for relaxing is on the southern part of the coast, closer to the entrance.

This “plane-spotting” beach in Phuket isn’t particularly popular with tourists on package holidays, as it’s not the most picturesque place. After all, the main activity here is watching planes take off and land, plus there’s a turtle village nearby with its own entrance, but that’s about it for nearby entertainment.

The main source of visitors to Mai Khao Beach (sometimes spelled Mai Khaо) is the Thai village located near Sirinat National Park (in fact, Mai Khao is part of it). Local residents love to set up small picnics here and enjoy nature—naturally, away from the area where planes gather to take off.

You can also check out our article — Phuket Beaches, which covers the best beach spots on the island.

Water Entry and Shoreline

If your goal is simply to sunbathe, and you have no particular desire to be in a place where airplanes land, Mai Khao may not be your best choice. Even though the sand is fine, there’s quite a bit of natural debris (broken shells, seaweed, etc.). The beach is about 20–25 meters wide, and the farther you go from the airport, the quieter and calmer it becomes.

Near the runway, the sand is of lesser quality, and any sensation that you’re in the ideal holiday spot quickly fades.

The beach offers a steep entry into the water – after just a few meters, the depth increases significantly, and you’ll encounter rocks further out. Because of this, this plane-spotting beach isn’t the best place for families with children.

Beach Infrastructure

There’s no beach infrastructure here at all—whatever you bring is all you’ve got. No sunbeds, no umbrellas, as this is not a tourist beach and no one bothers to set up amenities this far out.

Infrastructure in the Area

Any traveler planning a beach trip wants to know where they can grab a bite or simply use the toilet. Well, there are no cafés or restrooms here, except at the hotels or Sirinat National Park. So it’s best to access the beach from the park side, where you can fulfill your basic needs before venturing into this facility-free zone (even if only for a short while).

In the southern part of the beach, there’s a water park, which is essentially the only one on the island. That’s pretty much it for local entertainment.

Photos and a Note on Safety

The single attraction at Mai Khao is taking photos or videos of airplanes in flight, so before heading to the beach, check the flight schedule. In low season, you could end up waiting a long time for a plane (though in high season that’s unlikely—steel birds fly quite frequently).

Where should you stand for the best shot? If planes are approaching from the sea (as most do), we suggest positioning yourself to the left or right of the airplane’s path. Standing directly under the plane is risky for your camera gear, because the jet thrust can snatch your phone or camera out of your hands, destroying or sending it careening into the water.

Also, watch out for your flip-flops (sandals), which can easily be whipped off your feet.

If you want to photograph planes (or record video) during engine run-up before takeoff, be extra cautious with small accessories and clothing items that could be blown away.

Large planes (Boeing 737, etc.) are the most popular, as photos with these huge craft elicit the biggest reaction. Smaller aircraft flown by local airlines don’t look as majestic, but at least they generate less wind on landing.

How to Get There

Getting to the beach—whose name every taxi driver knows—is not as difficult as you might initially think. There are two options:

1. Simply navigate using Google Maps.
2. Use a taxi or public transportation.

The route to Mai Khao passes through Sirinat National Park, and if you go through the park, you’ll pay a 100-baht entrance fee because the beach lies within the park’s territory. It doesn’t matter whether you plan to explore the surroundings or you’re only there for the planes—the price is fixed.

Alternatively, you can reach the beach from the other side, where hotels are located, and then entrance is free.

You can drive to Mai Khao from any point on the island, depending on your budget and your desire to experience the spectacle (it’s worth seeing at least once).

From Phuket Town, you can get close to the plane-watching shoreline by traveling to the airport first, since buses depart there from the bus terminal.

If you have a motorbike, you can access the beach from any side, and you’ll always find somewhere to park.

A taxi can be quite expensive, ranging from 500 to 1,000 baht one way, depending on how far you’re traveling. It’s cheaper if you go with a group.

There’s no direct bus to Mai Khao, but you can check with transfer companies about arranging a ride at a convenient time. You can also consider using KiwiTaxi for a comfortable service.

Accommodation

If you want to stay near the beach for an extended period, you’ll need to pay a decent sum because only high-end luxury hotels are built around here. They include:

1. Grand West Sands Resort Villas Phuket.
2. Maikhao Palm Beach Resort.
3. Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket.

Maikhao Palm Beach Resort, according to reviews, confidently holds the top spot among local hotels.

If you don’t want to spend a fortune on accommodation and your main goal on Phuket is capturing memorable experiences, you can choose a more modest place located farther from the beach.

So, Mai Khao Beach, where planes land, is definitely worth visiting if you’ve already seen all the main attractions in Phuket and don’t know what else to do. Of course, don’t forget to share your impressions in the comments below.