Mai Khao Beach is 11 km of sand in 마이카오, open to the south-west monsoon, lifeguarded in daylight, in front of the resorts, reached by 도로 free of charge. Best months to swim: December–March; rip-current risk from May to October: high. Good for quiet, sunset, nature.
마이카오 is the longest beach on the island — eleven kilometres from the runway end to the Sarasin bridge — and the emptiest: wide, steep and exposed, with large resorts spaced far apart and nothing between them. Even in the high season the shore-break is stronger than at the sheltered bays to the south, because there is no headland; the sand drops away quickly and a swimmer is in deep water within a few metres. The water is clear and the swimming is fine on calm days, but this is not a paddling beach for toddlers at any time of year. From May to October the surf is heavy, the rips strong, red flags are the norm and the resorts steer guests to the pools; the resorts post their own lifeguards in front of their frontage. Sea turtles nest along the beach from roughly November to February, which is why it is national park and why lights and beach furniture are controlled.
출처: Thai National Parks — Sirinat National Park (2026년 9월 5일); Phuket Expat Guide — Phuket rip currents and beach safety guide (2026년 9월 5일) · 전체 출처
월별 바다
월
바다 상태
거친 날
수온 °C
좋은 달
Jan
잔잔함
0
28.8
예
Feb
잔잔함
0
29.1
예
Mar
잔잔함
0
29.8
예
Apr
잔잔함
0
30.7
—
May
약한 너울
4
31.0
—
Jun
약한 너울
8
30.1
—
Jul
거침
13
29.9
—
Aug
거침
9
29.9
—
Sep
거침
12
29.2
—
Oct
잔잔함
2
29.5
—
Nov
잔잔함
0
29.8
—
Dec
잔잔함
0
29.0
예
출처: Open-Meteo (ERA5), 2015–2026 (island rough-sea days, 2015–2025, damped for a beach that is open to the south-west monsoon); Open-Meteo Marine API (sea-surface temperature, 2022-12–2026-08).
Median monthly mean, west-coast grid point, 2022-12–2026-08 · Open-Meteo Marine API
Island rough-sea days, median per calendar month, 2015–2025; the beach's best months in the figure colour · Open-Meteo (ERA5), 2015–2026
The table above applies the island's marine normals to this beach: median rough-sea days per calendar month from Open-Meteo (ERA5), 2015–2026 (2015–2025, marine fields from 2022), damped by the beach's shelter, and median sea-surface temperature from Open-Meteo Marine API (2022-12–2026-08). Calm months here: October–April. Some swell: May–June. Rough: July–September. The sea is 28.8–31.0 °C as monthly medians, warm in every month; temperature never decides a swim on Phuket, the sea state does. The best-months row is the beach's own calm season and is derived, not opinion.
안전
Mai Khao Beach is open to the south-west monsoon, which decides its year. It takes the south-west swell directly, so it follows the island's marine normals exactly: a calm sea in October–April and rough-sea days in May–September, when red flags fly on rough days and the rip-current risk is high. Lifeguards patrol in daylight, in front of the resorts; a red flag means the sea is closed to swimming, and the guards will whistle swimmers out. Caught in a rip: float, swim parallel to the beach until the pull stops, then in. Phuket records around 30–40 drownings a year, most of them between May and October on the open west coast; the hospitals catalogue names the nearest 24-hour emergency room from 마이카오, and the emergency number is 1669. Jellyfish drift in after storms on the whole coast; vinegar is the first aid.
시설
선베드예
식당예
화장실예
샤워장예
주차예
자연 그늘아니요
Facilities belong to the large resorts (JW Marriott, Anantara, Sala and others); the public stretches have nothing.
가는 방법
도로 · 무료
Access roads from the highway to the resorts and to the park's 마이카오 section; long walks between.
Access roads from the highway to the resorts and to the park's 마이카오 section; long walks between. There is no entry fee. The beach is 0.3 km from the centre of 마이카오 as the site defines it. The airport-transfer page compares taxi, ride-hailing, minivan and the Smart Bus to 마이카오; the index has no published taxi median for the area yet. 8 km separate the airport from 마이카오 by road. The nearest other beaches in this catalogue are Nai Yang Beach (6.3 km), Nai Thon Beach (10.6 km), Banana Beach (11.9 km), Layan Beach (13.5 km).
시설
Facilities belong to the large resorts (JW Marriott, Anantara, Sala and others); the public stretches have nothing. Loungers, where present, are rented by the day from licensed operators in zones set after the 2014–2016 clean-ups. There is little natural shade on the sand. Food and drink are available at or just behind the beach. Nearby in the things-to-do catalogue: Splash Jungle water park (2.7 km), Similan Islands day trip (91.2 km). Hotels, villa rents and the cost of a day in 마이카오 are priced on the area page from the index.
인접 해변
Nai Yang Beach6.3 km · 나이양 · 없음 안전요원 · open to the south-west monsoonThe airport beach: casuarina shade for most of its length, a gentle gradient, plane-spotting at the runway end, a reef offshore.
Nai Thon Beach10.6 km · 나이톤 · 없음 안전요원 · open to the south-west monsoonSecluded bay inside the national park with pale sand, rocks and coral at both headlands and one row of restaurants.
Banana Beach11.9 km · 나이톤 · 없음 안전요원 · partly sheltered by headlandsTiny cove between 라얀 and 나이톤 with good snorkelling; a beach club and car park opened at the north end in late 2025.
Layan Beach13.5 km · 라얀 · 없음 안전요원 · partly sheltered by headlandsThe calm northern end of 방따오 bay inside the national park: river mouth, Koh Kala at low tide, no strip.
자주 묻는 질문
Is Mai Khao Beach safe for swimming?
In December–March, yes — the sea is calm on the island's marine normals. From May to October the rip-current risk is high: the beach takes the swell directly and flies red flags on rough days. Lifeguards are on duty in daylight, in front of the resorts. Red flag means no swimming; in an emergency call 1669.
When is the best time to visit Mai Khao Beach?
December–March. The sea is calm here in October–April and rough in July–September, on the island's marine normals (Open-Meteo (ERA5), 2015–2026) applied to a beach that is open to the south-west monsoon. Sea temperature runs 28.8–31.0 °C through the year, so it is never the deciding factor.
How do you get to Mai Khao Beach?
Access roads from the highway to the resorts and to the park's 마이카오 section; long walks between. Entry is free. 마이카오 is 8 km from the airport by road.
Does Mai Khao Beach have loungers, restaurants and toilets?
선베드, 식당, 화장실, 샤워장, 주차; not 자연 그늘. Facilities belong to the large resorts (JW Marriott, Anantara, Sala and others); the public stretches have nothing.
컨시어지
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