Italy planes fly over the beach. The beach in Phuket where planes land
Many sophisticated tourists who are fed up with standard package tours are looking for something new and interesting, for example, a beach with airplanes in Phuket. Many people paid attention to videos and photos on the Internet, which clearly show how a huge metal colossus flies right above the enthusiastic vacationers, and the feeling that you can reach it with your hand. This place is called Mai Khao Beach.
The beach in Phuket where planes land is located in the northern part of the island, directly next to Phuket International Airport and is called Mai Khao Beach. The length of the beach is 11 kilometers and it rightfully has the largest coastline on the entire island.
This is one of the top most dangerous places on the planet, since the jet thrust that forms a strong wind can not only knock a person off his feet, but also cause him injuries of varying degrees of severity.
The most suitable place for relaxation is located in the south of the coast, closer to the entrance. 
The beach with airplanes in Phuket is not very popular among tourists vacationing in Thailand on a package tour, since the place is not the most picturesque. And for entertainment, there are planes taking off and landing, and a turtle village, the entrance to which is located nearby.
The main supplier of vacationers for Mai Khao beach (in some sources Mai Khao) is a Thai village located nearby (by the way, Maikao is part of it). Local residents love to have small picnics here and enjoy being one with nature, naturally, far from the place where planes are about to take off.
You can read our article - where the best beach places on the island are collected.
Entrance to the water and coast
If you just want to sunbathe and don’t have a passion for places where planes can land, Mai Khao would not be the best choice, despite the fact that the sand here is fine and there is a lot of plant debris (broken shells, algae, etc.) . The width of the beach is about 20–25 meters, and the further you get from the airport, the quieter and calmer it is. 
Near the runway the sand is worse and the feeling of being in the best place to relax disappears.
The entrance to the water is steep, just a few meters deep. First there is sand, and then there are rocks that you will need to dive to reach. Therefore, a beach where planes fly overhead is not the best place to relax with children. 
Beach infrastructure
There is no beach infrastructure here, literally at all, except for what you bring with you. You won’t find any sunbeds or umbrellas here, since the place is non-tourist and beach civilization is not able to reach that far. 
District infrastructure
Every tourist, before deciding to go to the beach, will check where he can have a snack or simply go to the toilet. So, there are no cafes or toilets here, with the exception of the hotel territory and the Sirinat National Park. Therefore, it is better to approach the beach from the park, where you can satisfy all your needs before plunging into a world without amenities (albeit for a short time). 
In the southern part of the beach there is a water park, which is essentially the only one on the island, and that’s probably all the entertainment.
Photos and a little about safety
The only entertainment available on Mai Khao is to take a photo or video of an airplane flight, so before driving to the beach, check the flight schedule, since in the low season you can simply fly by and wait a long time for the plane (in the high season, of course, this will not happen, iron birds will fly frequently). 
Where is the best place to stand for a good photo? If the plane is flying from the sea (and most people land this way), we recommend positioning yourself to the left or right in the direction of the plane. Standing directly under an airplane is dangerous from the point of view of the safety of photographic equipment, since jet thrust can tear a phone or camera out of your hands and destroy it or drown it.
Slippers (shales) should also be in the area of increased attention, as they are very easy to tear off your feet.
If you want to photograph airplanes (shoot a video) when the engine is blowing, before takeoff, we recommend that you be extremely attentive to small clothing accessories, which can also be torn off.
Huge airplanes (Boeing 737, etc.) have gained the most popularity, since pictures with such colossus evoke more emotions. Well, small planes of local airlines do not look so majestic, but they create less wind when landing. 
How to get there
Getting to the beach, the name of which is familiar to every taxi driver, is not difficult, as it might seem at first glance. There are two options:
- Use the map.
- Use a taxi or public transport.
The route to Mai Khao runs through the Sirinat National Park and if you go through it, the cost of visiting will cost you 100 baht, since the beach is located within the park, and it doesn’t matter whether you are going to explore the surrounding area or you are only interested in planes, the price is fixed.
You can drive to the beach on the other side, where the hotels are located, then entry will be free.
You can get to Mai Khao from anywhere on the island, it all depends on your ability to pay and the desire to feel the ocean of emotions from what you see (it’s worth looking at at least once).
From Phuket Town to the shore with planes you can go from the airport terminal, as buses depart from there to the airport.
If you have a moped, then no matter which direction you approach, there will always be a parking space for the bike.
A taxi can cost a pretty penny, depending on the distance, from 500 to 1 thousand baht will be a one-way trip, it is better to go with a group, then it will be cheaper.
There is no bus service from Mai Khao, but you can inquire from transfer companies about the possibility of organizing a transfer at a convenient time to the beach. The proper level of comfort will be provided by Kiwitaxi.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on accommodation, the main purpose of staying in Phuket is emotions, you can choose more modest accommodation, but at a distance from the beach, we have compiled a small selection of hotels that tourists have identified as good.
In addition, you can always choose housing yourself using this service.
So, the beach with airplanes, Mai Khao, is a must-visit if you have already seen all the sights of Phuket and don’t know what to do. And of course, don’t forget to share your impressions with us in the comments.
Incredible facts
The most incredible airport is located on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean Sea. The strange thing about this airport is that planes, coming in to land, fly a few meters above the beach with tourists vacationing there, and the runway itself begins very close to the coast.
Looking at the photos of Boeings and Airbuses landing, it may seem that this is just a joke for those who like to play with Photoshop, but the reality is this: the island’s territory is so small, and there are so many people who want to come here, that you have to save space.
The slightest mistake by the pilot and you could end up in the water.
Planes are landing, disturbing the serene rest of vacationers.
The airport was built to serve the island of Sint Maarten. In the eastern Caribbean, this airport is the second busiest.
The runway is very small and starts just 12 meters from the beach, being only 2180 meters long.
Fortunately, there have been no reports of any accidents in the area of this dangerous airport.
Those who are afraid of thrills will prefer another, less “nervous” place to relax.
1) Airport on the Caribbean island of Saba. The runway of this airport is located in a rather strange place: there are cliffs at both ends. However, it costs an experienced pilot nothing to land the plane in the right place if there is at least some kind of runway.
A similar situation is observed on Madeira island , where there is a break on one side of the strip. Some time ago, this airport was notorious because it had a too short runway, which was sandwiched on one side by mountains and on the other by the ocean. Later the strip was expanded and doubled in size by installing a bridge with columns on one side.
Mountain Airport
2) Courchevel Airport (France). Courchevel is the name of a ski resort in the French Alps, which is visited annually by hundreds of thousands of tourists. The easiest way to get to these places is to take a plane.
Do you think it is impossible to build an airport in the mountains? It is possible, although a little strange. Courchevel Airport has a very short runway - only 525 meters long, with a slope of 18.5 degrees!
3) Barra Airport is the only airport in the world where planes land directly on the beach. The Isle of Barra is one of the islands of the Outer Hebrides archipelago, which belongs to Great Britain.
There is virtually no runway in these places, and planes land directly on the beach. Due to the tides, once a day this strange airport is literally submerged under water. Needless to say that relaxing on this beach is prohibited?
Unusual airport on the island
4) Kansai International Airport The Japanese city of Osaka occupies an entire island. Since the Japanese cannot boast of large spaces, and every piece of land matters, they had to build an airport, first building an island for it.
The artificial island consists of two parts, the length of most of it is 4 kilometers, and the width of the island is 2.5 kilometers. This island is a true masterpiece of engineering. Unfortunately, due to global warming and rising sea levels, this artificial island is in danger of being flooded.
The plane emerged from behind the cloud and began to descend. A couple of minutes later he was already very close, literally fifty meters above his head. The whole picture around suddenly became somehow fabulous and unreal. The turquoise ocean, this deserted beach with yellow sand - and the plane is so close that you want to jump up and reach it with your hand... Today everything is about the beach near the airport in Phuket, a lot of photos, a map and our reviews.
Spectacular beaches near airports are very popular among tourists. Every adventurous traveler tries to take a couple of photos against the backdrop of the blue sea and a giant steel machine in the sky. Tourists at various resorts around the world occupy such patches of sand near resort airports so that, together with hundreds of other people from all over the world, they can enjoy the landing of the plane. Not so in Phuket. The beach near the airport is called Mai Khao - and it is deserted. And such oblivion is completely undeserved, because there is wonderful clean water, coarse yellow sand and excellent views.
If you look at the map of Phuket, the airport will be in the upper left part of the map - in the north-west of the island. It is very close to the bridge that connects Phuket to the mainland, but quite far from the most popular resorts - Patong, Karon and Kata beaches. During our wintering we lived in the center of the island in the village of Katu. We went to the beach to the airport by bike, the journey took about 40-50 minutes. At the end of the post there will be a map with marks, you can estimate the distance to the beach from different points in Phuket.
There are two ways to get to the beach. First: park in the southern part in front of the airport and walk closer to the runway for about ten minutes. The second way is better: after the airport, turn onto the narrow road between the airport terminal and the nearest resort and go straight to the northern part of the beach. From there it's a five-minute walk to the strip, no more.
Mai Khao Beach is very long, about nine kilometers long. It and neighboring Nai Yang Beach are part of Sirinath National Park. Somewhere in the north of the National Park, sea turtles lay eggs from November to February. There is also a center for the study of amphibians.
The beach area near the airport is good for swimming. The entrance to the water is gradual, there is coarse sand at the bottom, the water is clean and transparent. Small waves do not interfere with swimming at all. Mai Khao will be quite comfortable for children too.
We were on Mai Khao in February, and there were no jellyfish in the water, unlike, for example, Kamala Beach, where swimming at that time was problematic.
There is absolutely no infrastructure on the beach in front of the airport. Water is sold at a nearby resort, but it is better to bring your own umbrella and bedding. There are no trees right near the runway either, so you need to build a shade yourself. However, to the north of the airport there is a strip of coniferous trees, and it is quite comfortable there.
Mai Khao Beach is a great place for photo shoots because there are very few people around and no one flashes in the frame.
Now about the planes. Phuket has its own international airport. Charter and regular flights from all over the world arrive here. There are a lot of planes and they arrive often, although during the hottest days you can observe a slight lull. We noted for ourselves that in the morning there is continuous planting. The planes land almost one after another. In the afternoon there is a break of two or three hours, and in the evening takeoffs begin.
Plane landing and takeoff schedules are publicly available information. If you want to plan a good photo shoot in advance, go to the Phuket Airport website and print out the schedule.
Beach hotels near Phuket airport:
The town near Mai Khao beach is quiet and calm, without a vibrant nightlife. There is a small market and small grocery stores, a dozen cafes and restaurants. Not far from the airport there is a water park called Splash Jungle. If you want to stay right next to Mai Khao Beach, you can choose from several nearby hotels.
Chic Centara Grand West Sands Resort & Villas Phuket with good reviews from married couples. The hotel has a children's club, a huge swimming pool, and several restaurants. Guests praise the large, spacious rooms and clean, well-equipped area. There is a water park next to the hotel. Room price - from 100 dollars per night.
If you are afraid of airplane noise, you can stay a little further north of the airport. There is Luxury 2 Bedroom Private Pool Villa. Luxury accommodation, it is better to book in advance as the villa is very popular.
Hotel MaikhaoDreamVillaResort &SpaPhuket is in demand among families with children. Swimming pool right on the beach, comfortable sun loungers, spa, gourmet restaurants, large apartments with kitchens. Rates start from $120 per night.
Very close to the runway of Phuket Airport is Mai Khao Beach. This is the longest and most unusual beach on the island. It is above this beach that planes land and take off. This feature attracts many tourists. Here you can take interesting and vivid photographs with an airplane flying overhead. However, despite such tourist entertainment, there are very few vacationers on the beach, it is practically deserted.
The coastline of Mai Khao beach stretches for as much as 11 kilometers. The beach is part of Sirinath National Park, so there are no popular tourist beach activities here, and on Mai Khao you will not find sun loungers with umbrellas, merchants, shops or cafes. The entire beach is a nature reserve. There are practically no tourists here either, only near the runway you can see a small group of people with cameras and cameras who are trying to catch a good shot against the backdrop of a flying plane. But Mai Khao Beach is very loved by locals; they have picnics here in the shade of the trees and swim in the sea. Locals also celebrate the Songkran holiday here (), I have never seen so many Thais on the beach as on this day.
The sand on Mai Khao beach is light yellow, the descent into the sea is quite steep. If you move three or four meters away from the shore, the water will be up to your neck. If you come to the beach with small children, then do not let them go into the sea alone, but rather choose another beach. Casuarina trees grow along the entire Mai Khao beach, in the shade of which you can hide from the sun.
You can swim on Mai Khao beach only in the season from November to April; the rest of the time, large waves rise in the sea and swimming in it is not at all safe. But this is a great time for surf lovers.
Beach activities
There are practically no beach activities on Mai Khao. Only near the hotels you can rent kayaks or surfboards. The main attractions of Mai Khao Beach are walking along the shore, swimming in the sea and, of course, landing planes. This is exactly what tourists come here for. You can sit on the beach for hours and watch a huge plane fly overhead with incredible noise. This is an unusual sight, truly breathtaking. I even felt scared for the first time when I saw a plane flying straight at me with a huge noise. It seemed to me that I would be blown away from the beach, but then gradually you get used to it. Also, don't forget to take a few photos with the plane flying in the background.
Planes fly every day every 10-15 minutes. If you want, you can look at the flight schedule, then you will know exactly what planes will be flying and at what time.
Restaurants and shops on the beach
You can dine on Mai Khao Beach at restaurants in nearby hotels. There you will be offered a wide selection of different dishes, but prices in hotels are usually high.
Also close to the beach is the Turtle Village shopping center, which has a restaurant and bar where you can grab a bite to eat. In the shopping center you can buy groceries, souvenirs, clothes and much more. And if you drive a little further from the beach, you will find a J&P store, where the selection of products is much wider.
Hotels on the beach
Hotels on Mai Khao beach are almost all five-star and quite expensive. If you wish, you can stay at the Centara Grand West Sands Resort & Villa Phuket, which is located very close to Phuket Airport. A little further away are the hotels JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Maikhao Dream Villa, Mai Khao Beach Bungalows and others.
If you want to find a hotel on your own, I recommend using the Hotelluk service, it searches for accommodation in different booking systems and provides the most profitable options.
How to get there?
From the airport to Mai Khao Beach you can only get by taxi; public transport does not go there.
From Phuket Town to Mai Khao Beach you can take a bus for 50 baht. However, you will have to walk from the main road, which is about 2-3 kilometers.
If you get to Mai Khao Beach by your own car or bike, you should take Highway 402 straight, then, a few meters from the airport, turn onto the road leading to Sirinat National Park. At the entrance to the park you can park your bike or car. Next you should walk north about 500 meters. Already from afar you will hear the noise of flying planes.
See the map for the exact location of Mai Khao Beach.
Spotting is the name given to photographing aircraft landing at close range. In Phuket, the beach with airplanes is a real attraction. People come there not to swim, but to capture impressions and take unusual photographs. On the map this beach is marked as Nai Yang. Very close to Mai Khao Beach. I didn’t see any special marks or designations where one beach ends and another begins.
How to get to the beach with planes in Phuket
You need to go towards Phuket airport. You don’t need to get to the airport itself; it’s better to follow the signs to Sirinath National Park and park your car there, and then walk along the sea in the shade to the beach with the airplanes.
Taxi cost 1000 baht one way. Plan to visit the beach for several hours. If you wake up late, the whole daylight hours will go away.
Is the beach with planes worth 2000 baht and a whole day? It's up to you to decide. We spent a wonderful day full of impressions, walked around Sirinath Park, saw enough planes, and saw a piece of another Phuket. But it was not possible to take super photos. The weather was gloomy. Good for walking, but not so good for photographs. Well, we are not such professionals as to catch amazing shots at once.
Well, we tried :))
Maxim and I walked to the beach along the sea from the Sirinat National Park. Everyone usually scolds him, saying there’s nothing to do there. We liked.
When planes land on the beach
If you have the time and desire to see a slightly different Phuket, head to the beach with planes early, right in the early morning. There are many people who want to photograph themselves against the backdrop of an airplane. Chinese, Europeans, Russians, families, couples, large groups, with small children - there are so many spotting lovers here! At the height of the day, you will need to try very hard to get a good shot!
They say there are gaps in the plane schedule. You can sit waiting for two hours and not catch a single plane. We were lucky, the landings came one after another.
Beach safety with planes in Phuket
The runway is literally a few meters from the beach. There are barriers, but it’s still better to take care of safety yourself.
When the plane takes off, the turbines create a wave of hot air. It literally knocks you off your feet and covers your eyes and nose if you stand with your back to the sea, facing the plane. It is better at this moment to sit on the ground and cover the child with a towel. Hats, panama hats and caps fly away just like that! Either put them away or hold them with your hands.
And this plane is getting ready to take off
But you can watch landing planes from any angle, even standing, lying down, or jumping. It's fun!