7 Best Things to Do in Mai Khao Beach

Lung Poh Dang, the abbot of Wat Mai Khao, is known as being a strict monk who pays attention to meditation, not materialism. To this end, visitors will not see that many fancy buildings in Wat Mai Khao besides the beautiful main chapel, the simply-built ordination hall and monks’ dormitory. Still, in spite (or maybe because) of its austerity, it’s a well-loved place.

IWP International Wake Park in Phuket is the best place to try the fun-filled activity of wakeboarding. Wakeboard the warm tropical waters of Thailand while experiencing the diverse terrain from the ocean view at the International Wake Park. It's considered one of the best wake parks in the world and uses a Rixen cable system.

The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation is actually part of the JW Marriott Resort in Phuket and sits on Mai Khao Beach. The foundation was started to protect the nesting turtles in the area as well as to promote clean seas and beaches on the island.

Plane spotting is a popular activity in Phuket, thanks to the ease of access to the western end of Phuket International Airport's runway, at the southern end of Mai Khao Beach. The place is idyllic: Mai Khao Beach is almost 50 meters wide at high tide at this spot, and the turquoise colors of the sea, especially between 10pm and 2pm, offer watchers stunning photo opportunities.

Every day, many people gather at the end of the runway to get their photo taken with a plane. With a capacity of 30 flights per hour at Phuket Airport, you don't need to wait for too long in between planes.

Sirinat National Park comprises both Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches and covers over 10 miles of beautiful white sandy beach on the north end of the island. Most planes fly over the park when landing at Phuket International Airport. It's a popular spot for the giant Ridley Sea Turtle, which tend to be shy creatures and prefer having the beach to themselves.

Between November and February each year, these lumbering giants clamber onto the sandy shore at night to lay their eggs.

Unmatched in southern Thailand, Splash Jungle Waterpark at Mai Kao Beach offers a great day out on exciting waterslides, rides and more, all in one themed water park. If you’re looking for a place to take the kids for an exciting and invigorating day out, Splash Jungle is the perfect destination.

Turtle Village is the main shopping and dining complex in Mai Khao, next to Marriott's Mai Khao Beach and Anantara Vacation Club Mai Khao. The 2-storey complex is built around a central plaza that features a fountain made of 3 turtles on top of each other. In line with the upscale resorts that surround it, Turtle Village’s shops and restaurants are quite upmarket, appealing mainly to guests of the nearby 5-star beach resorts.