Best Things to Do Near Phuket Airport

So like me, you’ve found yourself staying right by the airport in Phuket and are wondering what the hell there is to do.

Maybe you’ve just gotten in, or maybe you want to stay close to the airport in order to catch an early flight. But regardless of how you’ve gotten into this predicament, you’re wondering what the best things to do near Phuket Airport are, and I’ve got you covered.

Head to the beach

There are a ton of things for you to do near Phuket Airport. Basically anything you can imagine, really.

Just kidding. There’s really just the beach. Which isn’t a problem for me- it gives me a short article to write and I can call it an early night. Excellent.

But in all seriousness, this isn’t really a problem for you, either. Since I doubt you’ll be staying near the airport for more than one night, there really isn’t all that much time for whatever sorts of crazy activities you had in mind. And if you are, then I offer my deepest condolences.

There happens to be quite a beautiful beach near the airport. In fact, I would argue that it’s up there with the nicest beaches in all of Phuket. Maybe not the nicest, but pretty damn nice.

How to get to the beach

The beach I recommend is Nai Yang Beach, which is located just south of the airport. Now, if you’re staying north of the airport there’s a beach there as well, but I prefer Nai Yang because it just has a more authentic feel (still not completely absent of those pesky tourists, but certainly better).

If you are indeed staying on the north side of the airport, a quick taxi (or a bike taxi, which will be cheapest on Grab) shouldn’t set you back too much. And if you’re staying south of the airport the beach is easily walkable, between 10 and 25 minutes depending on where exactly you are.

a longtail boat on the shore at nai yang beach — A longtail boat on the shore of Nai Yang Beach at sunset

What to do at Nai Yang Beach

Relax, of course- it’s a beach.

Take a stroll. It’s quite a long beach, so you’ve got plenty of room for some good old fashioned strolling. I’d recommend you start at the north end and work your way south. This way you’ll be rewarded with places to get a bite to eat or a drink once you’ve finished.

The north section of the beach is far less touristy. You’ll see many more locals here and the beach itself is nicer, in my opinion. You also get to see planes coming in from a closer point of view than from further down the beach.

If you happen to be visiting at a somewhat low tide, there will be an exposed rock section you can walk out onto as the beach curves to the left, which is cool to do- especially around sunset time. Speaking of, I should mention that the beach faces west, which is always a nice bonus.

As you walk (especially where the beach begins to curve), pay attention to the sand as the sea meets the land. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before- the beach itself has sand with a beautiful reddish hue, but as it meets the water the sand immediately changes to a more typical golden color. Not sure what kind of sorcery is behind that, but it looks super cool so I’m not complaining.

sunset at nai yang beach near phuket airport — The sun setting over the calm waters of Nai Yang Beach

sand changing color from red to golden as the water meets land on Nai Yang beach — The sand changing color from red to gold as land meets sea!

Where to eat at Nai Yang Beach

a restaurant on the beach at Nai Yang beach near the phuket airport — A beach restaurant with splendid *vibes* and decent food/drink

What better way to wrap up your sunset stroll than with a nice meal by the water?

I generally dissuade people from eating near the beach as it’s almost always a tourist trap, meaning higher prices and crappy food. But as a friend of mine put it to me recently: “you’re forgetting about the vibes though, bro”.

And while I generally disagree with him on this- and generally speaking on everything in life- at a fundamental level, if the argument holds anywhere it would be here. Why? Because the prices are not that different, and the food is not that bad. And I will admit that you do, in fact, get to partake in a wonderful vibe.

There are many restaurants by the beach. There are also a few slightly cheaper ones right on the road off the beach, but honestly just go for the beach at this point. I don’t have any specific recommendations, they all seem to be rather similar- a quick Google review check is always a good idea though.

After your meal, you can take a stroll down the main road by the beach. It can get quite lively, which is nice for a small town by the airport. Stop by one of the many stands to get yourself some Roti (Thai thin pancake) or mango sticky rice.

And there you have it! The best things to do near Phuket Airport. Possibly I lied- really I should call this article the best singular thing to do near Phuket Airport.

But for one night by an airport, this isn’t too bad- to say the least.