Phuket hidden secrets: A forest beach and a slow evening

I arrive at Phuket, the biggest island of Thailand, on a ferry from Koh Phi Phi to catch my morning flight to Mumbai the next day. This is the last day of my 3 weeks Vietnam and Thailand tour, as well as my last day in Thailand. Surprisingly, it turns out to be my best day in the country and I end up experiencing unspoiled Phuket.

Located in a quaint residential neighbourhood, the guesthouse I am staying at is merely a 5 minutes-walk from Phuket International Airport. A lovely residential cat meows and welcomes me. After resting for the afternoon, once the sun’s rays are oblique, I set out for my last exploration in Thailand.

Heading to Nai Yang beach

I am in the northwestern fringes of Phuket Island in the Thalang district. According to Google map, Nai Yang beach is the closest to the airport. Ten minutes of walking later, the beach announces its proximity with a gush of salty breeze. On squinting my eyes, I see the sun shining on the wet golden sand afar.

A bad surprise awaits me however. I am stopped at the gate by guards and they point to a board. Entrance to this beach costs money, 200 baht per head per entry. 200 baht is around INR 500. That is quite some money. Given it is almost sunset time and I intend to spend around an hour only, it doesn’t make any sense to spend that kind of money.

Phuket hidden secrets no.1: Sirinat National Park

The area is on the boundaries of Sirinat National Park. This national park was established to protect marine fauna from destruction. Apart from the forest area, some adjacent beaches and a mangrove are a part of it. The hefty entrance fee of the beach is probably spent for the maintenance of the park.

A paved road on the left cuts through the national park and according to the map it runs parallel to the sea for some time before merging with the street by the sea. So we enter the forest to see if the beach can be accessed from there.

I feel my throat drying up. I dart my eyes on all sides, trying my best to look beyond the tangle of trees. The chirp of crickets sets the mood. I see a lane run opposite to the direction of the ocean. The path is smudged in darkness—the shadow of the trees.

In my head, my imaginations run amok. There are only a few people on the road. Vehicles are infrequent. I am relieved when I finally come out of the forested pocket and onto the road. The sea is visible, now only a matter of minutes. I must mention that after returning to India, I had looked up the kind of animals found in Sirinat National Park and got to know they are mostly harmless;, none of the imagined leopards loom here!

Sunset from the coast of a forest beach

Nai Yang beach is separated from the road by a grassy patch with tall common ironwood trees. The space is well maintained like a park. I see some benches installed. Tourists and locals enjoy cozy times on the grass. Families have picnics. Some children run around. Entrance to this part of the beach is free of cost.

Eventually, grasses give away to a sandy forest beach. There is still a good half an hour left for sunset. The beach runs in an arc, almost forming a semi-circle. I stroll on the golden sand. Southern Nai Yang seems to have more visitors. The northern part is emptier with several wooden fishing boats parked on the shore. Broken coral deposits clutter a large part here.

A few sunbathers dot the beach. I settle on broken wooden logs that separates the forest from the beach. It is certainly busier than Tubkaek, but far more peaceful and vacant than Koh Phi Phi’s two popular beaches. I have read people opining that this beach is far better than, Patong, the most popular beach of Phuket.

I stand fixated as the drama of sunset slowly unfolds in the sky. Having already watched two spectacular sunsets at Tubkaek, now I see the third one in Thailand on the make. This would also be my last sunset of the trip, so I make sure to enjoy it from Phuket’s secret beach.

Flying fish?

As the celestial event glorifies the sky, there is another contestant in the sea demanding my attention. It is a wholly chance encounter but once I come across it, I cannot move my eyes from the water. I see a school of fish shooting up out of the water and jumping in the air—almost like flying fish. Are these flying fish? I wouldn’t know.

They jump for many metres, plunge into the water and jump again and then again. Two fishermen, semi-submerged in water, are giving bait. The school hops around in the water, going towards them and then backtracking, as if sensing the fishermen’s intensions. This is clearly one of the best marine life sighting experiences of my Thailand trip.

In a Chinese restaurant

When the sun dips into the Andaman Sea, and darkness prevails, I start walking southward. A couple of beach restaurants is already full. Once back on the road, my lips dry up again at the thought of crossing the strip of forest in darkness.  Thankfully, I find an alternate route. I walk for some 2 kilometres before Sayan stops for dinner at a Chinese restaurant named “Heang Heang Heang”.

The Chinese we eat in India is of course not actually Chinese, but here in this restaurant it is. For the first time in Thailand, I don’t find another person from the Indian subcontinent sharing the public place with us! For 20 baht, I order a non-alcoholic drink with a curious name—Longan juice. Later I find out, it is a fruit native to China and only popular outside China for a brief 250 years.

Sayan orders stewed pork leg for 100 baht while I skip dinner. A huge portion is served to him and I clearly see him struggle, which of course he didn’t admit. Anyways, of all the Thailand experiences that I have had, I think this quaint evening I spent in Phuket is the most non-touristy one.

Adios Thailand

I do some quick snacks shopping at the 7-eleven store just by the alley of my guesthouse opposite to the airport, and mentally prepare myself to return to the usual chores of daily life in India. As I walk past the sleepy neighbourhood, I see locals chatting in their patios, some out with their dogs and, like the rest of the country, stray cats everywhere! Perfect climax of my 3 weeks in Southeast Asia trip.

Have you been to Phuket? Do you know of any Phuket hidden secrets? Share with your experiences by commenting below!

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