Joanna James
With the Andaman Sea beckoning along the fringe for a stretch of eleven kilometres, the Mai Khao Beach stretches almost in a perfect line from the north to the south of Thailand. The Mai Khao Beach bears the proud title of 'Airport Beach' as it is located adjacent to Phuket Airport.
This is not your typical tropical beach with dozens of summer huts and ice cream pedlars that crank up their music against your will. Instead, it is a relatively broad beach with minimal contours that stretches for miles from the Sirinath National Park before the land ends near the Sarasin Pier. A long stroll will help every muscle and fibre of your being as the air is fresh, the sand is soft, and the gushing waves are melodious. Complement this lone time and rejuvenation exercise with a stay at a plush abode such as the Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas.
Being bordered by a national park and an airport grant this beach diversity at two ends of the spectrum. Many visitors to the area seat themselves in a comfortable nook with a picnic basket and admire the aircraft that fly in and out of the airport. Occasionally, they are treated to graceful pivots and sways of these big iron birds. Whenever there isn't too much air traffic, these visitors can gorge over the plants and wildlife that are spotted from the shoreline.
A national park that has ownership of both land and sea, Sirinath is home to elephant apple, Ashoka trees, tropical almond and ironwood trees making it one of the top places to visit in Phuket. There is a small mangrove area that falls under the purview of this national park and many of the tourists spend time watching the birds that flock towards the mangroves. The coral reefs are the principal attraction of the ocean-based national park and it is said that the navy gets involved in keeping this park secure.
Technically this does not resemble a village, as it is a modest two-storeyed building that has everything related to turtles that one could think of. The restaurants and tiny shops located at the Turtle Village are of a great standard and allure even those who are not fans of turtles. As is the case with most Thai complexes, the Turtle Village too has a touch of art to it with a fountain featuring three turtles at the centre.
One can get a first-hand experience of how Ridley Sea Turtles lay eggs and how the baby turtles emerge from each egg. This can be witnessed not in a control room, but right along the shoreline, usually in the months from November to February, with January being the most likely month for the spectacle. With the weather being pleasant in January and the turtle hatching taking place, plan to book early.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
