Surfing at Nai Thon Beach
Updated for 2026
Nai Thon is one of Phuket’s most beautiful beaches, with rocky headlands at both ends and a quieter feel than many of the southern beaches. It can have fun waves on smaller days, but it also has more power than it first appears.
Surfing Conditions at Nai Thon Beach
| Wind | North-west to south-east |
|---|---|
| Tides |
Under 1 metre – mid tide. Over 1 metre – high tide. |
| Swell | 0.5 to 3 metres |
| Waves | Beginner to intermediate on smaller days |
| Other | Beware of rocks and strong rip currents |
Nai Thon Beach Overview
Nai Thon is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Both ends of the beach have rocky headlands jutting out to the sea. Off the rocks offers excellent fishing.
In the past there was a small fishing village across the road from the beach with one small bungalow complex and a few small restaurants.
Now there are a lot more resorts on and nearby Nai Thon. One of the resorts in this area is Andaman White Beach Resort, on nearby Naithon Noi Beach.
Don’t let this deter you though. Nai Thon still doesn’t have the amount of people on the beach as some other beaches in Phuket and is a good place to relax and get away from it all.
Surfing Nai Thon Beach
Nai Thon Beach has a lot of power in the waves, as there is deep water out the back, so beware of strong rip currents that can appear here. Surfing is best here on the smaller days, as it can be a real challenge when the surf is big.
Usually the centre of the beach has the best waves. The other spot to surf here is when you walk onto the beach and look to the far left, south end, behind the rocks. The local lifeguards here are friendly, rent surfboards and will give surfing lessons if needed.
Local Note
Nai Thon can look gentle from the sand, but the deep water out the back gives the waves more push than you might expect. On small clean days it can be fun, but when the surf gets bigger the rips can get strong quickly. Watch the flags, check with the lifeguards, and be careful around the rocks at both ends of the beach.
Learning to Surf at Nai Thon
Nai Thon can be suitable for surf lessons on smaller days if the local lifeguards are operating and the conditions are right. When the surf is bigger, it can be too powerful for beginners. If you want a more protected place to learn, Bang Tao Beach is usually the easier option, especially around the southern end.
We have done our best to go surfing in Thailand as much as possible and to include our personal experiences of this beach and other surf spots in Thailand. Since 2000, we are the original Surfing Phuket guide someone’s gotta do it!!
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