Life in Thailand: Naka Island: A Tropical Paradise in Phang Nga Bay

Entrance pier to Naka The Naka Island Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Welcoming point for guests visiting The Naka Island near Phuket in Thailand

Naka Island is a small, semi-private island to the West of Phuket in Thailand’s South, sheltering from the Andaman Sea with larger islands Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai in the massive Phang Nga Bay. The island is shared between a sprawling luxury hotel, a local fishing village, and the isolated COMO Beach Club. Our destination for this extended weekend trip was The Naka Island, a hotel that is part of Marriot’s Luxury Collection Resorts.

Tiger had been eyeing The Naka Island as a romantic getaway from Bangkok for several years and jumped at the extended weekend opportunity even though it was the rainy season. After all, why not make time for a beach escape during the offseason? Prices are (slightly) more reasonable and there are fewer crowds in nearby Phuket. The resort was indeed splendid, but little did we know that through a series of events this might literally have become a trip to end all trips - cue Gilligan’s island theme song.

A trip to paradise
The flight from Bangkok to Phuket takes an hour with another thirty-minute drive to the lovely Ao Po Grand Marina. The weather proved to be more troublesome than expected, forcing our plane to circle the airport several times before landing between the intermittent downpours of the rainy season. By the time we had picked up the car, the rain had again started, flooding the road we were traversing along the northern side of the island. “Thank God this is only a rental,” Tiger thought, with a laugh.

The hotel had told us to park at the Ao Po Grand Marina and take their private speedboat to the island. This was our first trip to this location, and we were pleasantly surprised at the beautiful, modern facilities at the marina. After parking near the main lodge – which appeared to be a full-service apartment complex – we jumped out of the car and walked along the cobblestone path to enjoy a refresher at the Port of Call Bar and Restaurant while waiting for the hotel staff.

Ao Po Grand Marina in Phuket is a popular if expensive location for boating enthusiasts

The wait was not long. Soon, one of the boatmen arrived with a friendly wave and a smile to help us with our luggage. The marina was quiet and the extensive docks mostly occupied, with huge yachts and other seacraft appearing to fill the piers to capacity. The hotel’s speedboat was spacious and, thankfully, covered, shielding ourselves and another Chinese couple from the light rain. The engine roared and we were off!

Ships and pier at Ao Po Grand Marina in Phuket, Thailand

Ao Po Grand Marina from Naka Island Resort Speedboat

Beachfront pool villas and mangroves at the Naka Island Resort

Picture 1. The Naka island speedboat at dock at the main pier. Picture 2. Leaving the marina. Picture 3. Naka island beach view villas hiding among mangroves as seen from the ocean

Several friendly staff greeting us upon arrival at the island and a covered golf cart picked us up to take us to the front desk. Did I mention the resort is quite large? The drive took a good ten minutes with several stops. Now let's get a few details out of the way! The Naka is a resort situated on the northwestern portion of the island and mostly consists of a collection of beautiful house-sized villas with private gardens and pools. Tiger and Bird had selected a sea view pool villa for this trip. The stay was delightful! Entering our villa complex via our own private gate, we walked through a small garden before entering the villa. A huge bedroom faced the ocean over the outdoor pool and yard areas, connecting to a large hallway that extended around a semi-interior garden courtyard before reaching large bathroom facilities. On the resort grounds, many guests enjoyed biking along extensive paved paths, although golf carts driven by employees were also just a phone call away.

The Naka Resort near Pha Ngan Bay in Phuket, Thailand

Waves and wind-whipped trees at the edge of the small bay by Naka resort

Tiger and Bird travel for the experience, so our focus is continuously on the adventures a resort has on offer. Other amenities are simply icing on the cake so to speak. Kayak tours, free bike usage, cooking classes, and windsurfing were all very appealing. Since the first several days of our stay was heavily overcast, we took the opportunity to kayak around parts of the island, visiting small inlets lined with mangrove forests and populated with more than a few cheeky monkeys

Kayaking at the Naka Island Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Beach attendant taking our two-person ocean kayak down to the water

Pha Ngan Bay in Phuket, Thailand, on a stormy day

Storm clouds quickly approach Naka Island from the North while Tiger and Bird are kayaking

The weather was frequently overcast, and when the clouds and waves began to grow more menacing, we quickly retreated from the quiet backwaters around the mangroves towards the resort, rounding the island and paddling furiously as the kayak whipped backwards and forwards where the waves from the sheltered bay crashed against ocean waves.

Calm ocean bay at The Naka Island Resort

Several guests rose early to kayak around the resort’s quiet bay

On the second full day of our stay, the weather cleared, and the tropical sun blazed above Naka Island with puffy white clouds lingering in the distance. Tiger and Bird decided on this day to take mountain bikes on a tour of the island, following a map provided by the resort. On the other side of the island was listed the COMO beach club, and there appeared to be a small path from the road leading to the club (indicated by a dashed line).

Recliners on grassy hill above sandy beach and calm ocean at The Naka Island in Phuket, Thailand

Wide, grassy areas above the beach around the resort’s bay

Shortly beyond the walls of the resort, muddy dirt roads almost caused us to turn back. But, as Admiral Farragut was made famous by saying, “D--- the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” Soon the path became paved and a short while later we waved to children playing beside the narrow road as we biked through a small fisherman village, dodging several motorcycles and carts. We continued onwards, biking to the end of a long pier in the middle of another forested bay.

Jungle and mangroves in the bay near Naka Island Pier in Phuket, Thailand

Aquamarine waters meet an overhanging jungle around the fisherman’s cove

The bay was beautiful and calm, with gentle, aqua waves gently splashing up against the trees overhanging the water.

Fisherman village near Naka Island Pier in Phuket, Thailand

A small portion of the cove has been slightly cleared to allow for locals to moor their fishing boats and tourist speedboats

After a short break to enjoy the gentle sea breeze and watch some boys fishing from the pier, we proceeded onwards through the town, up a steep hill past several buildings to the highest point of the island. There wasn't much to see here, with thick jungle vegetation largely obscuring any decent view. Finally, we moved ahead with our plan, biking towards the COMO beach club. Here the path fell into disrepair and the paved path turned into a dirt road worn with several tire tracks. Thankfully, we didn't have to stay on this path long since we soon found what appeared to be a path leading down to the club. Hey, we made it this far. Why not try to go a bit further?

Here, let’s change up the narrative a bit...

[Top] [The Story]
Our Story Begins… and almost ends?

Angry, dark clouds of the tropical rainy season swiftly advanced from the direction of Phang Nga Bay, shrouding the tall but thin isles northeast of Naka Island in mist. Tiger and Bird, mountain bikes at the ready, stood on a deserted beach gazing at this threatening display. They had just descended a narrow dirt and gravel path down the steep, thickly vegetated hill on the north side of the island and now found themselves near several dilapidated building and what might have once been a local resort, hemmed in on either side by dense jungle that extended over the sand into the ocean.

“I don’t think we can make it back up there in time,” Tiger said, glancing around, looking for shelter.

Bird was about to reply when several fishermen we hadn’t noticed suddenly approached, surprised at the presence of foreign visitors and offering us assistance.

“I’ll ask them if they can ferry us back to the resort,” Bird said, optimistically.

The fishermen readily agreed- they had no fishing boats at the moment but did have ocean-sized jet skis which they sometimes rented out to tourists. Two large jet skis, two fishermen, two mountain bikes, two passengers, and no life jackets. What could possibly go wrong? We soon found ourselves zipping through white-capped waves, set against a black and threatening sky while shivering beneath the occasional cold sprinkle of rain and wind-whipped ocean spray as the jetski slammed into rising waves. The small islands further in the bay briefly flitted in and out of the mist one final time before disappearing, shrouding themselves in darkness after being overtaken by the approaching storm. Rounding the island, the jetskis waffled in a strange cross-current where ocean and bay water meet before landing on our beach mere minutes before torrential downpours began.

Dark storm clouds and heavy rain in the bay near The Naka Island Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Tiger neglected to take any photos of that final descent to the deserted beach but turned to take one last shot of the approaching storm before we retreated to the dry safety of our villa. Yes, the sky really was this dark at 2 PM in the afternoon!

With perplexed grins after exchanging worried looks, beach attendants took the bicycles from the first jetski and helped us onto the beach. We immediately raced for cover as the torrential downpours began.

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After the adrenaline rush had subsided and our heads were clear again, we decided this had been enough excitement for the weekend and took it easy for the rest of our stay, enjoying the pools and watching the occasional storm from the safety of the beach or the advantageous views afforded by Z Bar, which is situated on a small hill. Below are a few photos from our trip, then a brief assessment of our stay.

White sailboat and limestone islands in Pha Ngan Bay in Phuket, Thailand

A small motorized yacht heads back to Ao Po Grand Marina

Local Thai lady digging cockles out of the sand and rocks on Naka Island

One evening at low tide we saw many locals taking small picks and shovels out to the rocky beach near the resort. This lady was kind enough to demonstrate how to quickly find and extract tasty clams from the hard stones and packed sand between crevices in the rock face.

Red clay and rocks of the bay at Naka Island in Phuket, Thailand

A familiar sight during the rainy season as another frequent storm approaches Naka Island from the North

Red clay and rocks at low tide in the bay at The Naka Island

The shallow bay outside the resort’s beach at low tide

Calmer waters across the straight from Ao Po Grand Marina in Phuket, Thailand

On the morning of our return to Bangkok, the sun began to shine once again, highlighting our destination, the Ao Po Grand Marina

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Our stay at The Naka Island Resort was for the most part enjoyable and relaxing. We only caution future visitors against biking beyond the high point of the island, since the roads soon fall into disrepair and some of the paths leading down to the beaches are easy to descend, but difficult to ascend. We also recommend only rounding the island as part of the group tour unless you have prior experience with canoeing or kayaking, since the cross waters between the bay and the ocean can be difficult to navigate (and, as always, wear a lifejacket!).

Villa facilities and attentive service from resort staff exceeded our expectations for a five-star resort. The ambience was very relaxing. Activities and other amenities were plentiful, and Tiger and Bird would suggest a three-day, two-night stay for a chance to enjoy everything the resort has to offer. Also, if within budget, always go for a villa! You won't regret it. Our only disappointment came with evening meals. We felt the dinner menus at the main restaurants were limited in selection, and for which the understandably high prices did not match with comparable quality (Tiger has the strong opinion that island food in general disappoints, but it's the atmosphere that counts!). Breakfasts, on the other hand, were excellent in both quality and selection.

All in all, a quality stay. Tiger and Bird would be happy to visit again!

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