Mai Khao is the northernmost district of Phuket, home to Phuket International Airport (5 minutes away), the island’s longest beach at 17km, and some of its lowest property prices at an average $2,200 per sqm with entry from $60,000. Rental yields run 5-7% gross. The area is designated as a national park along much of the coast, which legally restricts new beachfront construction and is one of the few genuine supply constraints in affordable Phuket real estate.
Who This Area Is For?
The airport proximity is a specific draw for buyers who travel frequently and value a 5-minute drive over a 45-minute one. For the remote worker or serial traveler using Phuket as a base, this is a real quality-of-life factor.
What Mai Khao is not: a high-yield investment zone or a tourist rental powerhouse. Visitor traffic to the area is a fraction of what Patong, Bang Tao, or Kata receives. Rental income is modest.
Rental Demand
High season (November-April) delivers 60-75% occupancy for well-listed properties. Low season drops to 35-50%. These figures are materially lower than the 80-90% achievable in Bang Tao during high season. Anyone modeling investment returns should use conservative occupancy assumptions.
Annual gross yield of 5-7% is realistic. Net yield after costs runs 3.5-5%. At these numbers, the investment case rests on low entry cost and modest appreciation rather than income maximization.
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Infrastructure & Lifestyle
Healthcare: the nearest hospital with emergency capability is in Thalang, approximately 15-20 minutes south. For serious medical needs, Bangkok Hospital Phuket is 35-40 minutes away.
The beach itself is a genuine asset. Sirinat National Park’s boundaries mean that the inland areas behind the beach and much of the beachfront remain protected from development. The turtle nesting season (November-February) draws visitors, though numbers are modest.
Investment Thesis: When Mai Khao Makes Sense
The area that Mai Khao most resembles today is what Nai Yang looked like in 2010-2015: airport-adjacent, quiet, underserviced, cheap. Nai Yang has grown. Whether Mai Khao follows that trajectory depends on infrastructure investment that has been discussed but not yet delivered at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mai Khao is the district that contains Phuket International Airport. Most Mai Khao properties are 3-8 minutes from the terminal by car. This is the closest residential area to the airport on the island, for frequent flyers, the convenience is real and significant.
Mai Khao Beach runs the full length of the district and is partially within Sirinat National Park. National park rules prohibit beach vendor stalls, sunbed operators, and construction within the protected zone. The result is a long, natural beach with very few services, which keeps tourist volumes low and the natural environment intact. It is one of the last large undeveloped beaches in Phuket.
Mai Khao is a sea turtle nesting site, one of the few remaining in Thailand. Olive ridley and leatherback turtles nest on the beach between November and February. The Phuket Marriott Resort manages a turtle conservation program, and the Marine Biological Research Center is nearby. The turtles are a genuine natural attraction, though the volumes of visitors they draw are modest.
Options are more limited than in Bang Tao or Patong. Some projects have in-house rental programs. Independent operators with good Mai Khao track records exist but require vetting. The JW Marriott's presence in the area creates some market awareness, but do not expect Bang Tao-level operator infrastructure. MORE Group can recommend vetted operators currently active in the area.
Conservative estimate is 15-25% over 5 years, based on Phuket-wide appreciation trends and the area's current growth stage. This lags behind Bang Tao's 40-60% 5-year performance significantly. The upside scenario, where infrastructure investment materializes and the area follows Nai Yang's trajectory, could push appreciation to 30-40%. Plan for the conservative case.
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Maksim Shchegolev
Founder, MORE Group
Founder of MORE Group. Four years in investment banking before moving to Phuket, where he has worked in the local property market since 2018. Oversees developer relationships and every engagement above $300K.
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