Koh Naka Yai and Naka Noi (Nahka Islands)
Naka Yai features only one small village on its west side, but
having recently caught the attention of some major resort operations
no less than 3 projects are in the works here. In a very short
space of time, the island is rapidly changing from a fishing village
into a fairly exclusive resort location.
Most of Naka Yai's beaches are broad and sandy, and along its
eastern shores the views out across Phang Nga Bay are simply breathtaking.
The longest beach on the east side has chairs and umbrellas for
rent, plus a small snack counter. It fills up in the afternoons
with daytrippers.
There's not much to do on Naka Yai except swim, sunbathe and
take strolls along the beach. It's recommended to bring your own
food if you're planning to stay the day.
Naka Noi is known as the "pearl island", as it's the
site where rare South Sea pearls are cultivated. Any trip to Naka
Noi will inevitably include a tour of the pearl farm - a good
chance to see how these luminous beads are developed and extracted.
More
info here.
Getting to the Naka Islands
Long-tail boats may be hired for the day at the rickety Ao Po
Pier on the east coast of Phuket (to get to the pier, take route
4027 east from the Heroines' Monument, then turn right at the
sign for Ao Po and follow along for a few kilometers). Naka Yai
is also part of many daytrip itineraries, with many boatloads
of snorkellers and swimmers stopping off at the long eastern beach
for a few hours in the afternoon. |
