Stage 2: Nai Yang Beach → Nai Thon Beach
The coastline right past the airport is a restricted area, so we started Stage 2 a little further along, at the beginning of Nai Yang Beach. From here we covered a total of 9.5 km in a little under two and a half hours — a very different walk from the flat first stage. Two stages down.
Before reaching the sand, we passed Ching Market, a busy and popular local seafood market, already alive at that early hour with fresh catch laid out on ice and the day's trade well underway. It's a good reminder that a coastal walk isn't only sea and sand; it passes through the working, everyday life of the island too.
I'll admit some bias about this stage, because Nai Yang is probably my favorite beach on the whole island. My wife and I come here often: I run along the beach while she does yoga on the sand. There is something that makes this place feel calmer than other busier beaches further south. Starting a stage from a place you love is a good way to begin a morning.
At the far end of Nai Yang beach, just before Luang Wang restaurant, there's a canal where the water meets the sea. Depending on the tide and the season, it can be surprisingly deep, sometimes up to your waist. We were lucky: the water was manageable, and we crossed easily by simply taking off our shoes and walking through. A small adventure to start the day.
After the canal, the shoreline gives way to road for a stretch, and here we had to be more careful. Walking on a road is a different thing from walking on a beach, so we took some precautions: bright safety vests to stay visible, and walking in single file, facing the traffic, keeping well to the side.
On the way, we also met a few barking dogs, which is common on Phuket's roads. They sound fierce, but they're usually more territorial than aggressive. The tips that work: stay calm, don't run or make sudden movements, avoid direct eye contact, and keep walking steadily past their patch. In a group, it's easier; there's safety in numbers, and the dogs lose interest once you're past.
Then came the two hills. The last part of this stage climbs a couple of steep sections that make you earn the finish, especially in the heat. Just at the top sits a spot that used to be The Hill Bar, once a place to stop for a spectacular view over the coast. It's closed now, quiet and empty. Another small sign of how much changes on this island, season by season.
From the top, the road drops down into Nai Thon, a smaller beach, and a fantastic place to finish and have a deserved rest. We arrived tired and sweaty, but happy and looking forward to starting the next stage.
If you'd like to walk this stretch yourself, you can download the route below and follow the exact path we took. Just be ready for the canal, and go carefully on the road section.
Nineteen stages to go. One island, one step at a time.
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