In this article, I will help you to look at some of the best ways to get to and get around Nai Harn, a small beach town in the south of Phuket.
Nai Harn is known for its tranquil atmosphere and beautiful beach. It is easily accessible from other parts of Phuket like the airport, Phuket Old Town, Patong, Kata, and Karon by various transport modes including metered taxi, Grab, Bolt, InDriver, and local buses.
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3 Popular Ways to get to Nai Harn
1. Riding share services (Grab, InDrive, Bolt)
Grab, InDrive, and Bolt are popular riding share services on Phuket. You can easily get a taxi ride from these apps from other popular destinations in Phuket (like Patong, Karon, Kata, Old Town) to Nai Harn.
Grab taxis are the most popular apps, but you can find cheaper deals on Bolt and InDrive. I prefer using InDrive because I often had the best prices from this app. The downside is that it only accepts cash which can be inconvenient for travelers who have no cash in hand.
To request a taxi ride from these apps, you can just simply download the apps from App Stores, install it, and set up the account. You can put credit card information in Grab and Bolt apps.
I prefer using riding sharing services over traditional taxis because I don’t have to bargain for the price with the traditional taxi driver. The price is also transparent before requesting the ride.
2. Metered Taxi
Metered taxis are widely available in Phuket. You can easily get these yellow and red color taxis from popular places like the international airport, Patong, Karon, Kamala, Kata, and the old town.
When using a metered taxi, make sure that the driver turns on the meter. You can also agree the price for the total trip, and if you are happy with it, you can go.
3. Buses and taxi
There is a local blue songthaew bus from Phuket old town to Nai Harn. It is a 1 hour ride and costs 35 baht one way. You can catch the bus at the Central Market on Ranong Road in Phuket Old Town. The bus runs every day from 6am to 6pm.
There are no direct buses from other beach towns in Phuket to Nai Harn. You can take the smart bus to Rawai then from Rawai take the tuk tuk or Grab taxi ride to get to Nai Harn within 5 minutes.
The smart bus passes famous towns on the west coast like Karon, Patong, Surin, Kata, Kamala, and Surin. The bus ride cost 100 baht for any destination. It runs everyday from early morning to evening. It is a good way to travel on a budget but also more time consuming than private transport.
4. Renting a scooter/ car
Renting a scooter or a car is the most flexible way to explore the island. A scooter rental is around 250-300 baht per day and a car rental is around 1000 baht a day.
If you choose to rent a vehicle to explore the island at your own pace, make sure that you have experience driving in similar terrain and have a valid license. Phuket has mountainous terrain with many steep hills and sharp turns, which can be dangerous for inexperienced drivers.
From Phuket International Airport
Phuket Airport is located around 50km north of Nai Harn Beach. The taxi ride usually takes around 1 to two hours. You can take a regular taxi or use Grab taxi to get from the airport to Nai Harn. The taxi ride is around 1000 baht.
There is no direct bus between Phuket airport and Nai Harn, but you can take a smart bus from the airport to nearby town Rawai for 100 baht, then from Rawai take a taxi/ Grab to Nai Harn.
Rawai bus station is located right on Rawai Beach Road only 6 minutes drive from Nai Harn. The taxi cost around 150-200 baht. If you are on a budget and don’t mind changing the transport, taking the bus is a cheap way to get from Phuket airport to Nai Harn.
From Patong
Patong is located 20 km north of Nai Harn. The travel time between these two beach towns usually takes from 25 to 40 minutes. The best way to get from Patong to Nai Harn is by metered taxi or riding share services like Grab, Bolt, or InDrive. The taxi price generally ranges from 500-700 baht.
For cheaper options, you can take the smart bus from Patong to Nai Harn for 100 baht, then from Nai Harn take the Grab taxi to Nai Harn for around 200 baht.
From Phuket Old Town
Phuket Old Town is located 16km north east of Nai Harn Beach. The travel time between two places is around 25 minutes to 1 hour depending on the traffic. You can take a Grab taxi or direct bus from Phuket Old Town to Nai Harn.
The taxi price is around 500 baht. You can check Bolt, Grab, and InDriver to see if you can have a better price. If you are on a budget, there is a direct bus between the old town and Nai Harn. It cost only 35 baht. You can catch the bus at the Central Market in Phuket Old town on Ranong Road.
From Kata
Kata is located 9km north of Nai Harn, around a 15-20 minute taxi ride. The taxi ride is around 300-400 baht one way. You can use metered taxis, or riding hail apps like InDrive, Grab, or Bolt.
You can also use a smart bus to get from Kata to Rawai, then taxi from Rawai to Nai Harn. The bus is 100 baht, and an additional taxi is from 100-200 baht. It is not much cheaper than taking a private taxi, so taking a taxi is the best option.
From Karon
Karon is located 10km north of Nai Harn. The best way to get from Karon to Nai Harn is by using traditional taxi or riding share services like InDrive, Grab, or Bolt. It usually takes 20-30 minutes and around 400 baht to travel between Karon and Nai Harn.
Another option is to take a smart bus ride from Karon to Rawai, then taxi from Rawai to Nai Harn. It cost 100 baht for a bus ride and 100-200 baht extra for a taxi ride.
From Rawai
Rawai is located right next to Nai Harn, only a 5 minutes ride away on tuk tuk, metered taxi, or Grab. There is no bus connecting these two towns. The taxi ride usually costs 250-200 baht.
Rawai is the last stop of the smart bus to the airport. It is a good transport hub for Nai Harn if you travel by bus from the airport and other beaches on the west coast like Patong, Karon, Kata, Kamala, and Surin.
How to Get Around Nai Harn Beach
Walking
Nai Harn is a relatively small area, you can easily get around on foot. Major sights like Nai Harn Beach, Nai Harn Lake, and Nai Harn temple are located within a few minutes walk from each other.
You can also walk/hike to nearby attractions like Cape Krathing, Black Rock Viewpoint, Ao Sane Beach, and Windmill Viewpoint.
Grab, Bolt, InDrive, and traditional taxi
Nai Harn is quieter than Patong, Kata, and Karon, but still a popular tourist destination with lots of hotels and resorts. You can easily find traditional taxis around popular areas like the beach. Other rising share services exist but might not be as many as in other more famous towns.
Tuk tuk/ Songthaews
Local transports such as tuk tuk and songthaews are available all around Phuket. You can experience local ways of transport by using tuk tuk and songthaews in Nai Harns for a short trip. Make sure to negotiate the price before the trip.
So you have it, a brief guide on how to get to and get around Nai Harn. The area is small, you can easily get around on foot and tuk tuk/ taxi. To reach from other parts of Phuket, you can use metered taxi, scooter/ car rental, or other riding share services like Grab, InDrive, or Bolt.