People go here for an indescribable thrill, because literally 10-20 meters above the beach and tourists roar giant airliners coming in to land. A dangerous but fascinating sight!
Maho Beach is located very close to Princess Juliana International Airport.
Due to the short length of the runway (2,180 meters), planes are forced to land as close to the beginning as possible, flying directly over the heads of vacationers at an altitude of 10-20 meters from the ground.
This beach is extremely popular among thrill-seekers and photographers who want to capture the low-flying jumbo jet.
All bars on Maho Beach have the following signs with the schedule of arriving flights:
There are also warning signs that jets of air from aircraft jet engines can be thrown into the sea, injure or even kill. But this stops few people:
On average, only every 4th plane landing here can create a strong gust of wind with its jet engines. Then vacationers have a hard time:
Despite the difficult conditions for landing, not a single crash has been recorded so far.
Extreme sports enthusiasts strive to be right above the landing airliner. And this is one of the largest passenger aircraft in the world landing - Boeing 747:
It's hard to believe that this is not a photo montage, but real photographs:
Source
Spotting is the name given to photographing aircraft landing at close range. In Phuket, the beach with airplanes is a real attraction. People come there not to swim, but to capture impressions and take unusual photographs. On the map this beach is marked as Nai Yang. Very close to Mai Khao Beach. I didn’t see any special marks or designations where one beach ends and another begins.
How to get to the beach with planes in Phuket
You need to go towards Phuket airport. You don’t need to get to the airport itself; it’s better to follow the signs to Sirinath National Park and park your car there, and then walk along the sea in the shade to the beach with the airplanes.
Taxi cost 1000 baht one way. Plan to visit the beach for several hours. If you wake up late, the whole daylight hours will go away.
Is the beach with planes worth 2000 baht and a whole day? It's up to you to decide. We spent a wonderful day full of impressions, walked around Sirinath Park, saw enough planes, and saw a piece of another Phuket. But it was not possible to take super photographs. The weather was gloomy. Good for walking, but not so good for photographs. Well, we are not such professionals as to catch amazing shots at once.
Well, we tried :))
Maxim and I walked to the beach along the sea from the Sirinat National Park. Everyone usually scolds him, saying there’s nothing to do there. We liked.
When planes land on the beach
If you have the time and desire to see a slightly different Phuket, head to the beach with planes early, right in the early morning. There are many people who want to photograph themselves against the backdrop of an airplane. Chinese, Europeans, Russians, families, couples, large groups, with small children - there are so many spotting lovers here! At the height of the day, you will need to try very hard to get a good shot!
They say there are gaps in the plane schedule. You can sit waiting for two hours and not catch a single plane. We were lucky, the landings came one after another.
Beach safety with planes in Phuket
The runway is literally a few meters from the beach. There are barriers, but it’s still better to take care of safety yourself.
When the plane takes off, the turbines create a wave of hot air. It literally knocks you off your feet and covers your eyes and nose if you stand with your back to the sea, facing the plane. It is better at this moment to sit on the ground and cover the child with a towel. Hats, panama hats and caps fly away just like that! Either put them away or hold them with your hands.
And this plane is getting ready to take off
But you can watch landing planes from any angle, even standing, lying down, or jumping. It's fun!
There are many unique places on our planet, and one of them is in Phuket - this is a beach located in close proximity to the landing strip. In this area of the sea coast on Mai Khao (Nai Yang) beach, you can capture airplanes taking off and landing in photos or videos and admire the unusual view.
Moreover, today there is such a direction in photography as spotting. This hobby has become an exciting hobby for many who love photographing unusual situations and objects. Selfie lovers visiting this country will definitely choose the beach on the coast in Phuket, where planes land overhead.
In fact, air transport lands 100 meters from the coastline, due to the runway located perpendicularly. The beach section, which is located in front of the airport, is an open and unguarded place. Thus, any traveler can visit here. Everyone will agree that the sight of an airplane taking off overhead and the power of this iron machine, weighing several hundred tons, is simply mesmerizing and makes the heart beat faster.
Please pay attention! Remember that landing an airplane is a complex technical process. When visiting this beach, you should be extremely careful, since the warm air currents from the turbines of aircraft can literally knock you off your feet.
Location of Mai Khao Beach
If you fly to Phuket, then finding Mai Khao Beach will not be difficult. As mentioned above, it is located in close proximity to the airport in the northeast of the island.
The beach itself is a fairly long strip of sand, the length of which is 11 kilometers. Previously, this was a favorite nesting site for leatherback turtles, which laid their eggs here. Today it is a developed part of the sea coast with a familiar, but rather modest infrastructure for tourists.
We also note that the place where the beach is located, where you can relax and enjoy the magnificent spectacle of planes taking off, is located within the boundaries of the Sirinath National Park. Therefore, in addition to the main attraction, tourists will be able to get wonderful impressions of exotic landscapes, unique flora and fauna for which Thailand is so famous.
Beach Features
Near the beach, travelers will not find cafes and restaurants familiar to most resorts. Nevertheless, this area does not lose popularity, because its main advantage is that tourists and vacationers can capture how the plane will land.
- There is no special rescue service on the beach;
- The shore itself is not suitable for relaxing and swimming with children due to the problematic uneven bottom, which is unsafe for children;
- On this beach, as a rule, there are few umbrellas and sunbeds; such equipment is provided on the territory of hotels;
- When going to the beach, be sure to take sunscreen with you, since there are no protective canopies on the coast.
We can say that the beach is not the best place for those who are used to comfortable relaxation, shopping, nightlife and entertainment. However, this is a popular part of the island for people who love thrills.
During the day, Mai Khao is almost always crowded, everyone is trying to catch an unusual shot. If you need to conduct a professional photo shoot, then it is better to arrive before 9 am or after 19 pm. The planes will also fly low over the beach, but other tourists will not be present in the pictures.
Favorable weather, when the sea is calm, lasts in this place from November to April. At this time, it will be easier to photograph a low-flying airliner against a cloudless sky. Although hotel prices are lower from May to October.
It is not every day that you can see flying planes; this is directly related to weather conditions. After all, airliners choose their landing site depending on the wind. But the plane takes off in only one direction - over the beach. The airliners fly so low that you can feel the heat of the turbines and the vibration of the air from their operation. Gusts of wind sometimes carry away tourists' clothes and slippers, and also lift heaps of sand and shells into the air. Security guards constantly drive away the most curious from the fences behind which the airport begins. Therefore, it is better not to approach the fence directly.
How to get to Mai Khao
Although the beach and the unusual airport are located nearby, it is impossible to move freely from one to the other. There are several ways to get to this place on the coast in order to capture airbuses flying nearby.
The best option to get from the airport to the beach is by taxi (Highway 402). Public transport is rare. From the highway, the path goes through the Sirinath National Park or the Centara Hotel. Please note that for vehicle owners there is an entrance fee to the park, which is about 100 baht.
Another option is to go through the water park located in the southern part of the island. If you came with a rented vehicle, then you will have a place to leave it. The water park has parking. You can also book a beach transfer here with cargo and passenger planes flying to Phuket.
As mentioned above, Mai Khao Beach is not the best place for shopping and entertainment. Although here you can do some shopping in the turtle village (food, drinks, souvenirs). The main attraction is the sight of the planes landing.
The nearest entertainment center is an hour's drive from the beach. Please note that due to the fact that Mai Khao is part of a national park, this beach is closed to all types of watercraft equipped with engines, including scooters.
That is, Mai Khao is an ideal place for people who love thrills (photos of airplanes up close), as well as those who come to relax and enjoy exotic nature, long walks along the seashore or enjoying the bright and lush landscapes of the national park.
Climate and attractions
On the beach, travelers can not only take photographs of airliners taking off, but also enjoy the natural features of this island.
Vacationers can take advantage of the small shops located along the coast. As a rule, near each of them there is an open area with a couple of tables where you can sit with friends and drink refreshments.
Another interesting attraction of this island with a unique beach where airplanes fly is the fund for helping stray cats and dogs (Soi Mai Khao, 10). As a rule, visitors to this place are couples with children who want to play with the animals. The conditions for keeping pets here are very decent, and admission is free, and tourists can watch exotic animals at any time.
In 2017, Phuket was one of the top three islands where tourists prefer to spend their holidays. Here you can see not only how airliners fly by or take off, but also a lot of other attractions.
Mai Khao is a place where you can get a lot of impressions from airliners flying overhead. But for a leisurely holiday on the sea coast, it is better to choose other beaches on the island.
Video
Yesterday we discussed with mib55 difficulty of landing, however, there are a dozen airports where landing conditions are also difficult and specific. It is clear that the airports in these places were designed not for beauty and spotters, but as much as possible in the conditions of the natural environment, in order to at least pull something out and connect with air traffic... But not only the pilots have to maneuver and follow all the rules of a difficult landing, I think the passengers of these flights You will also have an unforgettable experience of taking off and landing in such places.
1. Princess Juliana Airport, Holland
Operating airlines: almost all US airlines, French charter carrier Corsairfly, KLM airline.
Princess Juliana Airport is located on the island of San Maarten, which is part of the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. The airport's runway is very short (its length is 2130 meters) and therefore planes are forced to land literally a hundred meters from Maho Beach, where tourists sunbathe. An additional thrill is given by the knowledge that the airport is not equipped with an automatic landing system, so the planes land under manual control. The runway almost ends at a group of beach restaurants. Planes must land as close to the start of the runway as possible due to its short length, so they land at such minimum altitudes that they appear to brush the heads of people on the beach. You can peacefully lie on the beach, but when a Boeing 747 flies a few tens of meters above the ground, a real sandstorm arises due to the air flow created, which easily scatters things around. There is also some special fun here. Tourists are trying to stay on the beach when the plane taxis to the net off the coast and starts to take off from there, the jet from the engines hits the tourists and tries to knock them into the water) People come here for thrills, not for sunbathing, and all conditions have been created for this - in All bars and restaurants nearby have flight schedules. As if that weren't enough, a loudspeaker on the roof of the Sunset Beach Bar broadcasts conversations between air traffic controllers and pilots of planes about to land.
This is a spotter's Mecca. It is difficult to believe the authenticity of the photographs of giant airliners flying at an altitude of 10-20 meters above sunbathing tourists, however, they are real. Despite the difficult take-off and landing conditions, not a single accident has been recorded at this airport.
2. Kai Tak - Kulun, Hong Kong
Airlines operating the flights: Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Air Hong Kong cargo airlines and Hong Kong Airways
Due to the location of the airport, surrounded by high hills and close to the water, as well as the presence of residential buildings in its immediate vicinity, KaiTak airport went down in history as one of the most terrible, and the landing of airliners at this airport looked very spectacular due to its extreme nature. The airport was closed in 1998.
3. Paro, Bhutan
Operating airlines: Druk Air, local carrier
Paro Airport is located at an altitude of 2,225 meters above sea level and is surrounded by Himalayan peaks over 4,000 meters high, making take-off and landing extremely challenging.
Before leveling the plane for landing and landing it on the airport pad, the pilot performs several unconventional maneuvers in a narrow corridor of mountain peaks.
4. North Front, Gibraltar
Airlines operating: British Airways, EasyJet, Iberia Airlines and Monarch Airline
The airport is located on a tiny peninsula with an area of 6.8 square kilometers. The lack of space on this peninsula is catastrophic, so the airport's only runway crosses the busiest highway, Winston Churchill Avenue, leading to the land border with Spain. When planes land or take off from runways, traffic on the highway is interrupted by barriers and traffic lights, similar to what happens at railroad crossings. This situation arose due to the tiny size of Gibraltar, which consists of a southern rocky part and a northern flat part - a sand spit connecting the rock with the Spanish coast. The airport runway is located on the flat part of Gibraltar, crossing it across and dividing its territory into two unequal sections. These two sections are connected by a single highway, which is forced to cross the airport runway.
5. Mariscal Sucre - Quito, Ecuador
Through the glass wall of the airport building you can see planes landing. The airport in the capital of Ecuador is one of the most difficult airports for pilots in Latin America. There is a very tight runway here, which is based practically between several active volcanoes.
6. Barra - Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Airlines operating flights: British Airways and Flybe (England).
The only airport in the world located on a beach and with regular flights. The operating hours depend on the ebb and flow of the tides. The airport itself is just a very shallow bay. Therefore, landing and takeoff here are only possible during low tide. The rest of the time, the runway is covered with water. Three sand strips are equipped on the island for take-off and landing of iron birds. By the way, the airport is not suitable for all winged guests, but only for aircraft with short takeoff and landing characteristics
7. Matekane Air Strip, Lesotho
It's not just the landings that are difficult. In the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho, the 416-meter-long runway is located on the edge of a gorge at an altitude of 2,303 meters, so the plane 'drops' about 600 meters before taking off. . According to the pilots, there is a possibility that, having reached the end of the site, the plane will not leave the ground. The rule of flying in the mountains is as follows - it is better to take off with the wind and downhill than against the wind and uphill.
8. Funchal - Madeira, Portugal
The runway of this airport is located on a cliff.
Madeira International Airport is located on the island of the same name in Portugal. Despite its civilized appearance, it is located in a very nerve-wracking place - between the rocks and the ocean. The runway is built on 180 pillars with a diameter of 3 m, some of which rise 50 m above sea level.
9. Toncontin, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Airlines flying: American Airlines, Continental, Copa Airlines, TACA, Islena Airlines and Aerolineas Sosa.
Pilots have a saying, “A landing you can get away with is a good landing.” This strange statement makes sense when it comes to Toncontin Airport in Honduras. The location next to a mountain range, the runway being too short, and the difficulty of the approach make the airport one of the most dangerous in the world.
10. Tenzinga and Hillary, Nepal
Operating airlines: Nepal Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Sita Air, Gorkha Airlines, Agni Air. Flights operate only from Kathmandu
The airport runway is only 527 meters long and is located at a slope of 12% at 2860 meters above sea level in a rock gorge (nearby mountain peaks are almost 5 km high), while pilots do not have the opportunity to go around, but there is the need to dive with the nose below before landing so as not to hit the mountains. . Due to the large slope, the ends of the runway differ in height by 60 meters. Flights here are only possible during the day and subject to good visibility. The weather around the airport is unpredictable, and its instability causes frequent flight cancellations. The airport allows only helicopters and short take-off and landing planes. The airport is in demand among climbers intending to conquer Everest and starting from the city of Lukla.
11. Juancho Airport (Juancho E. Yrausquin), Saba Island in the Caribbean Sea
A dangerous airstrip at the very edge of Saba Island.
Juancho Airport occupies quite a large part of the small island of Saba. Some experts are of the opinion that the airport is one of the most dangerous in the world, despite the fact that no accidents have occurred here. There is an X on each side of the runway, indicating that the airport is closed to commercial aviation. Landing at the airport, located on the peninsula, pilots must cope with strong winds and sea spray. In addition, the length of the landing strip is only 396.5 meters.
The location of the airport poses a threat. On one side there are high mountains, and on the other - the sea and steep cliffs. The danger is that the plane may go off the runway when landing or taking off.
12. Airport named after. R. Reagan, Washington, USA
The airport has an unenviable location in close proximity to strategically important US national security installations. We are talking about the White House, the Pentagon buildings and the headquarters of the CIA. Thus, the airport is located between two no-fly zones, requiring pilots to exercise great skill to stay away from strategically important objects. When taking off, the plane must gain altitude as quickly as possible and turn sharply to the left in order to avoid flying over the White House.
13. Courchevel - Alps, France
The airport was included in the Guinness Book of Records due to its “hunchbacked” and unusually short runway. Its length is 525 meters, and the slope is 18.5%. You have to approach and take off on a slope to set the required speed. This is the airport shown at the beginning of the movie Tomorrow Never Dies. For others, the only way to get here is by private planes, helicopters, and charter flights. Pilots undergo extensive training to land at the CVF.
14. Maui, Hawaii
Aerial view of the airport runway on the coast of Maui. Fortunately, this is not the main airport in Hawaii.
15. Kranebitten - Innsbruck, Austria
The airstrip is in the mountains and surrounded by houses. 
16. Male (Maldives)
The Maldives archipelago, consisting of twenty-six islands, is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, and Male Airport (officially called Ibrahim Nasir International Airport) is located on the island of Hulhule. The airport begins and ends with water. When landing, a picturesque view of this island and most of the archipelago opens up. The airport was built by 2,250 local volunteers in the 1960s.
17. Corfu
Airlines: Olympic Airways, Aegean Airways
18. Eilat (Israel).
The airport is located right in the city, planes fly not over the beach, but over the road and buildings. The spectacle is certainly not usual, to put it mildly, it is fascinating. 
19. London City (London, UK)
As the closest airport to central London, the views on approach to London City Airport are spectacular with iconic landmarks including Big Ben, the London Eye and the Olympic Park. The approach to this airport is also unique due to its steep landing glide slope of 5.8 degrees, compared to 3 degrees at conventional airports.
20. Jackson Hole (Wyoming, USA)
Here the landing takes place against the backdrop of the Teton Mountains, and the airport itself is completely surrounded by the picturesque landscapes of Grand Teton National Park. That's why Jackson Hole Airport became a US National Monument in 1940. According to PrivateFly respondents, the approach to this airport is especially beautiful during sunset.
21. Airport on the island of Aruba (Dutch Caribbean)
Queen Beatrix International Airport is the gateway to the Caribbean island of Aruba. Landing over the ocean on the strip located on the west coast of the island gives a stunning view of the island. Originally there was an American airbase at this airfield. An international airport opened here in the 1950s. Passengers upon landing can fully see the entire island from coast to coast.
22. St. Barts (French Caribbean)
Airport named after Gustav III has a runway just 650 meters long and is located on the Caribbean island of Sant Barthelemy. Only the most highly qualified pilots can fly to this island. One even compared St. Barts to “landing on an aircraft carrier.” An additional difficulty is represented by the hilly terrain, difficult wind conditions, and the need to land at a sharp angle. Large international aircraft cannot be accommodated at this airport; to get to this Caribbean island, you must rent a propeller plane from a local charter line.
23. Queenstown Airport (New Zealand)
Located on the South Island of New Zealand. Landing here gives you the opportunity to see the entire island from a bird's eye view, enjoying the famous landscapes of New Zealand, including views of Lake Wakatipu, the Southern Alps, and the Remarkables mountain range. This airport is especially popular in winter: ski lovers from all over the world come here. “The plane descends very smoothly, at low altitude; it feels like you’re flying a few centimeters away from the skiers on the mountain slopes.”
24. Narvik Airport (Norway)
This is one of the northernmost airports in the world. Located above the Arctic Circle, in the northern part of Norway. It was built in 1972 and was originally used as a military airfield. On approaching the airport, a stunning view of the winter landscape opens up: “This is a spectacle of the real Arctic - mountains, lakes and fjords.”
Based on materials from Internet sources
In the Caribbean Sint Maarten (the southern Dutch part of the island of St. Maarten), you can sunbathe under the wing of an airplane: liners flying over Maho Bay are the main attraction of the coast. The snow-white strip of the beach abuts the runway of Princess Juliana Airport, giving all vacationers at the resort the opportunity to enjoy the amazing landscapes. It seems you can reach the planes flying directly overhead. Huge liners, descending, literally knock tourists off their feet: the gusts of wind are so strong that warning signs have been installed on the coast. Smaller copies of signs reading “Low-flying aircraft can cause injury” are the island's most popular souvenir.
The schedule for the nearest landings can always be found in cafes, bars, hotel lobbies and beach restaurants, so keeping track of the approaching aircraft is an easy task. The largest number of planes land here in the morning and afternoon.
When choosing Maho Bay as a holiday destination in Sint Maarten, be careful: planes fly here really often, and the daily noise of the engines - after photographing a couple of dozen planes - can interfere with a pleasant holiday. Be sure to hold your children's hands: the wind gusts when the liners approach are quite strong. To protect the health of children, it is better to use earplugs. When landing giants of the air, you should not hold on to the airport fence: debris and gravel rising into the air can seriously injure you.
You can also watch planes take off and land from the windows of hotels surrounding Maho Bay.
Sint Maarten lies on the south-eastern periphery of the Caribbean hurricane belt and may be subject to typhoons, most likely between July-August and October, so travel during this period is best avoided.
How to get there
The island of Sint Maarten is located in the Windward Islands group of the Caribbean Sea. Most planes land at Princess Juliana Airport, one of the most popular in the region. The most convenient way to get to the island is with transfers in the cities of New York, Philadelphia and Miami. During the high season - from November to May - you can also fly direct from Toronto.
The airline operating in Sint Maarten is Windward Islands Airways International N.V., also known as . It flies internationally from Princess Juliana Airport to the neighboring islands of Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barthelemy, Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda.
Location
Maho Bay with the beach of the same name is located on the southwestern coast of the island, located in the northern part of the group of Windward Antilles (Leeward Islands, Islas de Barlovento).
