Naka

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.

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.