A private island escape hiding in plain sight
The moment we set foot on Naka Island, our shoulders relaxed.
The island is just a seven-minute speedboat ride from a marina on Phuket’s east coast and close enough to see the mainland, yet when you step off the boat, the noise of tourist Thailand fades away.
No traffic. No 7-Eleven. No hawkers.
Just the sound of birds, rustling palms and the occasional hum of a golf buggy.
We had been curious about Naka Island for a while, as we had already explored much of Phuket (now also as a family of four).
The idea of a private island resort that is technically so close to the action but feels worlds away was too good not to investigate.
And arriving by speedboat with a small handful of other guests, the water glittering around us, we could not help but think of The White Lotus – the satirical series set at luxurious tropical resorts (season 3, anyone?).
The setting really does have that quality about it.
Before we even made it to check-in, we were welcomed at the island’s pier with a small ritual: guests are invited to strike the resident gong twice. Once for good luck, once to greet the resident Naka dragon.
Naka, it turns out, derives from Naga, the mythological serpent deity of Southeast Asian tradition, and the dragon motif runs through the resort as a recurring theme.
It’s a small touch, but it sets the tone immediately. This place has thought carefully about every detail.
See prices and availability for The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa here (adlink).
Where is Naka Island and how to get there?
Naka Island is located in Phang Nga Bay, just off the northeastern coast of Phuket.
It’s only a short boat ride from the mainland marina (which is around 30 minutes from the airport).
In the context of Phuket, it’s extraordinary how removed it feels.
The island is small and locally inhabited: around 100 people call it home, and there is a small school, a mangrove forest and a handful of beaches.
The full name of the island is Naka Yai, meaning big Naka, and the resort occupies its own lush corner without ever feeling like it has overtaken the place.
Getting to the resort is seamless. You check in at the marina lounge on the mainland first (where the luggage is handled for you), and then you board the resort speedboat.
The ride takes roughly seven minutes. Transfers are included and run every half hour, so you never feel stranded.
Once on the island, golf buggies are available on call at all times, driving you from villa to restaurant to pool in moments.
We often chose to walk, though. The paths wind through tropical gardens, and our son Adrian could spot lizards, birds and interesting plants at every turn.
The room
Layout and design
We stayed in a Luxury Pool Villa with Sea View, and it quickly became a place we were very happy to call home for a few days.
The layout is a C-shape: the bedroom connects through an open-air hallway to the bathroom with a lush private garden in between.
In that garden, there’s even a bathtub looking out towards the ocean.
The private pool faces directly out to sea with exactly the kind of view you hope for from a resort like this.
Waking up to it instantly put us in a good mood!
Bathroom products were plentiful and high-quality, robes were soft and comfortable, and there was even a practical beach tote for excursions.
Storage space and surfaces to put all of our stuff on were generous – a rarity that seasoned travellers will know to celebrate.
The room also came stocked with plenty of drinking water, along with a complimentary Nespresso coffee machine and a selection of capsules.
Daily housekeeping and turndown service were both impeccable.
Curious? See rooms, prices and more details about The Naka Island here (adlink).
Sleep and comfort for families
The beds are very comfortable.
We mention this because it matters – and because Adrian, our 2.5-year-old who is not usually known for sleeping in, managed long mornings and even afternoon naps here.
The blackout curtains are excellent. For any parent travelling with a young child, you will understand why this earns a special mention.
The room also came beautifully prepared for Adrian: a children’s toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, lotion, mosquito spray and small slippers were all waiting for him.
A set of high-quality colouring pencils and a Naka-branded activity book completed the welcome.
These are the touches that make the difference between a resort that tolerates children and one that genuinely welcomes them.
Facilities and activities
Pools and beach
Apart from our private pool at the villa, there is an elegant Sala Pool tucked among the villas and a main pool by the beach between the restaurants.
The latter is large and positioned right at the water’s edge, with several lower sections, including a shallow area with beach-style loungers.
There is no separate children’s pool, though a generous portion of it is shallow, and Adrian happily spent a long time splashing around here.
Just beyond the pool lies the beach itself, calm and sheltered.
It’s not the most dramatic stretch of sand in Thailand, yet paired with the pool and the ocean view, the whole setup makes for a very easy afternoon.
The spa and massage
You can get a perfectly decent Thai massage on almost any street corner across Phuket.
However, the spa at Naka Island offers a very different kind of experience.
The entire spa area is serene and zen-like, surrounded by tropical greenery.
The welcome begins with a refreshing drink meant to support digestion as well as a cold towel, followed by a thorough consultation.
Rather than a quick “anything to avoid?” question, there is a proper conversation about preferences, pressure, focus areas and how you would like to feel afterwards.
We took turns enjoying wonderfully relaxing oil massages.
Alex asked for deep pressure – a request that is often acknowledged and then politely ignored elsewhere. Not here.
The therapist delivered exactly the right intensity, almost too much in the best possible way.
The session ended with a brief sound healing, a quiet moment that brought everything together and lifted the experience beyond what you might expect, even at a very good resort spa.
The treatment room was calm with soft music in the background, and afterwards, tea and dried fruit snacks were served in the beautiful garden.
The fitness centre
The fitness centre spans two floors across three rooms, and the equipment throughout is from Technogym – all modern and well-maintained.
The ground floor covers cardio: treadmills, a rowing machine and a Stairmaster.
Upstairs, one room houses weight machines including a pulldown, a horizontal row, a chest press and a leg extension.
The second room has a Smith machine, a cable tower with pull-up capability and free weights ranging from light dumbbells up to 20 kg – plus plates up to 25 kg on the Smith machine for anyone going heavier.
Air conditioning, water, fruit and muesli bars are all on hand.
Perhaps the most welcome detail: the gym is open 24 hours a day. Surprisingly, this is not the norm even at five-star resorts.
Activities for adults
Beyond the pool and spa, the resort offers a thoughtful programme of activities for adults.
We joined a morning birdwatching tour and spotted a hornbill (always a thrill!) along with a striking turquoise-blue Indochinese roller.
The island is home to a whopping 57 different bird species, and the guides clearly know their subject well.
There is also a mindful garden walk on offer, among other experiences, for anyone who wants to explore the island’s natural side at a slower pace.
Yoga and pilates sessions are held in peaceful surroundings, and guests can also join a cooking demonstration where the chefs prepare a few classic Thai dishes and share tips about the ingredients and techniques behind them.
As the sun began to lower, we made our way up to the Z Bar for the resort’s evening ritual: a sunset ceremony where you light a candle and make a wish, followed by some light snacks.
It is a simple thing, but the stunning setting in the bay makes it feel special.
We enjoyed watching the light change over the water with a drink in hand and some delicious snacks from the bar.
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Read moreThe Kids Club
We have visited a number of resort kids’ clubs over the years, and the one at Naka Island is, without question, among the best we have come across.
Adrian (who is not always immediately at ease with new people) warmed to the staff here quickly.
He spoke more Thai and English than he typically does in new environments. For us, that is the clearest possible sign that the team here is doing something right.
The space itself is well-equipped. For example, you’ll find a large Lego building area, dress-up costumes, a coloured ball pit, a play kitchen, a Nintendo Switch, mattresses for rest, toys for babies and a dedicated “Jungle Room” with a climbing wall, crawling structures and another ball pit.
There is also a separate, calmer area for younger children.
Daily ice cream is included – a fact Adrian discovered quickly and did not let us forget.
The children’s activity programme is extensive.
Across any given week, children can try cooking classes, pottery painting, t-shirt tie-dye, henna tattoos, paper aeroplane competitions, junior bartending, marshmallow roasting on the beach lawn, hermit crab spotting and the list goes on.
Many activities are complimentary, while some carry a small charge.
Older children can be left at the club independently, and it’s also possible to arrange a nanny for a few hours separately.
We found the hermit crab excursion at low tide to be one of Adrian’s highlights of the entire trip.
Food and drink
Breakfast
Breakfast at Naka Island’s main restaurant, Veranda, is seriously good and easily one of the most generous hotel buffets we have encountered.
There is an egg station, a waffle and pancake station, a noodle station where chefs prepare several varieties of noodle soup to order, a bread station with fresh-baked loaves, a cold-pressed juice bar where you choose your own fruit and vegetable combinations, and a beautiful spread of fresh fruit (including strawberries and mango) alongside various mueslis, nuts and cut vegetables.
The hot dishes are wide-ranging and interesting. Thai options sit alongside Western and Indian dishes, several of which are naturally vegan.
Clear allergen labelling at every station makes navigating the spread easy and stress-free.
We appreciated that oat milk (as well as other milk alternatives) was available for coffee without having to ask twice.
While we would always welcome even more plant-based options, the selection here was broader than we typically find, and we were able to eat well from virtually every station.
The space itself is calm and comfortable with large tables, sofas and proper chairs (including baby chairs) and it never felt overcrowded.
Bonus points for the lovely staff remembering our names and preferred coffee order every morning!
Veranda
We had lunch at Veranda (the main restaurant) – an open-air space overlooking the pool.
The menu is varied, with several vegan and vegetarian options. We tried a pad Thai, a daal, an aglio e olio, hummus with vegetable sticks and a marinara pizza for Adrian.
Children under 5 eat free from the children’s menu when dining with a paying adult. Such a nice touch!
The service was warm and efficient.
Rum Chapel
Dinner at Rum Chapel was a real highlight.
The menu leans Mediterranean; creative without being overwrought, and the atmosphere is lovely in the evenings.
We started with a standout salad built around pumpkin, artichoke, avocado, macadamia nuts and pomegranate.
This was followed by a saffron pumpkin risotto that Adrian (who is at the stage of cautiously refusing most things) ate enthusiastically and unprompted. High praise.
Rum Chapel also does a very good avocado toast, which we would happily order again.
Aiyara
For authentic Southern Thai food, Aiyara is the place.
It’s open in the evenings only, and worth a reservation.
The kitchen draws on produce from the resort’s own garden, which is such a great touch.
We had deep-fried edible flowers from the garden (so good!), dry curry tofu, red rice noodles with tamarind, a coconut soup and mango sticky rice to finish.
Everything was beautifully done. This was the meal that stayed with us. Not least due to the lingering chilli notes on the tongue…
Sustainability
The Naka Island takes sustainability seriously in ways that feel genuine rather than performative.
There are no single-use plastic bottles anywhere on the property – refillable water is available throughout.
The resort’s gardens supply produce directly to Aiyara’s kitchen.
Rooms come equipped with a bamboo toothbrush as standard.
And the food programme makes a real effort to include vegan options.
We would always love to see more, but what is here is well-considered and much appreciated.
Who should stay at The Naka Island?
The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa is made for people who want a true sense of escape without giving up comfort.
This could be couples looking for a peaceful retreat and families who want their children to be as well looked after as they are.
The combination of an outstanding kids club, child-friendly touches across every restaurant, activities that engage younger guests and the profound quiet of the island itself makes it one of the most complete family resort experiences we have come across in Thailand.
It is not a resort for anyone wanting nightlife, city access or a buzzy pool scene.
But if you are after a private island feeling with five-star service, there is really very little to fault here.
We left already wondering when we could come back. And Adrian hasn’t stopped talking about our lovely experiences as a family there.
Planning a stay? See availability and prices at The Naka Island here (adlink) or read more about the resort on their website.
Our favourite travel resources:
- Booking.com for hotels and apartments.
- Momondo for the best flight deals.
- GetYourGuide for great tours everywhere.
- Airalo for reliable eSIM.
- Discover Cars for transparent car hire.
- SafetyWing for travel insurance. We also like True Traveller. Compared here.
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