Mai Khao Beach – The Land of Smiles

Mai Khao Beach – The Land of Smiles

This was our second trip to Phuket, Thailand and this time around we decided to stay at the JW Marriott Mai Khao Resort for a week before moving on. It was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable weeks ever.

The weather was perfect; Not too hot or rainy and every day was fabulous. I spent most of my time reading and drinking fruity beverages by the pool. We looked forward to every meal which of course was simply delicious.

On one day we went to Kindee Restaurant where Chef Ton walked us through making an authentic Thai meal. We have discovered that we really like to take cooking classes wherever we go. It’s a fun and tasty way to learn about local cuisine and the time spent together is enjoyable.


Looking south down the beach at Mai Khao
Looking southward down the beach you can see how far and beautiful the scene is.

The JW Marriott Resort in Mai Khao is in an excellent location should you prefer peaceful, quite, and relaxing vacation.  Mai Khao beach is a bit far from the “party” beaches and that’s what I wanted. Excellent accommodations, beautiful grounds, pools, beach, all the staff are professional and wonderful. I will stay here again for a pure vacation of comfort and decompression. Get massages at the beach, tropical drinks, beach, pool, games, food, more beach. It’s great.


Kindee Restaurant sign
HIghlght of our Phuket stay: cooking class at Chef Ton’s KIndee Restaurant.

We did the cooking class and lunch at Kindee Restaurant. Chef Ton is super friendly and a lot of fun to cook with. She and her staff make everything so easy and accessible even for newbies. The whole experience of preparing and cooking our authentic Thai meal was the highlight of the vacation. The dishes were beautiful and delicious. Just look at the photos and you’ll see what I mean. At first, I balked at the price but now I understand the value and am so happy we did it. Totally recommend and I hope to visit here again.

The food at JJ’s Bar is good and like home style. Not fancy just good food you will enjoy. The setting is outside and genuine. JJ is a character; very pleasant and memorable.

Krua Pru Jeh Son Seafood is a simple shack and kitchen specializing in seafood. You pick the sea critters and they cook’em up. Just about any fish is good and the prices seem fair. The atmosphere is casual and friendly. This place has a good view looking across a marsh. But the real view is your table loaded with fresh local seafood.

I would recommend jack fish in chilies, steamed sea bass with lime, grilled shrimp, and Chang beer.