Our honest review of The Naka Island in Phuket, including our Sea View Pool Villa upgrade, kids activities, dining and more.

Review: The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Phuket

The Naka Island was our next stop in Phuket after a lovely three days at Island Escape by Burasari. Our one-night stay in a 1-Bedroom Villa was nothing short of spectacular. From the private pool and amazing kids club, to the mouthwatering dining and exceptional hospitality, this luxury resort quickly earned a top spot on our list of favourite hotels around the world.

In this review of The Naka Island, we’re sharing our honest experience staying in a 1-Bedroom Villa with our 7-year-old daughter. We’ll review our private pool villa, the beach, kids activities, and of course the restaurants, and whether we’d stay here again.

Our honest review of The Naka Island in Phuket, including our Sea View Pool Villa upgrade, kids activities, dining and more.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something after clicking one of these links, we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.  As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The Naka Island Review

When researching where to stay with our daughter in Phuket, we were looking for unique yet family-friendly places to stay while keeping in mind that we had some Marriott Bonvoy points and Free Night Certificates available to use.

We read a number of stellar reviews of The Naka Island and it piqued our interest. Even though the resort requires a boat transfer, when we saw the unique villas and large kids club, we knew our daughter was going to love it!

Booking The Naka Island

Our stay1 night
Room booked1-Bedroom Garden Villa
Room received1-Bedroom Sea View Villa with Private Pool
Points redeemed74,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
StatusMarriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Travelling with2 adults + 1 child
  • Our stay: 1 night
  • Room booked: 1-Bedroom Garden Villa
  • Room received: 1-Bedroom Sea View Villa with Private Pool
  • Points redeemed: 74,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
  • Status: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
  • Traveling with: 2 adults + 1 child

Cash Rates

Cash rates are on the high side for a Thailand resort, with base level rooms starting around 9,690 THB ($292 USD) per night and villas around 13,000 THB ($392 USD) per night. You can check current rates for The Naka Island for your dates using our Booking.com link.

Marriott Bonvoy Redemption

For travellers with Marriott Bonvoy points or Free Night Awards, The Naka Island is an excellent resort to redeem them at. You can often find saver rates during the low season which makes a redemption even sweeter.

I’ve seen base level rooms for 48,000 points/night and even the base level villa for 60,000 points/night. These are a great way to use up a 35K, 50K or even 85K Free Night Award, with a points top up if needed.

We decided to book a 1-Bedroom Garden View Villa which was 74,000 points/night for our dates. Since we had an 85K FNA that was expiring soon, we decided to redeem it even though it pained me a bit to throw away those extra 11,000 points. The cash rate would have been 17,005 THB/night ($513 USD). Initially not the best CPP, but it ended up being worth it with our nice upgrade (more on that below).

  • The Naka Island Phone Number: +66 76-371400
  • The Naka Island Email Address: naka.reservations@luxurycollection.com

Location

The Naka Island Resort & Spa is located off the east coast of Phuket, on Naka Yai island, just a short 5-minute speedboat ride away. It’s the only resort on the island, which makes it feel very private.

The Naka Island on Naka Yai Island

Outside of the resort, there’s a small village less than 1km away that guests can walk or bike to and try some local food.

The Naka Island Address: 32 Moo 5, Tambol Paklok, Amphur Thalang, Naka Yai Island, Phuket, 83110

How to Get to The Naka Island

The Naka Island can only be accessed by private speedboat. The resort offers complimentary speedboat transfers from Ao Po Grand Marina, departing every 30 minutes. From Phuket International Airport, it’s about a 30-minute (22 km) drive to the marina.

The Naka Island Sign

By Hotel Airport Shuttle

The hotel offers private airport transfer service which must be booked at least 48 hours in advance. We were offered the following options:

  • Toyota Camry (max. 3 people): 1648 THB
  • Toyota Commuter (max. 8 people): 2119 THB
  • Mercedes Benz E-Class (max. 3 people): 2472 THB

The prices are for one way and include tax and service charges. To reserve your transfer, email or call the hotel using the contact information above.

By Grab/Taxi

Since we were arriving from another resort, we decided to use Grab. However, it was a bit difficult to find a driver to accept our ride as the marina is a bit out of the way from the city.

When we were leaving the resort, we could not find a Grab to pick us up. They kept cancelling on us. Luckily, the hotel staff were so kind and assisted us in finding a taxi at a reasonable price.

Ao Po Grand Marina Taxi Stand

The taxi stand is right at Ao Po Grand Marina and prices are listed on the sign board. I was skeptical at first to hire a taxi here as I thought they would overcharge us, not realizing they actually have set prices. In fact, the price was cheaper than the Grab that cancelled on us AND we got to ride in a large private luxury van.

Check-In at The Naka Island Lobby Lounge

We arrived at Ao Po Grand Marina around 1pm and headed to the taxi stand where we were told The Naka Island staff would meet us. To be honest, it was a bit confusing at first because we were getting approached by taxi drivers and we weren’t sure who we were looking for exactly. Eventually someone from the hotel appeared and assisted us with our luggage, leading us to the Lobby Lounge.

Ao Po Grand Marina ATM

If you are low on cash for tips, grab some here at the ATM before heading to the island.

As soon as we stepped into the Lobby Lounge, the luxurious treatment began. We were invited to sit in any of the comfy lounge chairs while the staff took our passports to take care of the check-in process.

The Naka Island Lobby Lounge Refreshments

We were offered drinks and snacks while relaxing in the cool air conditioning. There were TWG teas, an espresso machine, cold bottled water and sodas, fresh fruit, cookies, marshmallows, and chips.

The Naka Island Lobby Lounge
The Naka Island Lobby Lounge Snacks

Our daughter quickly spotted the kids corner and was excited to explore the toys.

The Naka Island Lobby Lounge Kids Corner

A moment later, one of the staff came out with a surprise gift for her – a special Naka Kids activity bag with a special Thailand activity book and coloring pencils! Such a thoughtful gift for young guests.

The Naka Island Kids Welcome Gift
Naka Kids Amenity Kit

We were really impressed with our check-in experience at the Lobby Lounge. It was such a relaxing start to our stay.

  • Standard Check-In Time: 3:00pm
  • Standard Check-out Time: 12:00pm

Bonvoy Elite Status Recognition

During check-in, Ryan’s Bonvoy Platinum Elite status was recognized and he was thanked for his loyalty. As a welcome gift, they offered him the option of a branded hat or points. He chose the points but they also gave him the hat anyway.

The best part was that they upgraded us from our Garden Villa to a Sea View Private Pool Villa! We were ecstatic. Having our own private pool with our daughter was amazing. They also offered us 4pm late checkout to top it all off.

Bonvoy Elite Status recognition in Asia never ceases to amaze us.

The Naka Island Departure Flags

Speedboat Transfer to The Naka Island

Once the speedboat was ready for us, the staff took our luggage and led us down to the dock. We had the whole speedboat to ourselves!

Ao Po Grand Marina Phuket

The ride was quick and comfortable.

The Naka Island Speedboat

Arrival at The Naka Island Resort

When we arrived at the dock, there was a buggy waiting for us and our personal butler met us as soon as we stepped off the boat. She was the absolute kindest butler/concierge/hotel staff member we’ve ever met! Huge shout out to Peachy!!

The Naka Island Pier Arrival

Peachy gave us a little history of Naka Yai island, explaining the mythical dragon/serpent behind the name Naka. She invited us to hit the gong, twice – an arrival and departure tradition here at The Naka Island resort.

The first hit is to wake the mythical dragon and the second hit is to make a wish. Upon departure, the third and final hit makes the wish come true.

The Naka Island Gong

Our daughter thought this was so fun!

Afterwards, Peachy continued with a tour around the resort, showing us the infinity pool, restaurants, activity centre, spa, gym and kids club. We found this really helpful to get our bearings as the resort can feel like a maze of hilly pathways.

The Naka Island Resort Map
Resort Map

Peachy gave us her WhatsApp number so that we could contact her at any time for help with restaurant reservations, activities or anything we may need. She was going to message us when our villa was ready, but to our surprise, they had it ready early so she got to bring us straight there.

The Naka Island Resort Rooms & Villas

The Naka Island mostly consists of villas, although a small number of rooms and suites are also available. A variety of options are available, with each one including a king bed and sofa bed:

  • Naka Guest Room (495 sq. ft.)
  • 1-Bedroom Suite (925 sq. ft.)
  • 1-Bedroom Garden Villa (3766 sq. ft.)
  • 1-Bedroom Garden Villa with Private Pool (4842 sq. ft.)
  • 1-Bedroom Sea View Villa with Private Pool (4842 sq. ft.)
  • 1-Bedroom Beachfront Villa (3766 sq. ft.)
  • 1-Bedroom Beachfront Villa with Private Pool (5918 sq. ft.)
  • Royal Horizon 2-Bedroom Beachfront Villa with Private Pool (17216 sq. ft.)

Room Review: 1-Bedroom Sea View Villa with Private Pool

As mentioned above, we booked the lowest tier villa available which was the 1-Bedroom Garden Villa, for 74,000 points. Thanks to our Platinum Elite status, we were graciously upgraded two categories higher, into a villa with a sea view AND private pool!

When we originally booked our Garden Villa, the cost for the Sea View Villa with Private Pool was 39,289 THB/night. That’s equivalent to $1176 USD per night! We felt incredibly lucky for this amazing upgrade, as we could not have brought ourselves to pay that much for one night.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa with Private Pool (2)

We were assigned Villa #61 which sat on a hill above the resort’s main restaurants. It was just a short walk from the resort’s main amenities, which we appreciated. Some of the other villas are quite a hike away.

Villa Entrance

Right away, we were struck by the unique entrance to our villa. The gate had a two-sided stone with closed eyes on one side and open on the other. Peachy explained to us that having the closed eye side showing indicates to the staff not to disturb us.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Entrance Gate

There is also a rock at the end of a string which the staff use to ring the bell to let us know they have arrived. A fun alternative to a doorbell.

After entering through the gate, there is a large stone pathway through a garden leading to the covered sala ahead and the villa’s main door on the right.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Sala at Sunset

I appreciated that next to the front door were some umbrellas – perfect for rainy season!

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Umbrellas

Once inside the expansive villa, you will first find the bedroom area to the left, minibar to the right, and a door straight ahead that leads to the bathroom area.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Bedroom

Bedroom

The room features a large king-sized bed with canopy netting.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Bed

When we arrived, we found the bed nicely decorated for our daughter’s birthday – a lovely surprise.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Bedside Table

On the left side of the bed was a lamp, phone, writing pad and pen. Inside the drawer was a plug adapter – another thoughtful touch!

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Alarm Clock

To the right of the bed were the alarm clock, lamp, and remote controls for the air conditioning and lighting, complete with handy instructions.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Sofa Bed

Along the wall, there was a single-sized sofa bed that the staff had already made up for our daughter. At the foot of the sofa bed was a medium-sized TV.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Safe

At the head of the sofa bed was a cabinet containing the safe. On top were some pool towels.

Sitting Area

The bedroom had a unique sitting area overlooking the pool and out to the sea. Instead of a typical table and chair, there was a low table with traditional-style floor mat and cushion. Below the table was a recessed area to put our legs.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Sitting Area

This was the first time we’d ever used something like this and I actually quite enjoyed it.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Welcome Gifts in Room

The staff had left us a lovely array of treats on the table. A bottle of chilled prosecco, a bowl of fresh dragonfruit, a birthday cake, complete with candles and matches, and delicious handcrafted coconut cream chocolates.

The Naka Island Welcome Gift Chocolate
The Naka Island Welcome Gift Prosecco
The Naka Island Birthday Cake

Also on the table were beautiful orchids, a letter from the manager, spa information, and a gorgeous book featuring The Luxury Collection resorts around the world.

The Naka Island Mosquito Repellent

There was also a note about insects at the resort and the daily mosquito fogging. They provided us with mosquito repellent – yet another example of the elevated level of care at this resort.

Coffee and Minibar

I love a good coffee nook and the one here did not disappoint! There was a Nespresso machine and an assortment of six different types of pods.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Coffee and Tea

TWG tea bags and plenty of bottles of water were also provided.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa TWG Tea

Inside the drawer were some snacks and alcohol, along with the price list.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Minibar Snacks

The cabinet to the right contained the mini fridge with more alcohol, sodas and juices.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Minibar

Bathroom & Dressing Area

The expansive bathroom was a highlight for me. I really loved the unique design.

Toilet Room

From the bedroom area, there is a door that opens up to a unique rock path hallway.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Hallway

At the end, on the right, is a spacious toilet room.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Toilet Room

Closet & Dressing Area

Next to it is a comfy little sitting nook for your husband or kids to wait and watch you get ready (haha).

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Bathroom Sitting Area

Beside it is a large six-drawer dresser. Perfect to unpack and store your clothes during a long stay.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Closet

Next to it is a large closet with lots of hanging space and amenities. Almost everything you could need is provided: robes, slippers, his-and-her flip-flop sandals, a beach bag, yoga mats, sun hat, shoe horn, iron and ironing board.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Closet Amenities

Complimentary shoe service is available. Laundry service is also available for a fee.

The Naka Island Laundry Price List

Sink

There are separate sinks with a large counter space in between them. I loved that in between the mirrors was a window looking out to the pretty inner courtyard.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Bathroom

Many complimentary toiletries were provided: mouthwash, cotton rounds, shaving kit, comb, toothbrushes, toothpaste, emery board, and cotton buds.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Toiletries

Below the counter was a hair dryer and extra towels.

The Naka Island Hair Dryer

Shower

On the other side of the sink area was the indoor shower. It was huge! But the showerhead was very small.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Towels

There’s a large bench inside and a light, as it gets quite dark at night.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Shower

Shampoo, conditioner and body wash were provided inside the shower.

Bathtub

If you prefer a bath, head outside to your very own private outdoor bathtub!

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Outdoor Bath

This enclosed bathtub has shutters for privacy that can be opened for a view of the sea. I recommend enjoying the bath during daylight so you can enjoy the view. When I attempted to take a bath at night, the overhead light attracted lots of bugs.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Outdoor Bath (2)

The tub is huge and has more than enough room to comfortably fit two adults. I appreciated that a loofah, bath soap and bath salts were already waiting for me beside the tub.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Outdoor Bath Tub

Outdoor Shower

Outside of the bathtub, there’s also an outdoor shower. Perfect for when you want to rinse off after the pool and not drip all through the villa.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Outdoor Shower

Outdoor Space

We absolutely loved the outdoor space of the villa. The lush greenery really made us feel like we were on a relaxing tropical holiday.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Pool Review (2)

There were multiple lounging options available: a sofa, two sun loungers, and a covered sala with floor mats.

The Naka Island Straw Bag and Hat
The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Pool (2)

I especially loved the covered sala – we enjoyed it morning, afternoon and night. In the morning, it was a lovely place to enjoy coffee with a gorgeous view, listening to nothing but the birds chirping.

The Naka Island Hornbill Bird
Hornbill

I even saw a beautiful hornbill.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Outdoor Sala

The side table even doubles as a chess board (playing pieces can be found inside the villa, in the drawer of the bedside table).

The Naka Island Sea View Villa at Night

Private Pool

The large private pool was the highlight for us! It was so nice to be able to jump in and out of the pool whenever we pleased and to have complete privacy.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa with Private Pool

The pool is shaded for most of the day and the water feels a bit cold at first, but it was refreshing in the hot weather.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Pool with Kids (2)
The Naka Island Sea View Villa Family Review

There are stairs leading into the pool and a bench area to sit in the water. The water is 4ft deep so our daughter felt more comfortable wearing a life jacket.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Pool with Kids

Our View

The sea view was partially obstructed but was still beautiful. It definitely beat just staring at a garden so we were very pleased with the upgrade.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Pool Review

Air Conditioning

The villa was equipped with air conditioning throughout, along with some overhead fans. We never felt too hot inside.

I have read previous reviews of the villas that state the bathrooms do not have air conditioning. However, ours did have an air conditioning unit so they must have recently added them.

Housekeeping and Turn Down Service

Our room was turned down in the late afternoon. All the blinds were lowered, lights turned low, and the mosquito netting brought down over the bed.

The Naka Island Turn Down Service

Our blankets were folded open and bottled water was left at the bedside – a nice touch.

I was impressed with how clean they kept the villa. There were no dusty or dirty spots that we found.

The Naka Island Restaurants

The Naka Island has four excellent restaurants to choose from:

  • Veranda (International)
  • Aiyara (Thai)
  • Rum Chapel (Mediterranean)
  • Zbar (Bar with Asian Tapas)

Due to our short stay, we unfortunately only got to dine at two of them but really wish we had time to try all four as all looked wonderful.

The Naka Island Rum Chapel Restaurant
Rum Chapel Restaurant

Dinner at Aiyara

We had contemplated ordering room service to enjoy a relaxing evening in our villa. However, we were so glad we decided to make a reservation at Aiyara instead.

The Naka Island Aiyara Restaurant Arrival

After enjoying so much delicious, inexpensive Thai food around Bangkok and Phuket, it was a treat to try the elevated “Royal Thai” food here at Aiyara.

Aiyara Restaurant

For starters, the setting is beautiful: open-air beside swaying palm trees and lovely sea views. The decor was lovely as well.

The Naka Island Aiyara Restaurant with Kids

Our daughter appreciated the kid’s menu and we appreciated the unique Thai dishes that we hadn’t seen anywhere else yet in Thailand. She chose the chicken fried rice while we selected some of the specialty items.

The Naka Island Aiyara Kids Menu

While waiting for her food, they brought out some coloring and she also went to enjoy the beach hammock.

The Naka Island Aiyara Dinner with Kids
The Naka Island Beach Hammock

They served her food first, and it came in the cutest Disney bowl with Hello Kitty spoon.

The Naka Island Aiyara Kids Fried Rice

Our meal began with a complimentary starter: some Thai veggies with a dried shrimp chili topping.

The Naka Island Aiyara Appetizer

Next we were given the option of white or brown rice – we wanted to try both.

The Naka Island Aiyara Rice

We started with Yum Dok Mai, a crispy fried edible flower salad. It was incredible and unlike anything we’d ever tried before! I wish I could eat it again.

The Naka Island Aiyara Yum Dok Mai

We of course wanted to try a local option so we opted for the Gaeng Look Guay, a Phuket raw banana curry with local chicken. Wow, what a unique dish – it sounds a little odd but was mouthwatering!

The Naka Island Aiyara Dinner

The Kua Kling Moo (Southern style fried minced pork with dry curry) and Bua Loy Pueak (taro balls in sweet coconut cream) were standouts as well.

The Naka Island Aiyara Dinner

Our daughter of course loved her Mango Sticky Rice.

The Naka Island Aiyara Mango Sticky Rice

In total, our bill came to 3819 THB ($114 USD), which we found quite reasonable for the fine dining experience and elevated flavours.

The Naka Island Aiyara Dinner Cost

If you only eat at one place at The Naka Island, make sure it’s Aiyara. You won’t regret it.

Breakfast Buffet

The breakfast buffet at Veranda was another highlight of our stay. I love a good breakfast buffet and this one was, wow! Just, wow. So, so many choices with lots of elevated options that you don’t often find at a complimentary breakfast buffet.

The Naka Island Buffet Breakfast (2)

There were so many different stations spanning from inside to outside that I had to do a full walkthrough before even grabbing a plate.

The Naka Island Young Coconuts

From pastries, to warm bread pudding, fresh tropical fruit, deli meats and cheeses, yogurts, smoothies, and even fresh young coconuts!

The Naka Island Breakfast Buffet Hot Dishes
The Naka Island Bread Pudding

Roti, stews, dim sum, baked beans, salads, and cereals. There was even a cook making made-to-order pancakes, waffles, toast and crepes.

The Naka Island Fresh Fruit at Buffet Breakfast
The Naka Island Breakfast Pastries
The Naka Island Buffet Breakfast

Outside, there was another cook making made-to-order eggs and sukiyaki. There were also a lot of hot options such as Thai skewers and sausages.

The Naka Island Thai Iced Milk Tea

Servers took our drink orders. We of course had to go with Thai iced coffee and Thai iced milk tea.

The Naka Island Breakfast Buffet

What a wonderful and filling start to the day.

The Naka Island Buffet Breakfast with Kids

Hours: 6:30am-11am

In-Room Dining

If you prefer a more private experience, The Naka Island offers some great in-room dining options. You can have afternoon tea served in your villa, a BBQ, or even an Instagram-worthy floating breakfast.

Resort Amenities

Infinity Pool

The large infinity pool is located by the beach between the Rum Chapel and Veranda restaurants.

The Naka Island Infinity Pool

I loved that there were lounge chairs right in the water so you can dip your toes in to cool down while laying out in the sun. We didn’t end up swimming at this pool since we had our own private pool, but it seemed quite popular with families.

The Naka Island Infinity Pool

Hours: 7am-7pm

Sala Pool

This smaller infinity pool is located up the hill and inland from the main resort area.

We took a peek at it since it was close to our villa and were surprised to find it empty. If you’re looking for a quiet pool experience, this is the place to go.

Hours: 7am-7pm

The Naka Island Beach

The resort has a sandy beach in front of the infinity pool, in the main resort area. It’s lined with lounge chairs and umbrellas. At each little table, there is a QR code you can use to order food and drinks right to your chair.

The Naka Island Beach

The beach is a beautiful place to sit and relax but the sand is not the best, to be honest.

The Naka Island Beach Chairs

We attempted to go in the water but the sand wasn’t very soft with rocky bits that hurt our feet, and the water was murky.

The Naka Island Beach Swimming

Naka Kids Club

This is the best kids club we’ve encountered at any hotel so far! It’s huge with so many fun, bright areas for kids of all ages.

The Naka Island Kids Club

It’s complimentary to use and parents can either stay and play with their kids or sign them in to leave them for a maximum of two hours under the supervision of the kids club staff. A fee is charged if kids are left beyond two hours.

The Naka Island Kids Club Adventure Jungle
Adventure Jungle

The main building is two floors of fun with a separate building for the Adventure Jungle.

The Naka Island Kids Club Toddler Corner

Downstairs there is a Toddler Jungle with fun foam blocks and stuffies, toddler instruments and other age-appropriate toys.

The Naka Island Kids Club Upstairs Lego

Upstairs there is a large Lego table and wall full of dress-up costumes for kids to let their imaginations run wild.

The Naka Island Upstairs Lego Wall

There’s also a ball pit, blocks, ride-on toys, and large play kitchen. Beside the windows are cute little reading nooks and shelves filled with books. We visited at the end of the day so the place was admittedly a bit of a mess.

The Naka Island Kids Club Toys

Our daughter was absolutely enthralled by the place and we wished we had more time to take advantage of it.

Hours: 8:30am-6pm

Fitness Centre

The large, two-story fitness centre was next-level. It’s got to be one of the nicest hotel gyms we’ve ever seen – we were blown away!

The Naka Island Fitness Center

To start, there are complimentary granola bars, apples, and cartons of water for an added energy boost to your workout.

The Naka Island Fitness Center Granola Bars

Extra ear buds and towels (even cold ones!) are also provided.

The Naka Island Fitness Center Cold Towels

The separate workout rooms are very spacious, complete with modern cardio machines, weight machines and free weights.

The Naka Island Fitness Center Free Weights

It’s very clean and relaxing inside. In fact, we were the only ones in there!

The Naka Island Fitness Center Cardio Machines
The Naka Island Fitness Center Weight Machines

Open 24 hours/day

Spa Naka by HARNN

We did not visit the spa ourselves but it looked beautiful.

The Naka Island Spa

Peachy told us that the sauna, steam and ice room are free to use, but we ran out of time to try them.

Hours: 10am-8pm

Gift Shop

If you need anything or just feel like shopping, there is a gift shop located near the spa.

The Naka Island Gift Shop

Resort Activities

The resort has a daily schedule of fun activities, most of which are complimentary. Complimentary activities include yoga and exercise classes, educational programs, art classes, bird watching, cooking demonstrations, ice cream, and sunset ceremony.

The Naka Island Cooking Demonstration

Paid activities include kayaking through the mangrove, cooking classes, and Muay Thai lessons.

The Naka Island Water Activities Price List

A sample weekly activity schedule is shown below.

The Naka Island Activity Schedule

Kids Activities

In addition to dropping into the Kids Club, there are also scheduled kids activities throughout the day. Some are free, such as the marshmallow roasting and hermit crab discovery, and others require an additional fee.

Naka Kids Club Program Schedule
Sample Kids Program Schedule

Marshmallow Roasting

The day we arrived, our daughter was excited to participate in the marshmallow roasting on the beach. Hotel staff set up the fire pit and handed out sticks and marshmallows to all the kids. It was a hit!

The Naka Island Marshmallow Roasting

Free Ice Cream

Every day from 4pm to 4:30pm guests can head to the Veranda restaurant for free ice cream! This was of course a hit with not only the kids, but adults, too.

The Naka Island Free Ice Cream

Three different flavours were available and you could choose to have it in a waffle cone or a cup.

The Naka Island Ice Cream

You could also add toppings such as chocolate chips, sprinkles and cookie crumbles. Such a nice treat!

The Naka Island Daily Free Ice Cream

Activity Hut and Bicycle Rental

Behind the infinity pool there is an activity hut with numerous games and activities you can borrow for free.

The Naka Island Activity Hut
Activity Hut

Bike rentals are complimentary and available for all ages. They’re a great way to explore the island outside of the resort.

The Naka Island Lawn Games

There were also all kinds of sand toys for kids, archery, lawn games, and more.

Nearby Attractions

  • Local village (900m) – walk or ride a bike down the path from the hotel to see some local Thai restaurants, a school, and a mosque
  • James Bond Island – the resort offers paid boat tours to this famous and picturesque island

The Naka Island Room & Resort Video Tour

Coming soon – stay tuned!

Staying at The Naka Island with Kids

The Naka Island definitely does not come off as a “family resort”. It caters to couples seeking an upscale and private getaway.

The Naka Island Sea View Villa Private Pool

However, the resort still delivers an amazing experience for families. It’s perfect for parents who want a luxurious vacation without their kids being completely bored with nothing for them to do.

What We Loved as a Family

  • The Kids Club – it was truly amazing and we saw so many kids happily get dropped off there by their parents each day
  • Daily Kids Activities – the rotating activities keep kids entertained throughout the day
  • Marshmallow roasting – who doesn’t love that?
  • Private pool – perfect for kids who want to spend all day in the pool but parents just want to lounge around and relax in peace
  • The incredible staff – the staff are so warm and want the kids to have an amazing stay. Peachy was so great with our daughter and even gifted her a hornbill stuffy! She loved it and slept with it every night after we left the resort.
  • Kids Menus – we appreciated the kid-friendly food options offered at all the restaurants. This allowed us to have a fancy, authentic Thai meal while still having something our daughter would eat.
  • Quiet environment – the resort is very spread out which made it very quiet outside of the main resort area

Things to Keep in Mind

  • The resort is on an island with nothing else around except a local village
  • Activities, such as elephant sanctuaries and any other sightseeing in Phuket, will require a boat transfer
  • The beach isn’t the best – murky water and wavy, rough sand
  • Only four restaurants are available, but offer enough for picky eaters
  • Prices are on the high end
  • The resort is spread out and hilly so expect to do some walking or buggy rides

Final Thoughts on The Naka Island

This hotel is definitely a worthwhile splurge. It is now in my top five favourite hotels we’ve stayed at, ever.

The Naka Island Gong

I can’t get over how spacious the villas are and their unique design. I can’t get over the absolutely delicious food. And I can’t get over how wonderful the staff are!

The Naka Island Kids Hornbill Stuffed Animal
Another gift from the kind staff when we were checking out

One night was too short. I wish we had at least two nights, but honestly three nights here would have been perfect.

Even if we couldn’t afford to splurge on a private villa, I’d stay in one of the entry level rooms because the resort experience is that good.

FAQ

Does The Naka Island offer airport transfers?

Yes, private paid airport transfers are offered by the resort and must be booked in advance.

How do you get to The Naka Island?

Access is by speedboat only from Ao Po Grand Marina.

Is the boat transfer included at The Naka Island?

Yes, the speedboat transfer is complimentary for all guests of The Naka Island.

How long is the speedboat ride to The Naka Island?

The speedboat journey takes only five minutes from Ao Po Grand Marina to The Naka Island pier.

Is The Naka Island part of Marriott Bonvoy?

Yes, The Naka Island is a Luxury Collection resort, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s luxury collection of brands.

How many Marriott points do you need for The Naka Island?

For a base level room, we saw rates starting around 48,000 points per night and 60,000 points per night for a villa.

Does The Naka Island have a kids club?

Yes. The Naka Kids Club is complimentary for all young guests and parents can stay and play with their kids, or drop them off for two-hour supervised sessions. Daily kids activities are also offered throughout the day.

Is The Naka Island family-friendly?

Yes, we found it to be very family-friendly. There are dedicated kids activities each day, the restaurants offer kids menus, and the large kids club is tons of fun.

Is the beach at The Naka Island good for swimming?

While you can swim at the beach, most preferred swimming in the pool. The water was a bit murky and wavy, and the sand wasn’t that soft.

How long should you stay at The Naka Island?

We feel that three nights would be the perfect length of a stay here. One night felt too short as we felt like we didn’t get to fully take advantage of all that the resort has to offer. Any longer than three nights may leave guests craving some action off of the island.

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Our honest review of The Naka Island in Phuket, including our Sea View Pool Villa upgrade, kids activities, dining and more.
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Louise

Hi! I'm Louise, a Canadian travel addict with a serious sweet tooth. I'm a full-time travel blogger and mom based in Victoria, BC. Travel planning is my passion, and I love sharing my custom travel itineraries and reviews on our blog. I'm currently trying to eat my way around the globe and visit 100 countries by the time I'm 50!

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