beach zone. Marriott arrived first, when the beach had just a handful of backpacker bungalows, setting the scene to attract more famous names: Anantara, Renaissance and Holiday Inn. Sala Phuket set up here as one of the island's most innovative boutique resorts with avant-garde design. With so many kilometres of sand, and so few resorts, expect more high-end resorts to open here. Mai Khao Beach's kilometres of sand are almost dead straight, without headlands, mountains or other geographic features that make the southern beaches so outstanding. But during the high season the water is deep, calm perfection for swimming. Shady casuarina and other trees line the top of the beach, and there are so few local communities in the area that the beach often appears empty. Despite the half dozen resorts here, guests can still walk a short distance to find a kilometre of beach for themselves.