narrow stretch of oft pale sand between turquiose sea with sunloungers and bright umbrellas on the sand

A Guide to Koh Khai Nai or “Cat Island, Thailand”

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The busiest of the Khai islands in Southern Thailand is Koh Khai Nai, or affectionately known as Cat Island. It’s home to gorgeous sandy beaches, crystal clear bays and plenty of relaxed bars and restaurants. Read on to discover everything you need to know before a visit.

soft sandt beach on the island of koh khai nai with a gil walking into the water

What to do on Ko Khai Nai

Koh Khai Nai has plenty of activities to keep all ages entertained during a visit. Most of them are water based so don’t forget your swimsuit! Swimming and snorkelling are popular on the island’s quiet shores. Although you probably won’t see as many fish on Khai Nai island as on the other Khai islands.

Remember: It’s illegal to feed the fish on any of the Khai islands.

If you just want to relax on the glorious white sand, there are plenty of sun loungers and shades you can rent for the day.

sunloungers of beach on koh khai nai island under a very blue sky

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can hire jet skis, banana boats and kayaks on the island. It’s not cheap though.

kayaks and jetskies moored up on cat island near phuket

Ko Khai Nai is not a large island, it’s only about 50 metres long so it can feel a bit cramped at times. A quiet stretch of sand can be tricky to find. Many boat tours arrive, spend an hour and then head off to visit other islands. Periods between tour groups are blissfully calm. I would always recommend a private tour if you can, that way you can choose to spend as long as you like on the island and avoid the hoards.

wind charms on koh khai nai island

Is Koh Khai Nai good for kids

Our kids loved Khai Nai island. They loved splashing about in the warm, shallow water. This is a great place to introduce little ones to snorkelling as they can do so right from the beach. They might not see as many fish as on other tours but they can learn to keep their head in the water and also touch the bottom.

3 young girls stood next to their mother silhouetted in front of turquiose sea

The kids loved the ice cream shack, enjoying the opportunity to cool down and were pleased to find some Western options in the restaurants.

ice cream stall wooden shack on Cat Island in Thailand

And of course, the cats of Khai Nai island were a massive hit!

orange cat curled up on Koh Khai Nai thailand

Don’t forget water shoes, the sea bed can be rocky and the coral is pretty sharp.

Why is Koh Khai Nai known as Cat Island Thailand

Koh Khai Nai is home to over 80 cats who live right on the island. They wander freely across the sand, stopping to be petted whenever they see a friendly face. Unsurprisingly the majority of them congregate around the restaurants looking for scraps of food. They are super cute but probably best to avoid picking them up, I highly doubt they are up to date with their vaccines!

small kitten on cat island thailand

How to get to Koh Khai Nai from Phuket

Khai Nai island is located in the province of Phang Nga. It is around a 20 minute speedboat ride from Phuket. The best way to explore the Khai Islands is on an organised tour. Get Your Guide has several options, some of which tour just the 3 islands in half a day, others include a full day and include a visit to Koh Phi Phi.

You need to pay a small entry fee to land on Koh Khai Nai. If you are part of an organised tour, this will be collected before you arrive.

speedboat moored on Koh Khai Nai

Facilities on Koh Khai Nai

There are several restaurants and bars to choose from on the island. We ordered a few Thai dishes and sat in the cute restaurant overlooking the sea. It did take quite a long time to arrive and we nearly missed our tour boat off the island. The food was delicious and if you’re in a hurry, just let the restaurant know before you order.

wooden shack restaurant with a table covered with a red plastic table cloth on one of the Khai islands

If you don’t fancy a full meal there is a cute ice cream stand and plenty of bars serving refreshing cold drinks.

the fisherman bar koh khai Nai

There are toilets on the island which are fairly typically Thai. You need to pay 20 Baht to use them so bring some cash.

Where to stay near Koh Khai Nai

There are no hotels on Khai Nai island, or any of the Khai islands in fact. One of my favourites on Phuket is the Westin Siray Resort and Spa. It’s a luxurious resort located right next to where the boats leave for the Khai islands with all the amazing amenities you would expect from a Westin. Or you could stay on Ko Yao Yai, a very relaxed island near Ko Khai Nai. The Royal Yao Yai Island Beach Resort is a good choice combining super high quality facilities with a deserted feel.

villas at the westin Siray phuket seen from the sea

The other Khai islands

Ko Khai Nok is part of the three Khai Islands. The others are Koh Khai Nok and Koh Khai Nui. It’s only around 5 minutes on a speedboat between each.

Koh Khai Nui is completely deserted and without the gorgeous sandy beaches and facilities of the other two islands is often overlooked. It is a popular place for snorkelling as it’s so much quieter than the other two Khai islands.

deserted island of Koh Khai Nui

Koh Khai Nok is another busy island, although a bit smaller than Koh Khai Nai. It has a pretty good spot for snorkelling and one fairly decent restaurant. Plus soft pale sand and calm, warm water.

If you’re looking for other animal encounters on deserted islands like Cat island Phuket then I highly recommend a trip to Koh Mudsun near Koh Samui. It’s home to several rather tame pigs and another gorgeous setting.