Karon Beach, located south of Patong and only a 10 to 15 minute drive away. Karon is more spread out, slower paced and has a large but much less crowded beach, which is perfect for people wanting to get away from all the noise of Patong.

Karon Beach is very long, 5km (3 miles), with fine white sand that squeaks when you walk on it throughout its entire length. At the north end, in front of the lake, the beach is usually deserted, making it a great spot to go if you want the beach to yourself.

There are many deck chairs here for anyone wanting to kick back and relax in the sun or shade and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the beach and you can have plenty of them to choose from in the Low Season.
Vendors walk up and down the beach here, but you wont get hassled by them as much as you would at Patong Beach.

Sea turtles are occasional nocturnal visitors, laying their eggs in the sand at night time. If you see any turtles or their tracks you should let your hotel know and they'll contact Phuket Marine Biological Centre who will incubate the eggs in safety. In the Northeast monsoon season (November to April) there are very few waves and the water becomes crystal clear. In the Southwest monsoon season (May to October) there can be heavy swell. Pay attention to the red warning flags when they're flying.

Karon is three kilometres south of Patong, directly north of Kata Beach. Take the hill road out of Patong, pass Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and you will soon see the long sweep of this four-kilometre long beach.

Karon Beach Facilities

Most of the beach has a single row of sun beds, and at the south end there are often more. As stated above, the far north part has none. A set (two sun beds, a table and an umbrella) costs THB 200 for one day.

There are many massage places in Karon, and a large concentration of them are at the southern end of the beach road, right out the front of a sports stadium. Expect to hear the usual - Hello Welcome Massage! There are other massage places scattered around Karon and behind the beach road and near the roundabout at the northern end of the beach.

What better location could there be for a Thai massage than on the beach? Readily available and excellent value for money, the masseuses are set up in the shaded areas. Other types of massage and reflexology are also available.

There aren't any public toilets, but many restaurants across the road from the beach will let you use their facilities, sometimes for a charge of a few baht.

Karon Beach Restaurants and Food

Karon has many resorts and restaurants that run along the beach road (Patak Road West) and also has a small bar scene. If you enjoy a less hectic and more laid back bar scene and are looking to get away from some of the crowds but still like to have many places to eat and drink, then Karon might just be the place for you.

The stalls set up on the beach just north of the circle are worth trying for their reasonably priced curries and other Thai dishes and also for the sheer pleasure of feeling only sand underfoot and an unfettered view of the sea as you dine.

The sun bed vendors sell drinks, snacks and ice cream and wherever there are sun beds there's a restaurant not far away. Some are small Thai restaurants that also feature western food and many are in the bigger hotels that line the road.

Up and down the beach road, are many restaurants, resorts, small stalls and some markets. Towards the northern end of Karon and just east of the roundabout, are where many of the bars are located.

Watersports in Karon Beach

Jet-ski and parasailing operators walk up and down the beach looking for customers. With fewer jet-skis than Patong there's more room to operate. Exercise caution and wear a lifejacket when participating in motorised watersports - most jet-skis have "no insurance" stickers on them which is not so reassuring!

Also popular are the banana boat, waterskiing and wakeboarding. Windsurfing is very popular on Karon Beach as it has some of the best conditions in Phuket and plenty of space in which to maneuver. Hobie cats and sea kayaks are also available.

Karon is one of the few beaches where weather conditions permit surfing and great breakers come to shore from June to September. You really should be an experienced surfer to try these waves, but surfboards are available for hire from the beach anyway!

Karon Beach is not so popular with surfers as it is very open to conditions. With constantly shifting sandbanks it is not a reliable location and just about anywhere else is better. However, you can surf when there are small swells and no wind.

Karon's shifting sandbanks mean swell from all directions. Winds are light and changeable and waves are up to two metres.

Karon Beach Activities

Some good snorkeling can be found by the rocks at the south end. Equipment can be rented on the beach. Volleyball is popular when the sun begins to go down.