Karon Beach Phuket

Karon Beach is a less popular beach than most on Phuket’s west side, so it has less crowds, even when the surfing is good. At 3+ kilometers (1.9 mi.) long, this beach is one of the longest on Phuket. The sand is nice, soft, and mostly clean. The road running the length of the beach is good for running or walking for exercise. Most of the people you’ll see at this beach are staying at resorts in Karon, few people travel from other spots on the island just to see Karon Beach. Good swimming and decent snorkeling can be had in the clear water. Karon Beach is a good place for families, there is Nong Harn Lake Park at the north beach area – with playground activities for kids. Then, there’s Dino Golf for kids on the south side – you shouldn’t miss. There is shopping all over Karon as you get into the city. Lots of coffee shops and small bars too.

Karon Beach Clubs

Choose your perfect spot at COAST Phuket Beach Club & Bistro between lounges, bars and dinning settings and settle in for the long sunny days. It’s the ultimate in laid-back cool – sipping chilled drinks, feasting on fresh food and sharing stories and laughter with friends.

Karon Beach Restaurants / Bars

In the center of Karon Village there are lots of things to do – shopping, bars, and restaurants to try. There are plenty of nightlife spots along with good restaurants, but the mood is calmer than Patong Beach. If you’re tired of Patong Beach’s craziness, come here to Karon for a couple nights to mellow you back out.

• Highway Curry – located close to the hills on Patak Road is this great-tasting Indian restaurant (also serving Thai). They get good reviews at Google and serve for lunch and dinner.
• Karlsson Restaurant and Steakhouse – in the center of Karon Beach, close to the water is this delicious steakhouse. Lots of vegetarian options and 99 THB cocktails.
• On the Rock Restaurant – on the rocks at the south end of Karon Beach. Crazy good ratings from past diners. Perfect views and amazing seafood. Order the fish cooked with white wine for a real treat.

Karon Beach Accommodations

• Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket – located on the north part of the beach. A 4-star resort with panoramic views and very reasonable rates for their quiet and comfortable rooms at just 2,500 THB per night to start.
• Mandarava Resort and Spa – facing the water on the north side of Karon, on a steep hill, you’ll need to be fit to climb. Ocean or mountain views. If not, choose another resort. Wet bar and pre-dinner happy hour starts at 4 pm. with half-off beer and cocktails. Very affordable at 2,000 THB per night.
• Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa – beachfront lodging with exceptional views, service, and amenities. This 5-star resort gets great reviews and many return visitors over the years. Rooms starting around 3,000 THB nightly.

Karon Beach Facts

• Location in Phuket: Leaving Patong going south, take Hwy 4233 south to Karon for 15 – 20 minutes in a vehicle to reach it.
• GPS Data: 7° 50’ 38” N, 98° 17’ 37” E
• Distance to Patong / Phuket Town / Airport in km: 15 / 17 / 45
• Taxis available: Yes
• Surrounding Beaches: Hat Karon Noi in the north; Kata Beach (Yai) in the south.
• Direction Facing: West
• Beach Length: 3.3 kilometer (2 mi.)
• Beach Width: 30 meters (33 yd.)
• Estimated Beach Area: 99’000 m2 (118,403 square yd)
• Beach Quality: Excellent! Deep white sand and plenty of space. Few trees though.
• Ocean Bottom: Sand mostly in close to shore.
• Restroom / showers facilities? Yes, in restaurants
• Beach features: Running down the beach is great – it’s a long, deep sand beach. The sand crunches audibly under your ft. – kind of cool! Lifeguards posted in some locations. Many international restaurants close-by for variety. Lifeguards are here usually – a good place for children, but heed warnings.
• Lifeguard Available? Yes
• Sunbeds Available? Yes, 10% of the Beach.
• Umbrellas? Yes, 10% of the Beach.
• Public or Private? Entrance fees? Public, no fees.
• Water quality: Good
• Boat anchorage possible? No
• Boat dock and marina? N/A
• Longtail boat rental possible? No
• Speedboat/longtail boat tours possible? No/No
• Sea inflow:: Yes, north
• Slope into sea until 1m deep: 4-6m
• Convenience shop available? Yes
• Attractions: Dino Park Mini-Golf is at the south end of the beach and is great for kids for a couple hours of fun.
• Activities: Surfing; Dino Park Mini-Golf; Hooters Bar.
• FKK possible? Not permitted, but if empty…
• Massage available? Yes
• Picnic possible? Yes
• Surfing? Yes, some good surfing can be had here at Karon Beach. Most surfers and crowd will be at Kata Beach if the waves are big, that leaves many other beaches like Karon – relatively free from the mayhem. Sometimes good but choppy conditions with .5 to 2-meter-high waves a couple times each year. Expect short rides, but many of them. Waves break at the north and south ends, do a drive-by to see which spots are cranking. For lessons or rentals, visit SSS Phuket Dive and Surf Center on the south end of Karon Beach. Just go south on Patak Road (Hwy 4028) past the Karon Post Office and look left after the Tesco Lotus Express store.
• Smoking? In November Thailand is cracking down on smoking at beaches around the country. In November 2017 in Phuket, Patong Beach is affected. Soon they expect to make it a country-wide smoking ban – so do stay up to date because fines are high and can include prison time.
• Warnings: Rip-tides can be dangerous when waves get big. Watch for lifeguard flags and ask what they mean if unsure.
• Waste runoff into the sea? Yes

More about Karon Beach

For more Karon Beach information check out the Blog:

• Best Phuket Beaches for LGBT
• Best Phuket Beaches for Golfers
• Best Phuket Beaches for Retired Visitors
• Phuket’s 8 Best Private Beaches
• Best Phuket Surfing Beaches
• Best Phuket Beaches for Singles
• Top Phuket Beaches for Families with Kids (Ages 12-18)
• Best Phuket Beaches for Families with Kids under 12
• 10 Amazing Phuket Beaches near Patong Beach
• All about 52 Phuket Beaches
• The ultimate Phuket Beach Guide