Kata Beach in Phuket

Kata Beach in Phuket is one of the top three, along with Karon and Patong. If it were not for the cliffs that divide the coast into three unequal parts, the beaches would merge into a single band. The difference Kata Beach in the relative quietness and sparseness. Stormy entertainment on the shore and in the vicinity is not, the sea is calm, and the entrance to the water is very flat. It is beloved by sedate holidaymakers and couples with children.

A great overview of Kata Beach

It stretches on the southwestern part of the island, near the beaches of Karon and Kata Noi. From the height it resembles an almost regular crescent, the shore is covered with fine white sand. The change in shades of water looks very beautiful. At the edge of the surf it is almost turquoise, the further into the depths, the more the green is replaced by rich blue tones with lighter patterns of currents. They are almost imperceptible in the bathing area, as are the tides.

The size of the beach is quite modest, 1.5 km long and 30-40 m wide. There is almost no shade, on the sides of the stretch of coast fringed by palm trees, but these oases of coolness are very small, so all day are open beach equipment rentals, the cost of renting is 100 baht per day.

The hallmark of Kata Beach – the silence. There is a road, it runs across the island parallel to the coast, but it is located on lines 2 and 3, so the hum of the motors does not reach the water.

Closer to Kata-yai settled surfers and youth companies, they are busy with their business and rarely go to a quieter and more respectable half, where the negativity reigns and ringing children’s voices. For the little ones on the shore. To a decent depth you have to walk in shallow water about 50 m, the sand is clean, fine, perfect for children’s games. There are no large entertainment complexes on the shore, as well as retail outlets. Only a little farther from the water are a few coffees and restaurants.

From early November to mid-April is the high season. It is characterized by complete calm, the abundance of sunny days, water temperatures ranging from 25-28 degrees. There are no strong temperature differences between the seasons. The shift is recognized by strong winds, during which red flags are posted on the shore as a warning that it is dangerous to swim.

Entrance to the beach only from the sides. In the center is a large hotel, the area is fenced.

In order not to lose time daily for a long walk around the fence, it is more convenient to rent housing closer to the entrance to the beach.

Infrastructure

There are almost no free amenities on the grounds. For the use of the toilet, shower and changing stall have to pay, the money is small, 10-20 baht, but still not very nice. You can eat in the tents, the menu includes shakes, snacks, fruit.

For a denser lunch, you’ll have to walk to the beginning of the road toward Karon. There are a number of macashnikas there all the time, where the freshest products are used to prepare the dishes ordered in front of the customers. Prices resort, almost 2 times higher than in the residential area. Rice with chicken costs 60-70 baht instead of 35-40 baht and so the whole list of dishes. Haggling is useless, at this point demand steadily exceeds supply, so the price does not change. Nearby is a tuk-tuk parking lot, sometimes it is more profitable for the family to go for lunch away from the beach, where prices are lower and the portions are larger.

Entertainment

The set in Kata Beach is standard for Phuket:

• water sports;
• rides;
• massage parlors;
• nightclubs;
• Internet café;
• markets and shopping galleries;
• surfing.

The new park near the Surf House has a playground for children, and admission is free. The place is perfect for a leisurely evening or morning walk while the kids are busy playing.

The unusual mini golf course looks like a prehistoric animal park. To play, you have to pay 240 baht, the walk costs 120. The place is very popular for families with children. They enjoy looking at the compositions with prehistoric giants, watching the eruption of an artificial volcano, walking along the paths around the artificial swamp. The landscape is complemented by tall trees and a 12-meter waterfall. It’s most interesting to come to the park closer to sunset. Light effects begin to work and the dinosaurs become almost alive.

There are many activities in the park:

• to play a family game of mini golf;
• take a picture with each dinosaur;
• to look behind the waterfall;
• eat at a Flintstones-themed restaurant;
• compare the children’s and adults’ menus;
• to buy souvenirs and toys;
• ride an elephant.

It should be taken into account that on Saturday and Sunday the park is off.

After an active holiday you can go on a tour. In the hot time on the beach can get burnt, and the coolness of ancient temples and alleys will come in handy. You can book a sightseeing trip at the tourist office on the beach,

Attractions

They are few in number, but each leaves a vivid impression.

Kata Temple

It was built in the late 19th century and is located at the foot of the hill. It is an entire complex, including the cells of the monks, the elementary school, and a vihan with a statue of Buddha.

It is worth remembering that to visit the religious complexes should choose clothing that covers the shoulders and knees.

Chinese Sanctuary

Po Seng Ti-Te is very small, you could say family-run. It is built in a Taoist style, but inside there are equally revered Taoist deities and statues of Buddhist monks. Residents of the settlement on the eve of the holidays bring refreshments and homemade figurines to their feet to recharge their light power.

Observation deck

Located much closer to Kata Beach, for some reason it is called Karon View Poin. There is only one gazebo, the place is popular, so there are always a lot of tourists to admire the views, you have to wait your turn.

Hotels

The most expensive and pompous are on the beachfront. They are distinguished by their comfort, but the prices are quite high, the cost of living starts from 4-6 thousand rubles per day. The farther away from the coast, the cheaper the options. There are already hostels behind 3rd Street with a budget price line.

1. The central place along the beach belongs to Club Med Phuket. Built in 1985, the project was created with the aim of increasing the popularity of this part of the island. Calculations justified, the hotel is maintained at a high level, constant upgrades allow it to meet modern requirements of the tourism business. The hotel has 305 rooms of 3 comfort levels, equipped with air conditioning, personal safes, mini-bar. Of the services offered transfer, excursions, photo services. For entertainment guests operate spas, tennis, golf, nightclub, swimming pool. For young residents work two clubs on hobbies.
2. On the first line is also Kata Beach Resort, consists of two buildings, the basis of food – buffet. Modern comfortable rooms are air-conditioned, very clean, the interior is decorated in Thai style. There are two swimming pools, one of them is designed for children. There are themed holidays and activities for children. Near the hotel there is a shopping center, currency exchange, fruit market.
3. New and very comfortable hotel. Some rooms of Tropical Resort are designed to stay with children, for which there are special conditions. The hotel has a pool, Wi-Fi, fitness center, bar, and an airport shuttle. The advantages are the beautiful views of the Andaman Sea, proximity to the beach.

Also popular:

• The Aspasia;
• Avista;
• Kata Silver Sand.

During low season prices are significantly reduced, when booking should ask about promotions and special offers.

Shopping

For the especially lazy, the market starts right on the beach. On the rows of sun loungers leisurely stroll vendors all sorts of things ranging from fruit and ending with panamas and coral beads. Prices are probably several times higher for shipping and advertising.

There are several mobile food pavilions at the north end of the beach. There are souvenir shops and convenience stores on both sides. Also not a bad assortment in the open market just above level 3. Makro Supermarket is focused on wholesale purchases, but some products are sold at retail. Trading is from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This weekend there’s a large-scale fair on the grounds of the Kata Beach Hotel. Wander through an exotic night market, experience the delights of midnight shopping or a late-night diner at the dunking house on Monday and Tuesday at the Sugar Marina – Surf Hotel Complex. The fruit market on Patak Street is open daily in the morning hours.

How to get to Kata Beach

Kata Beach in Phuket is marked on any tourist map. It, along with bouquets, can be obtained free of charge at tourist centers. From the airport you can order a shuttle service, shuttle buses run from the territory, and there is a cab rank nearby. From Phuket Town to Kata Beach there is a suntown.

Kata Beach on the map of Phuket

The ubiquitous tuk-tuks swarm possible passengers from the airport to the hotels.

If you use their services, it is necessary before the trip to stipulate all the details and the amount of payment, otherwise the cost magically grows by half.

Reviews about Kata Beach

Marina, 34 years old:

I went with a clear goal not to leave the beach until the end of the vacation. Kata Beach is charming, especially in the early morning when everyone is asleep and only the wind and the rustle of the palm leaves is awake. On the third day I didn’t sit still and went exploring the souvenir shops. Suggestions to buy something on the beach rejected categorically. The merchants remind us very much of ours with corn and boiled crayfish.

As I entered the store, I realized that I would not leave without a loss. It’s a good thing I didn’t have much money on me. I recommend to the beach to take a minimum of money, otherwise resist the temptation to buy everything at once just impossible. I know I don’t need it, but it’s hard to resist. I visited a massage parlor on the beach, compared with the session at the hotel, it turned out that the first master was better. I had five sessions and felt like a flying swallow. The vacation lived up to expectations.

Andrew, 28 years old:

My friends dragged me for company, I wanted to go to the Siamese Islands. Against all odds, I liked it. We stayed at Kata Beach Resort, in the unit that is closer to the beach and overlooking the sea. Chic, convenient, delicious. The main thing is that to Kata Beach is close at hand, bored – went to the room. They didn’t let me sit in the hotel for long, so we went elephant riding. Honestly, after five minutes I wanted to get on solid ground and under an umbrella against the sun. But I got into the Kata temple. It’s very quiet, the complex consists of several buildings, sculptures of monks and gods everywhere, no fuss.

Lisa, 29 years old:

We managed to book a room at Club Med Phuket. It turned out very well, there were few guests and we were offered free accommodation for a child with an extra bed. The bed in the room is huge, but separately for my son is really more comfortable. It was hot at night, even with air conditioning. After raving about the sea and lying on the sand, I wanted to go somewhere. The hotel recommended Dino Park and gave us a booklet with the address and opening hours.

We got there on Friday, there were a lot of people, especially on the mini golf course and at the waterfall. By evening, the dinosaurs began to glow slightly, it was creepy. My son turned out to be braver, until he rephotographed with all the animals, he didn’t leave the park. A very nice picture of the volcano in the background.

Natalia, 48 years old:

Vacationed with my grandson, great. Kata Beach liked it, very comfortable beach, we took our mats and quietly sunbathed in the shade. We arrived early, so there was no point in renting an umbrella, enough of the neighboring palm tree. It is not very convenient that the entrances are on the sides of the beach area, you have to walk for a long time. But the shore is no problem, shallow water is long, the water is warm and clean, there was no trash and shells in the sand, for my grandson is absolutely safe. For lunch we went to the hotel or snacked on fruit at the pavilion on the north side. We didn’t see any rowdy companies, everything was decent, there were a lot of families with children. We quickly met our neighbors, formed a warm company, and the children also played together. It’s good that there is not a huge number of all sorts of attractions, the rest was interesting and relaxing.