Beaches in Phuket
Bang Tao -
You can choose Bang Tao beach for relaxing holidays. There
is no noise from cars and bars as it's not a crowded place.
Surin Beach
still has a small village atmosphere, but this is gradually
changing as more and more major housing developments and hotel
projects get underway. Accommodation is not cheap and the
best prices are around 500 baht in the low season.
The beach itself is lined with tall casuarina trees and small
Thai style restaurants. There is no nightlife to speak of,
but there are many quality restaurants serving a variety of
cuisines. Surin beach can become quite dangerous in the monsoon
season due to its steeply sloping beach, and many unwary swimmers
have lost their lives here; however this has not deterred
the local surf enthusiasts and when the waves are right you'll
see many Thais on surfboards.
Laem Sing Beach
Beautiful beach accessible only by a short hike down a steep
hill through lush forest. Well worth the exercise. The beach
has 2 restaurants right on the sand serving good food and
drinks at reasonable prices and with excellent service. Beware
the rocks on either end of the beach whilst swimming.
See the beach and get some tan. There isn't much else to
look at here except maybe under water. Fortunately, it's a
beautiful beach and it faces west so you get nice sunsets.
Although the beach is full of rental sun chairs, for the moment
it is now as crowded as some of the more popular beaches along
the Phuket's west coast.
Swim, lay on the beach, have a meal or a few beers at one
of the four open-air restaurants on the beach. There are also
rentals for speed boat with water skiing or wakeboarding,
some jet skis, glass bottom canoes, and adventure diving trips
as well as snorkeling. If you just rent the snorkeling gear
or have you own set with you, stay out of the righten side
(when facing the sea) of the beach where the boats and jet
skis operate. Instead, swim to the tip of the left barrier
rocks and despite of rather murky waters, you can see a good
variety of fish in the shallow water. Watch out for the rip
current when swimming back. For more colourful reefs and fish
you may want to consider the adventure trip.
Kamala provides
a haven for those who prefer the quieter life. Although the
southern end of the beach can get busy in the high season,
the northern end is peaceful all year round. "Rim Haad"
(Beach Road), at the southern end, has a number of small 20-30
room hotels for the low/medium budget traveller. Friendly
service and village feel and a diversity of restaurants and
small bars can be found on this small road. Cheaper food options/market
stalls can be found on the main Kamala Road.
The only two tourist attractions Kamala has to offer (besides
the beach) are the Fantasea show and the Buddhist temple at
the southern end of the beach. At the middle of the beach,
there is a small park with a tsunami monument.
If you are looking to spend most of the time on the beach
enjoying the sea, this is a very good place to be. Beach is
quite nice and is not too crowded. Sea floor is nice and sandy.
In the afternoons the water spectacularly recedes leaving
a blanket of rocks at the left end of the beach for local
fishing and a beautiful swimming area at the right end of
the beach.
On the beach, you won't be able to get around a Thai massage.
These are offered at small stalls throughout the beach, and
the rate seems fixed (300 baht/hour, March 2007).
The Kamala Wat is located at the southern end of the beach
and is almost unnoticeable. The temple and its grounds have
been restored since the Boxing Day tsunami and the Buddhist
locals and resident monks welcome curious Australians and
foreigners. It was the Australian television program Backyard
Blitz that helped restore the gardens of the Wat after the
tsunami. A memorial tree is placed in the garden with a dedication
plaque and the walls of the main temple are a beautifully
decorated story of Buddha. Visiting this Wat can be an enlightening
and cultural experience; pictures and events of the Tsunami
are displayed on a board for foreigners to see and the monks
allow photos of the grounds as long as you're in the company
of a local.
The extremely popular Phuket Fantasea is located in Kamala.
Fantasea is an exuberant show/theme park that combines the
rich heritage of Thailand with unique 4D effects and animals.
The park is 140 acres and presents a 4000-seat restaurant
offering a grand buffet of Thai and international cuisine.
The park operates daily except Thursdays and opens at 8.30pm.
If more entertainment is desired you can take a taxi to Patong
beach; however taxi's are unreasonably expensive ~500 baht
one way (but less if you bargain). Tuk-tuks are a simple and
(sometimes) cheap way to leave Kamala. Tuk-tuks to the more
popular Patong cost around 300 baht. Some of the hotels provide
an affordable shuttle to Patong.
Catching the local open-sided bus to Phuket Town or further
is a cheap and cultural experience for travellers unwilling
to pay expenses for taxis or tuk-tuks. The bus is fantastic
and cheap - if you are willing to share it with curious locals.
In Kamala the bus runs every hour and passes along the main
road. You need only to flag it down and jump through the back
- you pay the driver at the end of your journey.
Patong is the
party capital of Phuket, with a sex-drugs-booze-saturated
nightlife and a great beach. Mostly made up of hotels, restaurants,
nightclubs and various tourist attractions, there's a thriving
nightlife, with numerous "entertainment complexes"
and countless bars clustered together in and around Bangla
Road, and female, transgender and male prostitutes to cater
to every taste. Massage parlors of the erotic as well the
therapeutic (Nuad Thai) genre provide less alcohol/drug infested
venues for punters and wellness seekers. One can even find
masseuses practicing this medical art atop bamboo mats on
the beach sands (100 baht and up).
Prices are higher than in Phuket Town, but there's more budget
accommodation here than at the more southerly beaches. This
may not be a good destination for the average backpacker,
except in the rainy season when prices are far lower.
There are many sorts of beaches on Phuket, if one wants unspoiled
and natural then Patong is not your kind of place, there are
many unspoiled beaches in the north and south of this beautiful
island.
Patong is for those of you who like a developed resort with
a wonderful nightlife.
The beach is both stunning and busy. One of the finest developed
beaches in Asia.
If one goes out in Patong with head full of prejudices and
a determination to see the seedier side of Thailand, then
this is what you will see. If on the other hand you go with
an open mind and a willingness to understand rather than judge,
you will find a highly sophisticated holiday resort with dozens
of world class restaurants and entertainment opportunities.
There is a sex industry, but it easily avoided if you stay
off the main drag of Bangla Road. If you do go there, please
try not to judge what you see there, it is more complicated
than you think.
Amongst the non sex related bars we can recommend are 'Erotica'
off Soi Bangla, on Soi Seadragon - its aimed fairly and squarely
at couples and is a sexy, smart, fantasy cabaret bar. Professional
dancers perform a unique and highly entertaining series of
original dance routines to some of the best tunes from the
last 40 years.
Saxophone - on the beach road is the little brother of Bangkok's
most famous live music venue. They have top quality Jazz,
Blues, funk and soul outfits there each night and the place
is very well designed. Can be hit and miss with the bands
but usually very good quality.
Rock City - for those about rock - just down the beach road
from Saxophone this place is easily spotted due to a giant,
neon guitar outside. Live, hard rock and tribute bands perfromed
by excellent musicians in a great atmosphere. Don't miss it.
Jet-skiing, parasailing and other watersports.
Most of the big Scuba diving companies have offices here
too.
Get a designer suit or dress made for peanuts. Jaspalas Tailor
off Soi bangla is a good place to start. Pay to see the world
famous ladyboy show at Simon Cabaret or see one for free at
Katoueys R Us, off Bangla road.
Pay to see Muay Thai - Thai Boxing at the Bangla Stadium,
or see it for free further down the road at the Simon complex,
next door to katoueys R Us.
Take a river cruise with River Rovers.
Have a massage, we recommend Bali Hai on 200 Years Road.
Boogie at either Tai Pan, Banana, Tiger, D Club or Seduction
discos.
Buy fake goods off the many stalls all over the place.
See the cabaret Show at Erotica - Soi Seadragon, off Soi
Bangla.
Take a two hour Thai kickboxing lesson for around 300 Baht.
Karon Beach
is approximately 1.5 km long. Most areas are fully recovered
from the tsunami, with just a few vacant lots still awaiting
redevelopment. Not many hotels have direct beach frontage
- most are across the road (which is not a busy one).
Unlike the busier and noisier neighbour Patong Beach further
north, Karon Beach offers visitor a nice long quiet stretch
of sand. Beach umbrellas decked out along the beach are available
for rent. Facing west, it gives a beautiful view of the sunset.
Kata Yai Beach
is approximately 1 km long. Much smaller and less crowded
than Patong Beach. Fantastic surfing - highly recommended!
Rawai is located
at the southern tip of Phuket. It is much less touristy than
nearby Kata and Patong beaches and an excellent place to experience
some real Thai culture. Rawai beach itself is only used to
moor fishing boats and swimming there is not recommended,
but there are a number of excellent beaches which are only
a few minutes away by scooter/tuk tuk. In particular Promethep
Cape is recommended for excellent swimming and snorkeling,
although neighbouring Nai Harn Beach is popular with the older
crowd. |
