Karon beach Phuket

The beach between Patong and Kata

Karon Beach is between Patong and Kata. It doesn’t have the vibrant nightlife or shopping of Patong beach. It doesn’t have the coziness of Kata beach. So It’s hard to pin point the character of Karon beach.

It’s about 5 km long with fine golden sand. Grassy dunes behind the beach separate the beach from the road, but there are not as many trees at Karon as at Kata beach. This can make it feel a bit exposed and it’s harder to find a nice shaded area to sit.

From November through to April the beach has beautiful calm blue sea. From May to October the sea can be rough and there are some very strong rip tides. Life guards are on duty and put out red no swimming flags in the danger zones. The waves are popular with surfers and kite boarders.

Resorts along the beach include the Movenpick and the Hilton Arcadia. At the very north end is the Beyond resort, at the very south is the Centara Grand.

Karon beach activities

Snorkeling and diving are possible on the rocky reef at the north end of the beach.

While Karon is less busy than Patong beach you can still rent a jet ski or go para-sailing. Old Hobie cats and windsurfers are also available for rent.

Often a game of beach football or volleyball starts up in the late afternoon.

Karon is a long straight beach so nice for an early morning or evening jog, especially at low tide.

Away from the beach

There are a few roads that lead away from the beach road. The main area is up from the roundabout (Karon circle). Here you’ll find bars, restaurants, mini-marts, shops and pharmacies.

The Karon temple market is on every Tuesday and Friday evening. It’s a good place to stroll around and get local food.